DODAF (History, Viewpoints, Diagrams, and Goals)

The Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DODAF) is an essential tool for creating and visualizing comprehensive defense architectures.

By providing a unified language and standardized approach, it facilitates effective communication and collaboration among stakeholders, ensuring that defense systems are interoperable and aligned with strategic goals.

This article covers what DoDAF’s viewpoints actually are (the full set, not just the ones added in the latest version), how the framework evolved from four views in 2003 to eight viewpoints today, and how DoDAF differs from TOGAF.

DODAF Overview

The DOD Architecture Framework is a comprehensive framework for the Department of Defense (DoD). It provides a standardized approach to describing and visualizing architectures across all defense domains.

It defines a common language for stakeholders to communicate about architecture and establishes principles and practices for creating coherent and effective architectures.

The original 2003 release (DoDAF 1.0) organized architecture products into four views:

• All View (AV) – overarching summary information covering the architecture’s scope and definitions
• Operational View (OV) – the mission, tasks, and activities the architecture supports
• Systems View (SV) – the systems and applications that carry out those operational activities
• Technical Standards View (TV) – the policies, standards, and constraints the systems must comply with

That four-view structure is where the “operational vs. technical” split some summaries of DoDAF refer to comes from, but it was never just two views, and by version 2.02 the framework had grown to eight viewpoints, covered in full below. DOD Architecture Framework diagrams are used to visualize architectures utilizing this framework.

DODAF defines concepts and models used in DOD’s six main processes.

• Joint Capabilities Integration and Development (JCIDS)
• Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE)
• Defense Acquisition System (DAS)
• Systems Engineering (SE)
• Operational Planning (OPLAN)
• Capability Portfolio Management (CPM)

Importance

The importance of the DoDAF framework lies in its ability to facilitate the transition from traditional, document-based, and code-centric systems development processes to a Model-Based Engineering (MBE) approach that is requirements-driven and architecture-centric.

By providing a standardized method for developing and documenting enterprise architectures, DoDAF ensures that all major U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) weapons and information technology system acquisitions are interoperable and aligned with strategic objectives.

DoDAF’s comprehensive set of views enables system architects, systems engineers, and software developers to create coherent and effective architectures, ensuring consistency and clarity across complex defense projects.

Its applicability extends beyond military systems, making it a valuable tool for various sectors, including private, public, and voluntary organizations globally.

As the preferred framework for defense and aerospace applications, DoDAF is central to organizing and sharing large, complex system architectures for distributed Systems-of-Systems, such as Network Centric Operational Warfare architectures.

This capability is vital for managing the intricate interactions and dependencies inherent in modern defense systems, thereby enhancing overall mission effectiveness and operational efficiency.

History

In June 1996, the first version was released under the name C4ISR Architecture Framework v1.0.

Before that, through the early 1990s, the focus on joint and multinational operations increased, and in 1995 the Deputy Secretary of Defense instructed that a DoD-wide effort be undertaken.

That is for defining and developing a suitable means and process for ensuring that C4ISR capabilities are interoperable.

In 1997, the second version of C4ISR was released: C4ISR Architecture Framework v2.0.

In August 2003 first version of the DOD Architecture Framework was released.

In February 2004, documentation of DOD architecture framework v1.0 was released with Definitions and Guidelines, Product Descriptions” and “Deskbook.”

In April 2007, DOD Architecture Framework v1.5 was released with an architectural data description.

In MAY 2009, the Defense Department approved the DOD Architecture Framework v 2.0.

Now the latest version of the DOD Architecture Framework is v2.02.

DODAF Viewpoints

In its starting version, that is, version 1.5, viewpoints are 

• The operational viewpoint covers the operational scenarios, activities, and requirements supporting capabilities.
• Technical standards viewpoint
• Systems and services viewpoints
• All viewpoints – It refers to overarching aspects of architecture context that relate to all viewpoints.

Version 2.02 added six new viewpoints on top of the Operational and All viewpoints carried forward from earlier versions, for eight total:

Capability viewpoint

It communicates the delivery timing, capability requirement, and deployed capability.

Data and information viewpoint

It communicates the architecture’s data relationships and alignment structures. 

Project viewpoint

It defines the relationships between operational and capability requirements and the various projects being implemented. 

Services viewpoint

It communicates the Performers, Activities, Services, and their Exchanges, providing for or supporting DOD functionalities.

Systems viewpoint

It is for Legacy support and communicates the systems, composition, interconnectivity, and context providing or supporting DOD functionalities.

Standards viewpoint

It articulates the applicable operational, business, technical, and industry policies, standards, guidance, constraints, and forecasts.

DODAF Diagrams

Presentation of viewpoint in graphic format

Goals of Version 2.02

• Initiate guidance for creating architecture content as a function of purpose or “fit for purpose.”
• Increase the advantages and usefulness of architectures through an attentive data model, the Department of Defense Architecture Framework Meta Model (DM2), so that it can be analyzed, evaluated, and eventually integrated more precisely. 

FAQs

Conclusion

The Department of Defense Architecture Framework is a comprehensive guide for creating and managing architectures across the DOD.

The framework defines key terms, describes an architecture development process, and provides a set of models and views that can be used to describe any system or enterprise.

Its structure has never actually shrunk to two views, as it’s sometimes summarized; it grew from four views in 2003 to eight viewpoints by version 2.02, and each addition mapped to a real gap the earlier version left uncovered, capability planning, data semantics, project timelines, and service-oriented design, rather than replacing what came before.

Reference

Documentation library of DODAF