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May 21, 2005

The Archestra Lexicon

The Archestra lexicon consists of terms that describe three classes of structures:
entities,
instruments, and
domains.

Entities identify the organization as distinguished from other organizations having autonomy and independent ownership of assets.

Instruments describe and supply the logic used to guide the organizational activities.

Domains identify the relationship networks used to host and channel agreements that form the enterprise.

Strategy and Architecture blend these structures to create the business.

[Entities] include: ---------------

Enterprise the full extent of relationships that constitute an organization's sphere of influence through its developmental and transactional activities.

Company an organizational unit of an enterprise accountable for the distribution and utilization of designated assets within a prescribed jurisdiction and range of locations.

Department a unit of an organization established to be accountable for the functional progress and quality of business processes based on a task-level of execution.

Task a prescribed association of a work-requirement, a skill set, and a work-product -- to measurably change a condition and thereby meet the requirement.

[Instruments] include: ---------------

Framework dimensions that select and coordinate the structural components and relationships within an entity.

Model a demonstration of the characteristics and interrelationships of components in an entity that allow its structure to support its purpose.

Policy a charter of negotiated tolerances constraining operational decisions.

Process a prescribed series of inputs and outputs for points of action that transform conditions from one state to another.

Function a predefined type of transformation of material or conditions performed by a predefined type of action.

[Domains] include: ---------------

Firm all stakeholders whose management decisions directly affect the balance of cost and risk in the enterprise's investments.

Organization the full set of contractual and regulated relationships that dictates the consumption of resources by business processes.

Project the organizational method for development of a specified construction

Infrastructure the set of rules, policies and mechanisms that make "environmental resources" available to inhabitants on demand for purposeful activities.

Architecture a set of principles that prescribes standards and models of construction and component interactions, to assure compatibility between environmental capacity and the functional needs.

Posted by Malcolm Ryder at May 21, 2005 5:21 PM

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