Phase C of the TOGAF ADM addresses Information Systems Architectures, with a dedicated focus on two key domains: Data (or Information) Architecture and Application Architecture. The Data Architecture portion defines how the organization structures, manages, stores, and accesses its critical data assets to support business processes and decision-making.
Developing Baseline and Target Data Architecture models involves mapping out data entities, their attributes, relationships, flows, storage mechanisms, and governance — typically using ArchiMate to represent Data Objects, Data Entities, and their connections to business and application elements. Manually creating these models requires deep analysis of existing databases, data dictionaries, integration patterns, and future requirements — a process that is often complex, time-consuming, and prone to inconsistencies.
Visual Paradigm’s AI-powered TOGAF Guide-Through simplifies this significantly: AI generates professional, standards-compliant Baseline and Target Data Architecture models in ArchiMate directly from your natural language description — providing accurate, editable starting points in seconds.
Why Baseline and Target Data Models Are Critical in Phase C
Strong Data Architecture models deliver essential value by:
- Revealing how data currently supports (or hinders) business operations
- Defining the ideal future state of data management to enable strategic goals (e.g., analytics, real-time insights, compliance)
- Identifying data quality issues, redundancies, silos, or missing integrations
- Providing the foundation for application architecture decisions and later gap analysis
- Ensuring data governance, security, and master data management are aligned with the overall architecture vision
TOGAF emphasizes modeling data entities and flows in ArchiMate, showing how data objects realize business information and support application components — creating a clear bridge between business needs and technical implementation.
How AI Generates Baseline & Target Data Architecture Models in Visual Paradigm
In the TOGAF Guide-Through, navigate to the Phase C activities: Develop Baseline Data Architecture and Develop Target Data Architecture. The AI process is straightforward and powerful:
- Describe Your Data Landscape
Provide a natural language overview of the current data environment and the desired future state. You can use one combined description or separate inputs.
Example: “Currently we have fragmented customer data across CRM, ERP, and marketing systems with duplicate records, inconsistent formats, and slow reporting. Target state: unified customer data platform with master data management, real-time synchronization, GDPR compliance, and support for advanced analytics and personalization.” - AI Analyzes and Models
The AI interprets your input using TOGAF and ArchiMate conventions, identifying key data entities (e.g., Customer, Order, Product), attributes, relationships (e.g., composition, aggregation), data flows, and governance aspects. It then structures two coherent models:
– Baseline Data Architecture (current state)
– Target Data Architecture (future state) - Instant ArchiMate Diagrams
AI produces clean, logically organized ArchiMate diagrams for both models. They typically include elements such as Data Objects, Business Objects (for context), Application Components (where relevant), and appropriate relationships (realization, flow, access, etc.), with clear labeling and layout for readability.
The diagrams open directly in Visual Paradigm’s editor, where you can:
- Refine entities, attributes, or relationships
- Add data quality notes, security classifications, or volume indicators
- Apply consistent styling or color coding
- Link to business models from Phase B or application models in Phase C
Benefits of AI-Assisted Data Architecture Modeling
- Speed: From description to professional ArchiMate models in seconds — eliminating days of manual mapping.
- Consistency & Standards Compliance: AI ensures proper use of ArchiMate notation and TOGAF data architecture principles.
- Data-Focused Accuracy: Outputs remain grounded in information management realities — not jumping prematurely to applications or technology.
- Foundation for Gap Analysis: Well-structured Baseline and Target models make subsequent gap visualization clear and reliable.
- Stakeholder Communication: Visual models help both IT and business teams understand data challenges and opportunities quickly.
This AI feature makes the often technical and detail-heavy work of Data Architecture feel manageable and strategic — helping architects deliver high-quality information systems foundations with confidence.
Ready to Model Your Data Architecture the Smart Way?
Experience how AI turns your data description into ready-to-use Baseline and Target ArchiMate models instantly.
Download Visual Paradigm today and start your free trial — describe your current and target data environment in the Guide-Through and let AI generate your professional Data Architecture models in moments.
Build a solid, future-ready data foundation — faster and with greater clarity than ever before.