{"id":4734,"date":"2026-01-20T10:37:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T02:37:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/guides.visual-paradigm.com\/tw\/docs\/archimate-explained-a-guide-to-ai-powered-enterprise-architecture\/appendices\/archimate-notation-quick-reference\/"},"modified":"2026-01-20T13:25:48","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T05:25:48","slug":"archimate-notation-quick-reference","status":"publish","type":"docs","link":"https:\/\/guides.visual-paradigm.com\/tw\/docs\/archimate-explained-a-guide-to-ai-powered-enterprise-architecture\/appendices\/archimate-notation-quick-reference\/","title":{"rendered":"ArchiMate Notation Quick Reference"},"content":{"rendered":"

ArchiMate Notation Quick Reference<\/strong><\/h3>\n

ArchiMate 3.2 uses a standardized set of iconography and colors<\/strong> to help architects describe enterprise structures unambiguously. While colors do not have formal semantics, the standard applies them to distinguish layers, while corners and shapes<\/strong> indicate the functional aspect of an element.<\/p>\n

\n

1. Notational Cues (Aspects and Layers)<\/strong><\/h4>\n
    \n
  • Corner Cues:<\/strong>\n
      \n
    • Square Corners:<\/strong> Denote Structure Elements<\/strong> (nouns).<\/li>\n
    • Round Corners:<\/strong> Denote Behavior Elements<\/strong> (verbs).<\/li>\n
    • Diagonal Corners:<\/strong> Denote Motivation Elements<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • Standard Layer Colors:<\/strong>\n
        \n
      • Yellow:<\/strong> Business Layer.<\/li>\n
      • Blue\/Turquoise:<\/strong> Application Layer.<\/li>\n
      • Green:<\/strong> Technology and Physical Layers.<\/li>\n
      • Purple:<\/strong> Motivation Aspect.<\/li>\n
      • Tan:<\/strong> Strategy Layer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
        \n

        2. Core Layer Elements<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
        Layer<\/th>\nActive Structure (Subjects)<\/th>\nBehavior (Actions)<\/th>\nPassive Structure (Objects)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
        Business<\/strong><\/td>\nBusiness Actor, Role, Collaboration, Interface<\/strong>.<\/td>\nBusiness Process, Function, Interaction, Service, Event<\/strong>.<\/td>\nBusiness Object, Contract, Representation<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
        Application<\/strong><\/td>\nApplication Component, Collaboration, Interface<\/strong>.<\/td>\nApplication Function, Interaction, Service, Process, Event<\/strong>.<\/td>\nData Object<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
        Technology<\/strong><\/td>\nNode, Device, System Software, Network<\/strong>.<\/td>\nTechnology Function, Service, Interaction, Process, Event<\/strong>.<\/td>\nArtifact<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
        \n

        3. Strategic and Motivation Elements<\/strong><\/h4>\n
          \n
        • Strategy Layer:<\/strong> Includes Resource<\/strong> (asset), Capability<\/strong> (ability), and Course of Action<\/strong> (plan).<\/li>\n
        • Motivation Aspect:<\/strong> Captures the “why” via Stakeholder, Driver, Assessment, Goal, Outcome, Principle, Requirement, Constraint, Meaning,<\/strong> and Value<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
        • Physical Elements:<\/strong> Extension of the Technology layer including Equipment, Facility, Material,<\/strong> and Distribution Network<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
          \n

          4. Relationship Notations<\/strong><\/h4>\n

          ArchiMate relationships are classified into four categories to model links between concepts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
          Category<\/th>\nRelationship<\/th>\nNotation Description<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
          Structural<\/strong><\/td>\nComposition<\/strong><\/td>\nSolid line with a filled diamond<\/strong>; source consists of target.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          <\/td>\nAggregation<\/strong><\/td>\nSolid line with an open diamond<\/strong>; source combines target.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          <\/td>\nAssignment<\/strong><\/td>\nSolid line with a filled circle<\/strong> at the source end; denotes performance\/responsibility.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          <\/td>\nRealization<\/strong><\/td>\nDashed line<\/strong> with an open arrowhead<\/strong>; tangible entity implements abstract one.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          Dependency<\/strong><\/td>\nServing<\/strong><\/td>\nSolid line with an open arrowhead<\/strong>; one element provides functionality to another.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          <\/td>\nAccess<\/strong><\/td>\nDotted line<\/strong> with optional arrowhead; denotes creation\/usage of passive structures.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          <\/td>\nInfluence<\/strong><\/td>\nDashed line<\/strong> with optional “+” or “-“<\/strong> sign; models impact on motivation elements.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          Dynamic<\/strong><\/td>\nTriggering<\/strong><\/td>\nSolid line with a filled arrowhead<\/strong>; temporal or causal link.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          <\/td>\nFlow<\/strong><\/td>\nDashed line<\/strong> with a filled arrowhead<\/strong>; transfer from one element to another.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          Other<\/strong><\/td>\nSpecialization<\/strong><\/td>\nSolid line with an open arrowhead<\/strong>; one element is a kind of another.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          <\/td>\nAssociation<\/strong><\/td>\nSolid line (undirected by default); unspecified relationship.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
          <\/td>\nJunction<\/strong><\/td>\nUsed to connect relationships of the same type; filled circle (And)<\/strong> or open circle (Or)<\/strong>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
          \n

          5. Alternative Notations<\/strong><\/h4>\n
            \n
          • Nesting:<\/strong> Placing an element inside another serves as an alternative to explicit Structural Relationships<\/strong> like composition, aggregation, or assignment.<\/li>\n
          • AI Automation:<\/strong> Visual Paradigm’s AI Diagram Generator<\/strong> can automatically apply these notations, symbols, and relationship rules based on natural language prompts, ensuring syntactic compliance<\/strong> with the ArchiMate 3.2 standard.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"parent":4733,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"","_eb_attr":"","neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":""},"doc_tag":[],"class_list":["post-4734","docs","type-docs","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nArchiMate Notation Quick Reference - Visual Paradigm Guides Traditional Chinese<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/guides.visual-paradigm.com\/tw\/docs\/archimate-explained-a-guide-to-ai-powered-enterprise-architecture\/appendices\/archimate-notation-quick-reference\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"zh_TW\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"ArchiMate Notation Quick Reference - Visual Paradigm Guides Traditional Chinese\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"ArchiMate Notation Quick Reference ArchiMate 3.2 uses a standardized set of iconography and colors to help architects describe enterprise structures unambiguously. 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