Validating enterprise architecture principles using derivation rules and domain knowledge

Abstract

In Enterprise Architecture Management (EAM), rules, constraints, and principles guide and govern the Enterprise Architecture (EA). These can be formulated and verified in ontology-based enterprise architecture models. The automatic validation of EA principles relies on the knowledge available in the EA models. However, there is knowledge implicit in models that humans may understand but machines cannot. For example, relationships between model elements may be derived using derivation rules and domain knowledge. Formalizing derivation rules in an enterprise ontology, we can infer this implicit knowledge and make it available to the machine for reasoning. This research demonstrates the feasibility of using derivation rules to extract implicit knowledge from enterprise models allowing EA principles validation and supporting EAM. The research contribution is presented using a concrete real-world use case and implementing the derivation rules for the EA modeling standard ArchiMate.