IASA - Viewpoint Template Card

Canvas Overview: The viewpoint template card is used to describe a viewpoint used by an architecture practice. The viewpoint concept see views article is used to help in describing an architecture and is based on ISO 42010.

Using architecture viewpoints is a crucial practice for several reasons:

• Multiple Perspectives: Complex systems have many stakeholders with different priorities and concerns. Viewpoints allow you to document these differing perspectives and ensure the architecture considers the needs of each stakeholder group.

• Improved Communication: By clearly articulating viewpoints, you facilitate better communication and collaboration between architects, stakeholders, and development teams. Everyone has a shared understanding of the system from various perspectives.

• Targeted Documentation: Viewpoints allow you to tailor architectural documentation to the specific needs of different audiences. This avoids information overload and ensures stakeholders receive the information most relevant to them.

• Reduced Risk: Considering the system through various viewpoints helps you identify and mitigate potential risks early in the design process.

How Viewpoints Differ from Architecture Descriptions

Regular architecture descriptions typically provide a single, generalized view of the entire system. Viewpoints, however, deliberately focus on specific perspectives or areas of concern. 

Filling out the Viewpoint Template Card

• Information Sources:

  • Stakeholder Interviews and Workshops

  • System Requirements Documentation

  • Architectural Principles and Standards

• Relationship to Other Architectural Practices: Viewpoint templates are used in conjunction with other architectural practices like the creation of architectural models used to visually represent the system according to the specific viewpoint.

By documenting your architecture using viewpoints, you can ensure that your designs consider the needs of all stakeholders and address their unique concerns. This leads to a more comprehensive, well-rounded architecture that is better positioned to meet the overall strategic objectives of your project.

How to use this card

• Viewpoint: This section identifies the specific viewpoint you’re documenting. This could be a business viewpoint (e.g., finance), a stakeholder viewpoint (e.g., CEO), or a technical viewpoint (e.g., security).

• Domain: This section identifies the domain or area of concern that the viewpoint focuses on.

• Version: This section tracks the version of the viewpoint template card.

• About this Template: This section provides a brief overview of the purpose of the template and how to use it.

• Context: This section captures the overall context surrounding the viewpoint. Here you might describe the system or project the viewpoint applies to, any relevant standards or regulations, and any assumptions you’re making.

• Concerns: This section identifies the key concerns or priorities of the viewpoint holder (e.g., the business is concerned about maintaining costs, while security might be most concerned about data privacy).

• Stakeholders: This section identifies the stakeholders associated with the viewpoint.

• Model(s) Used: This section lists the architectural models used to represent the viewpoint. These models could depict the system’s functionality, data flows, or deployment.

• Viewpoint Abstraction & Aspect: These sections differentiate how granular the viewpoint is (abstraction) and what particular aspects of the system it focuses on (aspect). For instance, a high-level abstraction might focus on the overall system landscape, while a lower-level abstraction might drill down into specific components.

About IASA Global: IASA Global is a non-profit association for ALL Technology Architects which was established in 2002. The association is committed to improving the quality of the BT architecture industry by developing and delivering standards, education programs and developing accreditation programs and services that optimize the development of the architecture profession. The IASA network and membership consists of approximately 70,000 people in over 50 countries.

IASA Global has created the world's first and only Business Technology Architecture Body of Knowledge, (BTABoK), which is a free public archive of Business Technology architecture best practices, skills, and knowledge developed from the experience of individual and corporate members of IASA. 

IASA has added templates for over 30 of the most frequently used BTABoK structured canvases into the Miroverse to help accelerate how Technology Architects collaborate on the architecture of the future. Give one a try today, and learn more about IASA at https://iasaglobal.org/.