Frameworks

Overview

The Frameworks group presents the model in the form of two architecture frameworks:

• DoDAF: the DoD Architecture Framework 2.02. Holarch supports 57 products across eight viewpoints (AV, CV, DIV, OV, PV, SvcV, SV, StdV), an Architecture Description that sets which products are in scope and why, seven consistency checks, and three exports, including a Word Architecture Package.
• UAF: the Unified Architecture Framework. A grid of 15 viewpoints by 12 aspects; each entry creates a view.

A framework product is not a separate drawing. Each product is tracked on a root entity in the model and opens the matching Holarch view: an Asset diagram for SV-1, an IDEF0 or Action diagram for OV-5b, a matrix for SV-5a, a document for AV-1, and so on. When the model changes, every product that shows it changes too, and the same entity appears consistently in every product.

Concepts

Products, roots and labels

• Creating a product picks (or creates) a root entity and records the product on it. The root gets the labels DoDAF Product and the product's code (for example OV-1). UAF views get UAF View plus the viewpoint and aspect codes.
• One root can carry several products; one product can exist on several roots (for example two OV-5b models for two missions).
• Product pages live at dodaf/<root>/<product> and uaf/<root>/<view>.
• Update Schema with DoDAF Labels (or UAF Labels) adds every framework label to the project's schema, with descriptions, so you can label entities (Capability, Activity, Function, Organization, Project, Service, System, Standard, …) before creating matrix products.

Product kinds

Status

Each product has a status: Not started (no instance), In progress (created but empty) or Populated (has content: a picture, diagram entities, matrix links, flows, rules, sections or entries).

Architecture Description

One per project: the Architecture name, its Purpose, and the products In scope, each with the decision or question it supports. The checks and the Architecture Package focus on the in-scope products.

How to use it

When and why

Use the frameworks when a customer or review board expects a DoDAF or UAF architecture description, typically at concept and design reviews. Model first (requirements, functions, assets, interfaces, operational activities), then create the products: most of them are views of model data you already have. Start with the Architecture Description so you only build the products the decision needs, and run Check Architecture before each delivery.

Plan the architecture description

1. Open Frameworks → DoDAF and the Architecture Description tab.
2. Enter the Architecture name and Purpose (what the architecture is for and the decisions it informs).
3. Tick In scope for each product the effort needs and fill Supports with the decision or question it answers. Use All viewpoints, Any status and Show all products to find products.
4. For products that show Create… in Instances, click it to create them. The status chips at the top count in-scope products that are Not started, In progress and Populated; click one to filter.

Create a product

1. Click + Create DoDAF Product in the top bar, or a product in the DoDAF 2.02 product catalog on the Products tab.
2. In Create DoDAF Product, choose the product in Choose Which DoDAF Product to Create. The text below describes it.
3. Choose the Root: Specify New Root (Name, Number, Description) or Specify Existing with Choose….
4. Click Finish. The product page opens. For a diagram product, click Open <diagram> in the top bar to build it.

▾ → Create from Existing… first picks a root entity, then opens the dialog for that root. ▾ → Create DoDAF Product (Default) updates the schema with the DoDAF labels, then opens the dialog.

Make an OV-1 from a whiteboard

1. Choose OV-1: High-Level Operational Concept Graphic in Create DoDAF Product.
2. Set Representation to Use a whiteboard. Choose an existing whiteboard, its Board (page) and Area (Whole board or one Frame: …), or New whiteboard from the OV-1 template, or New blank whiteboard. A preview shows the selected area.
3. Name the root and click Finish.
4. On the product page, click Open Whiteboard. Drag pictures from the Clipart panel (satellites, ground stations, aircraft, ships, military symbols), add arrows and labels.
5. Link the picture to the model: select an element and choose Model → Link to… in the inspector, then the asset, performer or activity. Linked elements become hotspots on the product page and are listed under Linked elements (n).
6. Back on the product page, fill View information (Name, Purpose, Scope, Time frame, Architect). These fill the title block under the picture. Write the Narrative.

