Introduction to SparxSystems Enterprise Architect

SparxSystems Enterprise Architect (EA) is a logical choice for many companies and organizations: it combines a broad feature set with an affordable price. However, the robust range of features makes starting to use this fantastic tool a bit intimidating.

Enter Michael, a fictional consultant and experienced enterprise architect featured throughout the book to show you how to populate a model with elements and connectors, and how to create diagrams that speak to the audience: management, project managers, internal audit, business stakeholders and IT representatives. As the book progresses Michael's duties continue with more advanced topics including the use of workflow tools such as Kanban boards. You'll even see how to present directly from Enterprise Architect so that latest information can be shown straight from the source!

The last days of Michael’s mission are devoted to fine-tuning the enterprise architecture model with the help of tagged values. And to leave the model in the hands of the customer by creating a custom toolbox.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

* Setup EA and populate a model with elements, connectors and diagrams
* Review the Big Five of enterprise architect: Model, Packages, Diagrams, Elements, Connectors
* Implement evidence-based best practice strategies aligned with overall goals



WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR

Non-technical users who use EA mainly to document entire landscapes.

Peter Doomen has been working as an architect, analyst, consultant, and teacher. He has been using Enterprise Architect since version 4. He has written two other books about the same subject. In daily life, he is fond of champagne and likes to teach about that subject as well. INTRODUCTION TO SPARXSYSTEMS ENTERPRISE ARCHITECT

Part I: Getting Started

Chapter 1: Setting Up Enterprise Architect

* Comparing the different versions of EA
* Downloading and setting up EA.
* The Big Five of Enterprise Architect: Model, Packages, Diagrams, Elements, Connectors

Chapter 1A: The First Model: Document the Systemplar Enterprise Architecture

* Repositories and projects
* The model wizard
* Case: Two weeks towards a documented enterprise architecture

Chapter 2: Working With Elements

* Elements and what they represent
* Different ways to add elements to the model: one by one, several of the same type, importing
* Case: importing the project list into the enterprise architecture
* Finding elements in the model and on diagrams. Finding orphans
* Deleting elements
* Nesting, locking, bookmarking
* Element default appearance and auto name counters

Chapter 3: Connecting Elements With Connectors

* Case: adding business capabilities to the value chain
* Quickly adding links with the quick linker and repeat connector
* Other ways to add links
* Putting elements on the diagram based on links
* Styling and hiding connectors
* Adding information to connectors: notes, information flows
* The relationship matrix and the gap matrix

Chapter 4: Using Diagrams To Present Information

* Case: a business capability model
* Manual and autolayout
* Copying diagrams
* Legends and status colors
* Case: a heat map for the software model
* Adding elements to the same diagram twice
* Showing alternative info and notes
* Filtering diagrams
* Different views: list, gantt, specification
* Special diagrams (packages, graphs)

Part II: Presenting and Improving the Model

Chapter 5: Workflow Management

* Different ways of handling ‘work to do’: bookmarking elements, adding #todo to elements, and setting up a Kanban diagram
* Discussions in the EA model
* Case: a Kanban diagram for the enterprise architecture

Chapter 6: Creating Reports and Slideshows

* Diagram exports
* RTF Reports
* Excel exports
* A website
* Case: a website for the enterprise architecture
* Slideshows in the EA user interface

Chapter 7: Tagged Values and Stereotypes

* Tagged values: adding, exporting, inheriting applying to multiple items, defining tagged value types
* Stereotypes: defining and visualizing them
* General types: status, constraint, constraint status, difficulty, priority, test status, requirement, scenario
* Case: adding custom information to the enterprise architecture model

Chapter 8: Create Your Own Toolbox

* Toolbox visibility
* A first attempt at creating a toolbox
* Adding icons
* The order of elements in the toolbox
* Default size
* Working with metatypes
* Adding diagram properties
* Shapescripting: the canvas, the structure of a shapescript, some useful commands, limitations
* Case: leaving the enterprise architecture model for the architects of the company