Start with your work
A service change may begin with a business aim, a difficult handover or a security concern. Start with the question you need to resolve, then follow the links to the decisions it affects.
| Starting point | What it helps you examine |
|---|---|
| Business architecture | Purpose, capabilities, value and the changes needed in people, work and information. |
| Process | Activities, business rules, decisions and handovers. |
| Structure | Organisational responsibilities, authority, skills and shared services. |
| Information | Meaning, ownership, records and data use, including data governance. |
| Security | Harm, protection, access and response, including Zero Trust. |
| Systems | Applications, integration, software and business rules. |
| Technology | Runtime, infrastructure, environments and technical recovery. |
| Deployment and operations | Readiness for use, support, recovery and continuing improvement. |
How the guidance connects
Business architecture brings several aspects of A Simple Architectural Framework (ASAF) together. In the fictional example, a cancelled course connects learners’ needs to the work, people and information needed to help them. Process covers the activities and handovers; Structure covers the roles and authority behind them.
Security has its own ASAF aspect and applies across the others. A change to a role, record, interface or supplier can change who may act and what needs protecting. The Deployment and operations guide also brings aspects together: a service needs people, procedures and support as well as working technology.
Direction and relationships
These aspects help connect a particular change to the wider organisation.
| Aspect | What it helps you examine |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Aims, outcomes and priorities. |
| Customer | People and organisations served, their needs and relationships. |
| Supplier | Responsibilities, dependencies and the ability to change supplier. |
| Channel | How people reach and use the service. |
| Management | Direction, decisions, roadmaps and continuing oversight. |
| Finance | Funding, commitments, costs and benefits. |
| Metrics | Observations used to judge outcomes, quality and change. |
The Framework explains the complete structure: aspects, process areas and levels of abstraction. Use Methodology configuration to relate it to your own terms and records, and Assessment to examine speed, quality and useful life.
Worked example and templates
Follow the worked example from a cancelled course to its proposed service changes. The Blueprint brings the design views and decisions together. Use the editable templates to record decisions in your own work.