This article is about one specific framework proposed in the 1990s

The Information FrameWork (IFW) is a Enterprise Architecture framework, originally conceived by Roger Evernden in 1996. The Information FrameWork is a family of data, process and object models to help financial institutions transform cross-enterprise architectures. It used to classify enterprise architecture

Enterprise architecture

An enterprise architecture is a rigorous description of the structure of an enterprise, which comprises enterprise components , the externally visible properties of those components, and the relationships between them...

 deliverables in much the same way as the Zachman Framework

Zachman framework

The Zachman Framework is an Enterprise Architecture framework for enterprise architecture, which provides a formal and highly structured way of viewing and defining an enterprise...

.

In 1987 had John Zachman

John Zachman

John A. Zachman is an American business and IT consultant, early pioneer of enterprise architecture, Chief Executive Officer of Zachman International, and originator of the Zachman Framework.- Biography :...

 proposed the Zachman Framework to describe Information Architecture

Information Architecture

Information architecture is the art of expressing a model or concept of information used in activities that require explicit details of complex systems. Among these activities are library systems, Content Management Systems, web development, user interactions, database development, programming,...

 with the six concepts: The what related to data, how related to process, where related to network and location, who related to actors and people, when related to time, and at last why related to motivation. According to Everden (1996) "research in the 1990s had indicated a tremendous need for integration of these descriptions into a unified paradigm and for the creation of Computer-aided software engineering

Computer-aided software engineering

Computer-aided software engineering is the scientific application of a set of tools and methods to a software system which is meant to result in high-quality, defect-free, and maintainable software products...

(CASE) tools to support Information Architecture modelling".

The Information Framework (IFW) is based around a number of architecture domain views, with three views, in ten columns:

• Organisation Architecture View (Structure, Strategy, Skills),
• Business Architecture View (Data, Business Functions, Workflow, Solutions),
• Technology Architecture View (Applications, Networks, Systems).

Each Architecture Domain is further viewed in terms of the levels of detail (A, B, C, C', D).

The Information FrameWork according to Everden (2003), a "brain dump his thoughts on information architecture, based on using the Information Framework, he developed at IBM. The objectives and scope of IFW are broader, than that of the original Zachman Framework, based on experiences from within the financial services industry.

Further reading

• Danny Greefhorst et al. (2006). "The many faces of architectural descriptions" In: Inf Syst Front (2006) 8:103–113
• Richard Martin (2006). "Formalization of Multi-level Zachman Frameworks" TECHNICAL REPORT NO. 522 COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT, INDIANA UNIVERSITY.

External links

• Information FrameWork at IBM.com