Make an OV-1 from an imported picture

1. In Create DoDAF Product, set Representation to Import an image (PNG, JPG, SVG). Choose the Image file now or later. The root must be an Artifact.
2. On the product page, click Import Image… (or drop a file on the canvas) if you have not yet.
3. Click Draw Hotspot, drag a rectangle over part of the picture and choose the entity it represents in Link Hotspot to Entity. Repeat for each element.
4. To update the picture, click Replace Graphic…. The previous picture is kept under Versions; Restore brings it back.
5. Write the Narrative.

The third option, Build in Holarch (asset diagram), makes the OV-1 an Asset diagram of the root.

Check and export

1. Open the Check Architecture tab. Each check shows Pass, Warning or Error and its number of findings. Click a check to list the findings; each has a link to the entity and Open <product> (or Create <product>…).
2. Fix the findings in the model and click Run Again.
3. Choose Export ▾ → Architecture Package (Word). Holarch builds the document (Building the architecture package…) and downloads <Architecture name> Package.docx.

Worked example: the CubeSat EO-1 demo

Create the demo project (Manage Projects → Project Files ▾ → Create Demo Project) and open Frameworks → DoDAF.

1. Architecture Description. The architecture is EO-1 Mission Architecture, purpose Support the Critical Design Review: show the operational concept, the imaging pass and the rules that constrain operations. Four products are in scope: AV-1, OV-1 (Concept graphic for the CDR briefing.), OV-5b and OV-6a, all Populated.
2. OV-1. Open OV-1 EO-1 High-Level Operational Concept. It shows the EO-1 Operational Concept whiteboard (WB-1): the spacecraft imaging farmland, the partner ground stations, the mission operations center and the imagery customer. Linked elements lists the model entities behind the pictures (EO-1 Spacecraft, Ground Station, Mission Operations Center, the conduit IF-10 and others). Point at a picture to see its entity; click it to open the entity panel.
3. AV-1. AV-1 Mission Architecture Overview and Summary has the seven-section outline filled: identification, scope, purpose and viewpoint, context, time frame, tools and file formats, and findings (The power margin is at risk (TPM-2), the payload interface IF-05 is over capacity, and two qualification tests failed.).
4. OV-5b. The Run Nominal Imaging Pass action is the OV-5b root; Open IDEF0 Diagram shows the imaging pass.
5. OV-6a. OV-6a Operational Rules for EO-1 holds three rules: OR-1 Sunlit Targets Only (Action Assertion), OR-2 Licensed Downlink Only (Structural Assertion) and OR-3 Imaging Energy per Orbit (Derivation), each linked to the activities and assets it applies to.
6. Check Architecture reports one warning, under DC-1: a leaf activity of the OV-5b imaging pass has no performer. Open the finding, link a performer with performed by, and click Run Again. Once you add an OV-2 or OV-4, DC-1 also checks that each performer appears on one of them.
7. Export ▾ → Architecture Package (Word) produces EO-1 Mission Architecture Package.docx with the description, the product table and the four products.

Tips and good practice

• Write the Supports text for each in-scope product. A product without a decision behind it is shelfware.
• Prefer model-backed products over pictures. An imported OV-1 is fine for a briefing, but link its parts with hotspots so the AV-2 dictionary and the checks see them.
• Use Frames on a whiteboard to keep the OV-1 and its working notes on one board; point the product at the frame.
• Label entities (Capability, Activity, Function, System, Service, Organization, Project) before opening matrix products; matrices list entities by label.
• Give every entity a description. AV-2 shows No definition — add a description for entities without one.

Common mistakes

• A matrix product is empty (No row entities yet…). No entity has the row or column label. Add the labels (Entity View or Database → Label ▾).
• A matrix cell cannot be clicked (Not allowed by the schema). The schema does not allow that relationship between the two classes.
• Import fails with An imported graphic is stored on an Artifact. Choose an Artifact root, or build the product in Holarch. Choose an Artifact as root, or another representation.
• DC-6 Product in scope is empty. A product is ticked in scope but not created or still empty.
• A hotspot shows "Linked entity was deleted". Click Relink… next to it under Hotspots, or remove it with ×.

