2004

After significant research starting in 2001 Zachman Framework Associates with a client and partner, developed this new Enterprise Framework². It was first licensed for beta testing in 2004. The most notable changes are the migration away from I/S terminology to Enterprise terms in fact towards an ontology which is a "language for enterprises". The use of common nouns also makes this version dramatically more precise in both dimensions. Each model is uniquely defined, and a complete operations set completes the 6th step of reification (the 2000 year old process for turning an abstract idea into reality: Identification-Row 1, Definition-Row 2, Representation-Row 3, Specification-Row 4, Configuration-Row 5 and Instantiation-Row 6).  In addition, The Framework's fundamental concept of abstraction, not granularity, allows the transformation process from one step to the next moving 'down' each column. For instance: an idea (or Scope item) has to go through all 6 steps in order to reach reality (Operations-Row 6). It also forces architects to take instances out of their architecture abstractions and make sure instances are only recorded in the real operations. The Enterprise is comprised of all of the steps, whereas Enterprise Architecture is comprised of the descriptors without the instances (the first 5 steps), hence the change in the framework name.

In this new framework, Zachman Framework Associates research further moved Enterprise Architecture out of the Information Technology domain and shifted it back into the business domain. It depicts business architecture as the top three Rows deal with the business ideas, while the bottom three Rows deal with technology operations reality. This concept defines dramatically more practical ideas of Enterprise Architecture to executive management.

There is one small flaw with it however, the picture (or model) of the globe in Column 3, Row 1 (Network Identification) which John wanted to retain as his trademark is grossly inaccurate. The inaccuracy is in the fact that the globe is a representation of a physical place, which is an instantiation (Row 6) of the scope (Row 1). The Row 1 models are all lists, not instances. If anything, the picture (or model) of the globe belongs in Row 6. 

2008

2008: This is the current and most accurate version of The Zachman Enterprise Framework^2.

This version is the purest graphical representation containing all the improvements in the evolution and research conducted by Zachman Framework Associates on Enterprise Architecture over the last 10 years. This version's improvements include the removal of the John's globe model in Column 3, Row 1, no adjectives, precise noun names, Enterprise terminology, minimized Information Systems terminology, abstractions separated from Instantiations.

As a further refinement this version is the projection of the Enterprise Framework² on the more general Normative Frameworks² further clarifying the 36 classifications. 

It is from this version that Enterprise Architecture Standards were definitively expressed and the idea of the Enterprise Architecture Ontology (theory of existence equal to the Periodic Table of Elements) could be realized.

2008

2008: This is John A. Zachman's elaboration of The Zachman Enterprise Framework² developed for the attendees of the Complete MasterClass in the Zachman Certified™ – Enterprise Architect program, which makes this representation a bit of a collector's item because of it's limited availability through the Zachman Courses.

This is John's personal elaboration of The Zachman Framework²  because of the color of the models in each Row. The models of The Enterprise Framework²  actually would not contain colors, however John uses this particular version with color models as a teaching tool to re-enforce the idea that whatever the Owners have in mind (Row 2 - Business Concepts - Orange) is what is actually instantiated in the Enterprise (Row 6 - Operations Instance Classes - Orange).

Concluding Thoughts on Change

It is important to keep in mind that the concepts underlying the Framework have not changed. The Enterprise Framework² is a new licensed representation, by Zachman Framework Associates of that intellectual achievement by John A. Zachman more that 25 years ago.

What has changed?

• Communications Interrogatives with Enterprise mass noun answers as columns
• Tightened Reification steps and new Audience Contributor Roles as rows
• Provision for Instances and Examples (to differentiate from architecture abstractions)
• Cell Names- Removed "e.g.'s" Absolute names based on Schema
• Cell graphic icons now have "e.g.'s" because there is no agreement on the graphical representation
• Meta-entity and relationship names are now more precise and more business oriented
• The scope meta-entities are mass nouns (generic answers for the Column Names) as row 1
• Each step has a distinct Modeling outcome (Identification, Definition, etc.) as row characteristics
• No adjectives used in the Framework  graphic
• Scrubbed dictionary definition for every word
• Helping words to classify by interrogative and by reification step
• Every Framework²  graphic is generated from the Repository metamodel (one authorized, consistent source for every Framework graphic (no unauthorized variations) ... however, with provision for "certified" local elaborations).
• Personalized, personal-use, licensed, high-resolution versions available at no cost by registering for the Standards.

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