DODAF - DOD Architecture Framework Version 2.02 - DOD Deputy Chief Information Officer

DM2 - DoDAF Meta-Model

The DM2 Conceptual Data Model

Relationship to Universal Core and the Zachman Framework interrogatives

Relationship of DM2 Principal Elements to DoD's Six Core Processes

Overview of The DM2 Foundation

The CDM defines concepts involving high-level data constructs from which Architectural Descriptions are created, enabling executives and managers at all levels to understand the data basis of Architectural Description. The key concepts are as follows:

  1. Activity: Work, not specific to a single organization, weapon system or individual that transforms inputs (Resources) into outputs (Resources) or changes their state.
  2. Resource: Data, Information, Performers, Materiel, or Personnel Types that are produced or consumed.
    • Materiel: Equipment, apparatus or supplies that are of interest, without distinction as to its application for administrative or combat purposes.
    • Information: The state of a something of interest that is materialized -- in any medium or form -- and communicated or received.
      • Data: Representation of information in a formalized manner suitable for communication, interpretation, or processing by humans or by automatic means. Examples could be whole models, packages, entities, attributes, classes, domain values, enumeration values, records, tables, rows, columns, and fields.
      • Architectural Description: Information describing an architecture such as an OV-5b Operational Activity Model.
    • Performer: Any entity - human, automated, or any aggregation of human and/or automated - that performs an activity and provides a capability.
      • Organization: A specific real-world assemblage of people and other resources organized for an on-going purpose.
      • System: A functionally, physically, and/or behaviorally related group of regularly interacting or interdependent elements.
      • Person Type: A category of persons defined by the role or roles they share that are relevant to an architecture.
      • Service: A mechanism to enable access to a set of one or more capabilities, where the access is provided using a prescribed interface and is exercised consistent with constraints and policies as specified by the service description. The mechanism is a Performer. The capabilities accessed are Resources -- Information, Data, Materiel, Performers, and Geo-political Extents.
  3. Capability: The ability to achieve a Desired Effect under specified (performance) standards and conditions through combinations of ways and means (activities and resources) to perform a set of activities.
  4. Condition: The state of an environment or situation in which a Performer performs.
  5. Desired Effect: A desired state of a Resource.
  6. Measure: The magnitude of some attribute of an individual.
  7. Measure Type: A category of Measures.
  8. Location: A point or extent in space that may be referred to physically or logically.
  9. Guidance: An authoritative statement intended to lead or steer the execution of actions.
    • Rule: A principle or condition that governs behavior; a prescribed guide for conduct or action.
      • Agreement: A consent among parties regarding the terms and conditions of activities that said parties participate in.
      • Standard: A formal agreement documenting generally accepted specifications or criteria for products, processes, procedures, policies, systems, and/or personnel.
  10. Project: A temporary endeavor undertaken to create Resources or Desired Effects.
  11. Vision: An end that describes the future state of the enterprise, without regard to how it is to be achieved; a mental image of what the future will or could be like.
  12. Skill: The ability, coming from one's knowledge, practice, aptitude, etc., to do something well.

Additional CDM concepts are identified and defined in DoDAF-DM2 Data Dictionary.
The CDM also describes the relationships among data constructs in relatively non-technically and easily understood terms. The figure below is a graphical representation of the CDM.

DODAF Conceptual Data Model (Div-1) Diagram

DM2 Conceptual Data Model (DIV-1) Diagram