Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
in 1977, in their topic about towns, buildings, and construction. The latter
wrote that “towns and buildings will not become alive, unless they are
made by all the people in society, and unless these people share a common
pattern language, within which to make these buildings, and unless this
common pattern language is alive itself.” They define a pattern as an
entity that “describes a problem which occurs over and over again in our
environment, and then describes the core of the solution to that problem,
in such a way that you can use it a million times over, without ever doing
it the same way twice.” Readers must note that the original definition of
pattern did not imply
that could be used as it
is (code reuse — as a parallel in software). It was a way to categorize
and abstract problems (with possible solutions to them) by identifying
certain peculiar properties and invariants for them.
Their fundamental concept is that “no pattern is an isolated entity” and
“each pattern can exist in the world only to the extent that is supported
by other patterns.” This has elements of systems thinking in it. Any design
pattern is made up of, and interacts with, other patterns around it. In this
context, designers have a tendency to pick a number of patterns and try
to fit them all into their design. Christopher et al. caution the “builder”
against this practice — “it is possible to make buildings by stringing
together patterns, in a rather loose way… an assembly of patterns. It is
not dense. It is not profound. But it is also possible to put patterns together
in such a way that many patterns overlap in the same physical space; it
has many meanings captured in a small space.” A good designer is one
who can compress patterns — make the “cheapest possible building” yet
have all the necessary patterns in it.
a problem and its solution
Zachman Framework
The Zachman framework is a logical structure intended to provide a
comprehensive representation of an IT (information technology) enter-
prise. The framework uses a 36-cell table with six rows (Scope, Business
Model, System Model, Technology Model, Detailed Representation, and
Functional System) and six columns (What, How, Where, Who, When,
and Why) to define rules for managing such enterprises.
The Zachman framework is designed so that people with different per-
spectives can communicate. Instead of a 6
6 table, it represents a multidi-
mensional framework that helps enterprises plan, design, and create complex
and evolving information systems. It defines a structure independent of any
toolsets and methodologies used in it. There are different perspectives in
any organization, and each is addressed in this framework. Each row's
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