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Some useful diagram types in Enterprise Architecture or System Architecture document

This list covers types of diagrams that can be helpful to use in Architecture document. Some of the diagrams may not have specific notations and can be made using general purpose tools and notations (draw.io, PowerPoint or something else), for others UML and ArchiMate can be used. Some of the diagrams may be from design not high level architecture but they are useful to understand system. 

[Requirement of Task Management System (a fictious system for learning purpose ) are referred to for example with the diagram names]

1️⃣ ArchiMate Sample Viewpoints

🔷 Core Viewpoints

✅ 1. C.1.1 Organization Viewpoint – Represents an organization’s structure, roles, and relationships.
✅ 2. C.1.2 Application Structure Viewpoint – Shows how applications are structured and their components.
✅ 3. C.1.3 Information Structure Viewpoint – Focuses on data and information models.
✅ 4. C.1.4 Technology Viewpoint – Depicts infrastructure components like servers, networks, and storage.
✅ 5. C.1.5 Layered Viewpoint – Provides a stacked view of Business, Application, and Technology layers.
✅ 6. C.1.6 Physical Viewpoint – Represents physical infrastructure such as devices and networks.
✅ 7. C.1.7 Product Viewpoint – Highlights products and services offered by the organization.
✅ 8. C.1.8 Application Usage Viewpoint – Shows how applications support business processes.
✅ 9. C.1.9 Technology Usage Viewpoint – Illustrates how technology elements are used within the organization.
✅ 10. C.1.10 Business Process Cooperation Viewpoint – Displays interactions between business processes.
✅ 11. C.1.11 Application Cooperation Viewpoint – Represents collaboration among applications.
✅ 12. C.1.12 Service Realization Viewpoint – Shows how services are realized across architectural layers.
✅ 13. C.1.13 Implementation and Deployment Viewpoint – Details the implementation and deployment of solutions.

🔷 Motivation Viewpoints

✅ 14. C.2.1 Stakeholder Viewpoint – Identifies key stakeholders and their concerns.
✅ 15. C.2.2 Goal Realization Viewpoint – Shows how high-level goals are achieved.
✅ 16. C.2.3 Requirements Realization Viewpoint – Maps requirements to their implementations.
✅ 17. C.2.4 Motivation Viewpoint – Provides an overview of business drivers, goals, and principles.

🔷 Strategy Viewpoints

✅ 18. C.3.1 Strategy Viewpoint – Represents strategic decisions and their impacts.
✅ 19. C.3.2 Capability Map Viewpoint – Shows business capabilities and their relationships.
✅ 20. C.3.3 Value Stream Viewpoint – Depicts end-to-end business value delivery.
✅ 21. C.3.4 Outcome Realization Viewpoint – Focuses on how outcomes are achieved through architecture.
✅ 22. C.3.5 Resource Map Viewpoint – Maps enterprise resources and their alignment with strategy.

🔷 Implementation & Migration Viewpoints

✅ 23. C.4.1 Project Viewpoint – Represents projects and their dependencies.
✅ 24. C.4.2 Migration Viewpoint – Shows how elements evolve over time during migration.
✅ 25. C.4.3 Implementation and Migration Viewpoint – Provides an overview of implementation and migration efforts.

2️⃣ System & Solution Architecture Diagrams (UML & Technical Views)

🔹 Logical & Functional Architecture

✅ 14. System Context Diagram (UML: System Context, External Actors & Interfaces)

  • Shows external dependencies (e.g., Users, External APIs, Notification System).

✅ 15. Component Diagram (UML: Component, Interface, Dependency)

  • Defines system modules (e.g., UI, Task Service, Notification Service).

✅ 16. Use Case Diagram (UML: Use Case, Actor, Relationships)

  • Maps key user actions (Create Task, Assign Task, Approve Task).

🔹 Application & Data Flow Diagrams

✅ 17. Data Flow Diagram (DFD) – Legacy Support (Structured Analysis DFD, Notation: Gane-Sarson or Yourdon-DeMarco)

  • Used for legacy systems; shows how data moves between different services.
  • Modern Alternatives:
    • Event-Driven Architecture (EDA) Diagram (ArchiMate: Event Flow)
    • Sequence Diagram (UML: Message Flow between Components)
    • Data Pipeline Diagram (Apache NiFi, Kafka Streams Topology, or UML Activity Diagram)

✅ 18. Sequence Diagram (UML: Sequence, Lifeline, Message)

  • Displays the process of task creation, assignment, and notification.

✅ 19. State Machine Diagram (UML: State, Transition, Event)

  • Shows lifecycle states of a task (e.g., Created → In Progress → Completed).

✅ 20. API Contracts Diagram (OpenAPI/Swagger, UML Component Diagram)

  • Defines key RESTful endpoints, methods, and request/response formats.

🔹 Deployment & Infrastructure

✅ 21. Deployment Diagram (UML: Node, Component, Deployment Specification)

  • Represents cloud/containerized deployment (e.g., Kubernetes, EC2, Load Balancers).

✅ 22. Network Topology Diagram (Enterprise Networking Standard Notation, Cloud Architecture Diagrams)

  • Shows security layers (e.g., API Gateway, VPN, DMZ).

3️⃣ Security & Compliance Diagrams

✅ 23. Access Control Model (UML: Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) Diagram, ArchiMate: Business Role & Access)

  • Defines how authentication (SSO, OAuth) and authorization (RBAC) work.

✅ 24. Disaster Recovery Architecture (Cloud Architecture Diagram, ArchiMate: Technology Service Redundancy)

  • Depicts backup, failover, and recovery mechanisms.

✅ 25. Threat Modeling Diagram (STRIDE Model, MITRE ATT&CK, Data Flow Security Mapping)

  • Highlights potential vulnerabilities and mitigations.

✅ 26. Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) View (NIST Zero Trust Model, Cloud Security Notations)

  • Defines security principles like least privilege access and identity verification.
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