How it connects

• Requirements, behavior, architecture and interfaces are the source of nearly every product: OV-5 and SV-4 come from Actions, SV-1 and OV-2 from Assets and Conduits, OV-3/SV-6 from Input/Outputs.
• Whiteboards: OV-1 and CV-1 can be live views of a board or frame; see Whiteboards and Whiteboard Clipart.
• Documents and presentations: an imported picture is also an Imported Graphic diagram you can insert in documents and slides.
• Risk and plan: UAF risk parameter views open Risk Diagrams and burn-downs, roadmap views open Timelines and Gantt charts. See Risk & Decisions and Plan & Deliver.
• Traceability: matrix products can be opened in the Traceability Matrix with Open in Traceability Matrix.

DoDAF page

Top bar

Tabs

• Products: the DoDAF 2.02 product catalog (57 products) (expand it; click a product to create it), then a tile browser of every product in the project (search, sort, open). Empty: This project has no DoDAF products.
• Architecture Description (dodaf?tab=arch): see Architecture Description tab.
• Check Architecture (dodaf?tab=check): see Check Architecture.

Product pages

Every product page has All Products in the top bar, the product description, its root and, when set, Supports: …. Further controls depend on the kind (below).

DoDAF products

All 57 supported products, with the Holarch representation and the class of a new root.

All Viewpoint (AV)

Capability Viewpoint (CV)

Data and Information Viewpoint (DIV)

Operational Viewpoint (OV)

Project Viewpoint (PV)

Services Viewpoint (SvcV)

Systems Viewpoint (SV)

Standards Viewpoint (StdV)

In matrices, rows and columns are the entities with the named labels (or, for Measure rows, every Measure). The text above the matrix reads, for example, Rows: label:"Activity" · Columns: label:"Function" · Relationship: decomposed by. Click a cell to add or remove the relationship. Open in Traceability Matrix opens the same rows, columns and relationship in the full matrix.

OV-1 and CV-1 graphics

The Representation field in Create DoDAF Product has three options for OV-1 and CV-1:

Whiteboard product page

• Top bar: All Products, Open Whiteboard, Change Board… (Choose the OV-1 Whiteboard, then Use This Board).
• Canvas: the board or frame with a title block (OV-1: <name>, Purpose, Scope, Time frame, Architect). Linked elements are hotspots: point for the entity and class, click for the entity panel. Zoom with − / + / ⤢.
• View information: Name, Purpose, Scope, Time frame, Architect, and Source: with a link to the board.
• Linked elements (n): every linked entity. Empty: Link elements on the board to model entities (select an element, then Model → Link to… in the inspector). They are listed here and become hotspots on the picture.
• Narrative: rich text, saved as the root's description.
• Empty canvas: Nothing to show — The board or frame is empty, or it was deleted. Open the whiteboard to draw the concept, or choose another board.

Imported picture product page

• Top bar: All Products, Import Image… (becomes Replace Graphic… once a picture exists), Draw Hotspot, Download Original, Open as Diagram.
• Canvas: drag to pan; scroll or − / + / ⤢ to zoom. Drop a PNG, JPG or SVG file on it to import. Empty: No graphic yet — Import a PNG, JPG or SVG file, or drop one here. SVG files are cleaned: scripts, event handlers and external links are removed.
• Draw Hotspot: drag a rectangle, then pick or create the entity in Link Hotspot to Entity. Hotspots are outlined on screen and left out of exports.
• Narrative, Hotspots (n) (each with Relink… and ×) and Versions (the current picture marked Current, earlier ones with Restore and ⤓ download). Replacing the picture keeps the earlier one here.

