The Open Group Unveils New Web-Based Tool for Enterprise Architects to Ease Use of TOGAF(TM) 9

New TOGAF Customizer(TM) Speeds Task of Managing Popular Architecture Development Method

SAN FRANCISCO, June 22 /PRNewswire/ — The Open Group, a vendor- and technology-neutral consortium focused on open standards and global interoperability within and between enterprises, today announced the general availability of the TOGAF Customizer(TM), which can be used to implement TOGAF version 9 more easily. Developed and endorsed by the members of The Open Group’s Architecture Forum, TOGAF 9 represents an industry consensus framework and method for Enterprise Architecture that is available for use internally by any organization around the world. The new tool, donated to The Open Group by Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, is available for download here: http://www.opengroup.org/togaf/.

Based on the Eclipse Process Framework (EPF), an open source project that is managed by the Eclipse Foundation, the TOGAF Customizer contains all the content of TOGAF 9 in a structured and editable form, including guidelines, concepts, and checklists, as well as detailed work breakdown structures for the framework’s new and improved Architecture Development Method (ADM). With the new tool, users can more easily and quickly align their Enterprise Architecture practices with TOGAF 9 and create organization-specific versions of the standard that represent the concerns of their unique business and technology environments. In addition, the new tool makes it much easier for Enterprise Architects to integrate TOGAF with other common EA frameworks, such as Zachman, FEAF and DoDAF.

“Since the long anticipated launch of TOGAF 9 earlier this year, we’re excited to report that there have already been more than 5,000 downloads or book purchases relating to the new standard,” said Allen Brown, CEO for The Open Group. “I would like to thank Capgemini for donating the underlying IP. We believe The Open Group’s new TOGAF Customizer will enable even broader uptake of TOGAF 9 since it greatly simplifies and speeds the way organizations integrate the standard with their Enterprise Architecture practices.”

The following is a summary of key features and benefits for users of the TOGAF Customizer:

• Specific constructs for tasks and steps enable processes to be formally defined with related content, such as inputs, outputs, roles and responsibilities
• Supporting Editor allows users to make changes to the standard TOGAF framework content and tailor it to their specific organizational context
• Underlying Content Management System supports group collaboration, editing and versioning
• Plug-in architecture allows new content packages, including document templates, to be created and linked to TOGAF

“TOGAF is intended to be customized to fit the needs of individual organizations and fully integrated into their wider change processes. The TOGAF Customizer supplies the content of TOGAF 9 in an editable form, which allows an organization to accelerate and enhance its TOGAF adoption by publishing the content that is right for them,” explains Mike Turner, Enterprise Architect at Capgemini. “Capgemini already makes extensive use of the EPF toolset to publish and maintain a wide variety of processes and methods. As a part of our ongoing commitment to open standards we are happy to provide a TOGAF Customizer based on the EPF, which we believe will encourage wider and more effective adoption of Enterprise Architecture within The Open Group community.”

For more information on the TOGAF Customizer, please visit http://www.opengroup.org/togaf/epf_intro.html. For more information on TOGAF 9, please visit http://www.opengroup.org/togaf or download the “Introduction to TOGAF 9″ whitepaper at http://www.opengroup.org/bookstore/catalog/w094.htm.

About TOGAF(TM)

TOGAF is an industry standard enterprise architecture framework that may be used freely by any organization wishing to develop an enterprise information systems architecture for use within that organization. TOGAF has been developed and continuously evolved since the mid-90′s by representatives of some of the world’s leading IT customer and vendor organizations working in The Open Group’s Architecture Forum. Details of the Forum are given on the Architecture Form Web site at: http://www.opengroup.org/architecture/.

About The Open Group

The Open Group is a vendor-neutral and technology-neutral consortium, which drives the creation of Boundaryless Information Flow(TM) that will enable access to integrated information within and between enterprises based on open standards and global interoperability. The Open Group works with customers, suppliers, consortia and other standard bodies. Its role is to capture, understand and address current and emerging requirements, establish policies and share best practices; to facilitate interoperability, develop consensus, and evolve and integrate specifications and open source technologies; to offer a comprehensive set of services to enhance the operational efficiency of consortia; and to operate the industry’s premier certification service. Further information on The Open Group can be found at: http://www.opengroup.org.

TOGAF(TM) and TOGAF Customizer(TM) are trademarks of The Open Group.

SOURCE The Open Group