> [!tldr] A simplification of Archimate retaining the bulk of its practical utility > [!info] Updated > In light of the upcoming [[Archimate 4.0]], my reduced set matches theirs to the extent possible **Context** - all of this note is from the perspective of someone who would use [[Archimate]] to interface with *Normies* (i.e. not other in-the-weeds systems architects), but I also believe this is likely true even in inter-architect situations. Vaguely related to the idea that [[Experts are more Impressed by Simplicity]]. I'm not saying these things are *useless*, just that some things are clearly more often or broadly useful than others. This is the palette from [[Archi]]: ![[Screenshot 2026-03-23 at 1.49.54 PM.png]] | **Layer** | **Number of Constructs** | | -------------- | :----------------------: | | Relationships | 11 | | Strategy | 4 | | Business | 13 | | Application | 9 | | Technology | 13 | | Physical | 4 | | Motivation | 10 | | Implementaiton | 5 | | **Total** | **69** | > [!warning] That's a lot. > So there's roughly ~70 constructs you can use in various ways to say different things. ## Archimate Cookbook: Medium-sized Set The [[Archimate Cookbook]] suggests a limited set: ![[Screenshot 2026-03-23 at 1.59.11 PM.png]] | **Layer** | **Number of Constructs** | Removed | | -------------- | :----------------------: | ---------------------------------------------------- | | Relationships | 9 | (not sure actually) | | Strategy | 3 | Value Stream | | Business | 10 | Collaboration, interaction, contract | | Application | 7 | Collaboration, interaction | | Technology | 8 | Collaboration, interaction, path, function, process, | | Physical | 0 | All physical elements | | Motivation | 9 | Meaning | | Implementaiton | 0 | All implementation elements | | **Total** | **46** | | Fewer, but still a lot. Basically removing an sense of *process* out of the technology layer and removing the notion of collaboration and interactions (both change I fully get behind), as well as disregarding implementation and physical concerns as things the language can handle. ## Replicating the [[Archimate 4.0]] Preview > [!summary] TL;DR > **Consolidate to any ONE layer:** > - Process > - Function > - Service > - Event > - Role > - Collaboration > - Location > - Path > > **Drop:** > - Contract > - Constraint > - All flavors of "Interaction" > - Representation > - Gap > > **Add:** > - Multiplicity labels # ChatGPT's Spontaneous Offering I was working with ChatGPT on something other than explicitly this and it offered the following insight: > [!cite] ChatGPT > ## The Real Insight If you collapse those patterns conceptually, EA reduces to about 7 fundamental ideas. > 1. **Structure** - X part-of Y > 2. **Responsibility** - Actor performs Process > 3. **Capability execution** - Process performs Capability > 4. **Service provision** - Process/Application provides Service > 5. **Support** - Application supports Process > 6. **Data usage** - Process/Application uses Information > 7. **Deployment** - Infrastructure runs Application > > Everything else is basically a refinement of those. This feels... actually not bad. **** # More ## Source - self, ultimately, as informed by: - https://www.hosiaisluoma.fi/blog/archimate/ - section 3 in particular - ChatGPT, which I argued with