SVG files are cleaned on import: scripts, embedded documents, event handlers, javascript: addresses, style imports and references outside the file are removed, and the toast reports how many items were removed. PNG and JPG pictures are downscaled when very large. The picture is also an Imported Graphic diagram, listed under Diagrams and insertable in documents and presentations; its diagram editor has Import Image…/Replace Graphic…, Draw Hotspot, Download Original and Open OV-1 Page.

Rules models (OV-6a, SvcV-10a, SV-10a)

The root Artifact is the source of the rules; each rule is a Statement labeled with the product's rule label and one rule type.

• Toolbar: + Add Rule, the count (3 rules · labeled Operational Rule), Download CSV, Download XLSX. The top bar adds Open as Document.
• Columns: Number, Rule, Rule Text, Type (—, Structural Assertion, Action Assertion, Derivation), Applies To (chips with ×, and + to link an entity with traced to), and × to delete the rule.
• Edit cells in place: Enter saves a cell, ⌘+Enter saves the rule text, Esc cancels.
• Rule types: Structural Assertion — a fact or constraint about terms and how they relate; Action Assertion — what must, must not or may happen when a condition holds; Derivation — how a value or fact is computed or inferred from other facts.
• Empty: No rules yet. Add a rule, give it a short name, write the rule text, choose its type and link what it applies to.

Resource flow tables (OV-3, SvcV-6, SV-6)

Rows are every Conduit (with each Input/Output it transfers) whose ends are in the root's decomposition, plus flows derived from behavior: an Action performed by one asset generates an Input/Output received by an Action performed by another.

• Columns: I/O Name, Number, Size, Units (editable in place), Conduit, Source Asset, Target Asset.
• Toolbar: Condensed, Align left / center / right, Apply Attributes in Bulk… (sets Units on every I/O row), Download CSV, Download XLSX.
• Empty: No resource flows found. Connect Assets with Conduits that transfer Input/Output entities (Asset diagram), or have Actions performed by Assets generate and receive Input/Outputs.

AV-1 and AV-2

AV-1 Overview and Summary Information

Creating an AV-1 adds an outline to the root document: 1 Architecture Identification, 2 Scope, 3 Purpose and Viewpoint, 4 Context, 5 Time Frame, 6 Tools and File Formats, 7 Findings, each with guidance text. The product page shows the document thumbnail, Open Document (top bar) and, if the outline is missing, Add AV-1 Outline (Added the AV-1 outline).

Attachments: + Attach Graphic… imports a PNG, JPG or SVG as its own Artifact labeled AV-1 Attachment (Attached <file>). Each card links to the picture; × removes it from the AV-1 (the Artifact stays). Attachments appear as figures in the Architecture Package.

AV-2 Integrated Dictionary

Every entity used by any DoDAF product (diagram contents, matrix rows and columns, rules and what they apply to, hotspots, linked whiteboard elements, flows, AV-1 sections), with Class, Number, Name, Definition (the description) and Used In (links to each product).

• Search name, number, class, definition or product…, the entry count, Download CSV, Download XLSX (AV-2_Integrated_Dictionary).
• Open Database (top bar) shows every entity in the project, not only those used by products.
• Empty: No entities yet. Entities appear here once they are used by a DoDAF product (diagram contents, matrix rows, rules, hotspots).

Architecture Description tab

Check Architecture

The tab runs seven cross-view checks over the products in the project. The header shows n findings (or No findings), n of 7 checks report issues · checked <time>, and Run Again.

Typical finding notes: No performer. Link one with “performed by”., Performed by …, not shown on an OV-2 or OV-4., No needline carries it., Carried by …, which is not on an OV-2., No Input/Output is transferred., No relationship to an operational activity., Performs no function shown in an SV-4., <product>: not created yet. / created but empty., OV-1: no picture imported yet., OV-1: a hotspot links to a deleted entity., OV-1: the whiteboard was deleted., OV-1: the whiteboard is empty.

