The TOGAF ADM Guide-Through is a sophisticated process navigator within Visual Paradigm designed to lead architecture teams activity-by-activity through the Architecture Development Method (ADM). Rather than requiring architects to manually manage templates and disparate files, the tool provides a structured, visual environment that breaks down the ADM into its constituent phases—from the Preliminary Phase and Phase A (Architecture Vision) through to Requirements Management. Each phase consists of actionable work items that include embedded instructions, samples, and input references, ensuring that even teams new to TOGAF can produce professional-grade results.
As an Open Group certified ArchiMate tool, Visual Paradigm seamlessly integrates ArchiMate 3.2 diagrams and viewpoints directly into the ADM workflow. This integration ensures that the visual models created during the transformation cycle are consistently described and perfectly synchronized with the auto-generated deliverables. Furthermore, the system includes a Progress Indicator and an Architecture Repository for the automatic archiving of all artifacts, facilitating rigorous governance and auditability.
Practical Examples of the ADM Guide-Through in Action
The following examples illustrate how architects can leverage the Guide-Through process to manage complex enterprise transformations:
- Phase B: Business Architecture Definition
- Activity: During Phase B, the process navigator presents a series of steps to model the current (“as-is”) and desired (“to-be”) business states.
- Action: An architect follows the guide to create a Business Process viewpoint using ArchiMate. The tool provides a sample operative model as a reference, helping the architect define how business actors and roles interact with new processes.
- Automated Gap Analysis (Phases B, C, and D)
- Activity: Identifying discrepancies between Baseline and Target architectures.
- Action: Within the Gap Analysis step, the architect uses a color legend to highlight elements: green for “added,” red for “removed,” and yellow for “modified”. The Guide-Through then automatically transcribes this data into a “Consolidated Gaps, Solutions, and Dependencies Matrix” deliverable.
- AI-Enhanced Preliminary Phase Setup
- Activity: Defining the project scope and organizational impact.
- Action: Using the AI-Powered TOGAF Guide-Through (introduced in late 2025), an architect provides a high-level project description. The AI co-pilot extracts key Drivers and Goals, automatically drafting an initial Motivation viewpoint that is then embedded into the formal Architecture Vision document.
- Phase F: Migration Planning with Roadmaps
- Activity: Planning the phased transition to the target state.
- Action: The architect uses the Guide-Through to develop a Migration Roadmap. By dragging and dropping ArchiMate Work Packages and Plateaus into the provided editor, the tool generates a synchronized timeline that illustrates the business value delivered at each intermediate transition stage.
- Automatic Deliverable Generation
- Activity: Finalizing the documentation for stakeholder approval.
- Action: Upon completing the required activities in a phase, the user clicks “Generate Deliverable”. The tool instantly compiles all diagrams, RACI charts, and analysis matrices into a formal, standards-compliant TOGAF report, which is then automatically archived in the repository.
