Department of Defense Architecture Framework - Overview

Overview

The DoDAF provides a foundational framework for developing and representing architecture descriptions that ensure a common denominator for understanding, comparing, and integrating architectures across organizational, Joint, and multinational boundaries. It establishes data element definitions, rules, and relationships and a baseline set of products for consistent development of systems, integrated, or federated architectures. These architecture descriptions may include families of systems (FoS), systems of systems (SoS), and net-centric capabilities for interoperating and interacting in the non-combat environment.

All major U.S. DoD weapons and information technology system acquisitions are required to develop and document an enterprise architecture (EA) using the views prescribed in the DoDAF. While it is clearly aimed at military systems, DoDAF has broad applicability across the private, public and voluntary sectors around the world, and represents one of a large number of systems architecture frameworks.

• The purpose of DoDAF is to define concepts and models usable in DoD's six core processes:
  1. Capabilities Integration and Development (JCIDS)
  2. Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE)
  3. Acquisition System (DAS)
  4. Systems Engineering (SE)
  5. Operations Planning
  6. Capabilities Portfolio Management (CPM)
• In addition, DoDAF 2.0's specific goals were to:
  1. Establish guidance for architecture content as a function of purpose – “fit for purpose”
  2. Increase utility and effectiveness of architectures via a rigorous data model – the DoDAF Meta Model (DM2) -- so the architectures can be integrated, analyzed, and evaluated to mathematical precision.