Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

It is rare that we can understand something from one and only one perspective. We need to walk around the other sides to gain other perspectives.

There is a method of describing something called the DoD Architecture Framework or DoDAF. Sometimes DoDAF is quite useful, but sometimes persons misuse it and … well great headaches ensue.

One of the concepts of DoDAF is that it isn’t practical or possible to describe a system with one picture. The system appears different given a different perspective or occupation. Users see the system one way; engineers see it another way; marketing sees it another way, etc.

Therefore, describing the system requires a set of diagrams. The diagrams are created from different perspectives or points of view. To create these diagrams requires walking around the system. Draw it from the front, the back, the right, the left, the top, etc.

We understand the three dimensions of objects, but given a system, there are many more dimensions. I haven’t mentioned the money dimension yet. I haven’t mentioned the time dimension yet. And the list of what I haven’t mentioned goes on and on.

Walk around the system. Consider how it appears from different perspectives. Think. Appreciate. Think some more.