Connecting Enterprise Architecture and Information Objects using an Enterprise Ontology

Abstract

Nowadays, enterprises usually apply a huge number of information systems, often some of them are interrelated. Furthermore, it is often necessary to adapt parts of the enterprise (e.g. strategies, processes, organization, information systems) to changes in the environment. Such adjustments are impeded by complex and intransparent system landscapes which make it difficult to foresee impacts of modifications. Within operating activities it is often tricky and time consuming to retrieve needed information if they are spread over several different systems. The purpose of enterprise architecture (EA) is modelling elements of an enterprise as well as relations among those elements. In order to describe enterprise architecture models semantically, it is possible to apply ontologies. However, enterprise architecture models formalized as ontologies are not connected to concrete information objects which are stored in information systems. This research thesis illustrates how enterprise architecture ontology and information objects could be connected. The starting point is ArchiMEO, an already existing EA ontology developed at the Universityof Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland. It is based on ArchiMate (a modelling languagefor enterprise architecture) and comprises basic EA elements like, for instance, perspective, aspect, process, or organizational unit....