Understanding the New TOGAF 10: Modular Structure, Audiences, and Practical Usage

TOGAF 10 has just been released and is now available. From a practitioner’s perspective it introduces a modular, topic‑centric structure that separates the standard into distinct documents ordered by importance and stability, with core enterprise‑architecture topics such as the Architecture Development Method (ADM) placed at the foundation.

Best‑practice material, previously scattered, is now consolidated in the TOGAF Series Guides, which have become an official part of the standard. Additional publications in The Open Group Library—guides, white papers, reference cards, etc.—cover emerging and less stable ideas, and the new modular structure makes it easier for organizations with existing EA activities to adopt only the parts they need.

Organizations may choose to customise TOGAF rather than adopt the full standard based on parameters such as company size, industry, security requirements, and compliance obligations. Further considerations include business‑model factors like customer front‑ends, data integration, data‑monetisation strategies, product lifecycle, and release cadence.

Governance and operational decisions also influence adoption, including the desired level of agility and the decision‑making bodies responsible for applying enterprise architecture.

Who Uses TOGAF 10?

The standard serves four main roles: EA practitioners, EA consultants, EA tool vendors, and EA trainers. The focus here is on the sub‑group of Enterprise Architect Practitioners, who provide solutions for strategic, portfolio, project, or solution‑architecture work and rely on various frameworks, best practices, and EA use cases such as digitalisation, cost‑saving, IT environment simplification, and resilience improvement.

Open Group now supplies purpose‑specific material, helping practitioners quickly locate the content they need. The core TOGAF 10 documentation includes:

Introduction and Core Concepts (88 pages)

Architecture Development Method (ADM) (154 pages)

ADM Techniques (88 pages)

Applying ADM (36 pages)

Architecture Content (120 pages)

Enterprise Architecture Capability and Governance (64 pages)

What Are the TOGAF Series Guides?

Beyond the core content, the TOGAF Series Guides provide modular best‑practice guidance. As of May 2022, there are 23 series guides, including:

Value Streams

Using TOGAF in a Digital Enterprise

TOGAF Digital Business Reference Model (DBRM)

TOGAF Technology Reference Model (TRM)

TOGAF Integrated Information Infrastructure Reference Model (III‑RM)

Architecture Approach to Unbounded Information‑Flow–Organization Mapping

Micro‑service Architecture (MSA)

Information Mapping

Government Reference Model (GRM)

Enabling Enterprise Agility

Digital Technology Adoption: Assessment and Roadmap Development Guide

Business Scenarios

Business Models

Business Capabilities (v1 & v2)

Architecture Skills Framework

Architecture Maturity Model

Applying TOGAF ADM with Agile Sprints

Practitioner‑Guided Method for Developing Enterprise Architecture with ADM

Business Architecture

Defining and Managing Service‑Oriented Architecture with TOGAF

TOGAF Leader’s Guide to Building and Evolving EA Capability

Information Architecture: Customer‑Master Data Management (C‑MDM)

Architecture Project Management

Example Scenarios for Using TOGAF 10

Consider several typical situations:

Beginner in Enterprise Architecture: Starts with the Introduction and Core Concepts (first 88 pages), then progresses to other foundational material or specific best‑practice guides relevant to current challenges.

Cloud Architect on an Ongoing Project: Focuses on cloud‑related topics such as the Integrated Information Infrastructure Reference Model, Unbounded Information‑Flow mapping, Micro‑service Architecture, and using TOGAF to define and govern service‑oriented architectures.

Product Owner: Looks for the Business Capabilities guide to understand and coordinate the capabilities described by the development team.

Different roles can quickly locate the TOGAF 10 content that matters most to them, thanks to the modular structure.