Exports

Architecture Package (Word)

A .docx named <Architecture name> Package.docx:

1. Title, DoDAF 2.02 architecture package · <project> · <date>, and a Contents field (Word offers to update it when the file opens).
2. Architecture Description: the purpose and a table of Product, Supports and Status.
3. One section per product (the in-scope products, or every created product if none is in scope), each on a new page with its description and Supports: line, then per instance: the picture or diagram as a numbered figure (whiteboards with their title block and a table of linked elements; imported pictures with a hotspot table), matrix and table products as numbered tables, rules tables, AV-1 sections and attachments, the AV-2 dictionary, and the narrative. Products not created show Not started.

DoDAF Products (JSON)

<Architecture name> DoDAF Products.json: format holarch-dodaf-products, the architecture description, every product with its kind, status, root, entities and kind-specific data (diagram type, whiteboard reference and linked elements, picture with hotspots and version count, rules, flows, attachments), and the dictionary.

DM2 PES Subset (XML, not schema-validated)

<Architecture name> DM2 PES subset.xml: the dictionary entities as DoDAF Meta Model concepts (Performer, System, Service, OrganizationType, Activity, Capability, Resource, Rule, Information) and associations (activity performed by performer, activity produces / consumes resource, rule constrains thing, whole–part, resource flow). It uses Holarch's own namespace and is not validated against the DM2 PES schema.

UAF

UAF page

• Top bar: + Create UAF View and ▾ (Create UAF View (Default), Update Schema with UAF Labels).
• UAF grid: viewpoints as rows, aspects as columns. Each cell lists its views as buttons; click one to create that view. A number shows how many views already exist in the cell. Viewpoints that are a single summary (Sm-Ov, En-Pm, Me-Pm, Rk-Pm) span the whole row.
• Below the grid, a tile browser of every UAF view in the project. Empty: This project has no UAF views.

Create UAF View

1. Select UAF Viewpoint (with its description).
2. Select UAF Aspect (when the viewpoint has aspects).
3. Select View.
4. For a diagram view, Select Root Class. For a matrix, Select Y Axis Type (class) and Select Top-Level Relationship (default performed by).
5. Root: Specify New Root or Specify Existing. Click Finish.

Viewpoints, aspects and views

Viewpoints: Sm-Ov Summary and Overview, En-Pm Environment Parameters, Me-Pm Measurement Parameters, Rk-Pm Risk Parameters, Am Architecture Management, St (Strategic) Strategic, Op Operational, Sv Services, Ps Personnel, Rs Resources, Sc Security, Pj Projects, Sd Standards, Ar Actual Resources, Rq Requirements.

Aspects and the views each offers:

Aspects per viewpoint:

The En-Pm, Me-Pm and Rk-Pm aspects of a viewpoint are offered in Create UAF View.

View pages

Every view page has All Views in the top bar and the viewpoint and aspect descriptions. Depending on the view:

• Diagram views: a thumbnail and Open <diagram>.
• Document views (Requirements Document, Sm-Ov Document): Open Document.
• Dictionary (Am-If): Open Dictionary (Database).
• Gantt Chart: Open Gantt Chart (the root must be a Task).
• Risk Burndown Chart: Open Charts.
• Matrix: rows are the root's decomposition, columns every entity of the Y axis class, cells the chosen relationship. Click a cell to add or remove it.

A view whose diagram type cannot use the chosen root shows Misconfigured UAF View with Misconfiguration Reason: A <view> cannot use a <class> root.

Keyboard shortcuts

Messages

Limits

• DoDAF: 57 products in eight viewpoints; UAF: 15 viewpoints × 12 aspects.
• Imported pictures: PNG, JPG and SVG, up to the per-file attachment limit (see Storage and limits).
• Picture versions: the 10 most recent earlier pictures are kept.
• Architecture Package matrices: up to 40 rows and 12 columns per matrix table.

Related pages

• Risk & Decisions and Plan & Deliver — targets of UAF risk and roadmap views.
• Interfaces — conduits and I/O behind OV-2, OV-3, SV-2 and SV-6.
• Storage and limits — file size limits for imported pictures.
• Help: DoDAF, UAF, Make an OV-1 for DoDAF, Whiteboards, Whiteboard Clipart.