Detailed comparison - Orthogramic Metamodel and BIZBOK

Purpose and Philosophy

Primary Intent

Enable structured, schema-defined representation of business architecture across domains with clarity, traceability, and strategic alignment.

Establish a comprehensive, reference-based framework to guide business architecture practices across industries.

Foundation

Schema-first, integration-focused approach grounded in enterprise and public sector needs.

Practice-oriented guide developed by a community of certified professionals.

Licensing

Open Source (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Proprietary; access requires Business Architecture Guild membership.

Domain Coverage

Organisation

Detailed structure of units, roles, dependencies, governance, history, and strategic alignment.

Organisation is addressed indirectly through Capability mapping and Value Streams. Less emphasis on rich organisational metadata.

Stakeholders

Extensive metadata including role, engagement, inputs/outputs, and alignment.

Stakeholders considered primarily in relation to Value Streams and strategy alignment; less granularity in stakeholder attributes.

Strategy

Modelled with objectives, KPIs, timelines, dependencies, and sub-strategies.

Strategy is a key anchor, though largely high-level. Strategic intent maps to Capabilities and Value Streams.

Capabilities

Includes function, components, processes, ownership, maturity, technology, and risks.

Core element in BIZBOK; capabilities are mapped hierarchically and connected to value, strategy, and stakeholders.

Services

Defined as discrete deliverables; contrasted clearly from products.

Included under Products & Services; less formally distinguished between the two.

Products

Treated as standalone value-delivering entities with lifecycle and outcomes.

Often merged conceptually with services; BIZBOK is less precise about the distinction.

Information

Modelled for alignment with stakeholder needs and value streams.

One of the eight core domains; emphasises traceability and data usage but with fewer operational attributes.

Performance

Treated as a full domain, includes KPIs and alignment with objectives.

Performance is distributed across Value Streams and Capabilities but not a core domain.

Initiatives

Structured as a hierarchy: Initiative > Program > Project, with alignment to strategy.

Captured through Initiative Mapping; not defined as a standalone domain.

Policy

Formalised as a domain that governs other elements; linked to compliance and execution.

Discussed under Governance; not treated as a distinct metamodel domain.

Value Streams

Includes Stages, inputs/outputs, metrics and strategic alignment.

A foundational concept; value streams link capabilities, stakeholders, and strategy.

Inter-unit Relationships

Explicit model for organisational unit roles (e.g. owning, providing, consuming) across domains.

Not explicitly defined in BIZBOK; relationships are inferred via value stream participation.

Strategic Response Model

A formal domain-level concept linking external triggers to domain adjustments through structured rationales.

Handled via Environmental Factors and Business Scenarios, not as a formal domain or structured model.

Strategic Response Components

Triggers

Formalized taxonomy of events, insights, or conditions that prompt organizational responses; categorized by type, origin, timeframe, and impact level.

Environmental factors and change drivers are discussed conceptually but not formalized into a structured trigger framework.

Rationales

Structured justification objects that bridge triggers and responses; classified by orientation (reactive/proactive), type, reasoning pattern, and evidence base.

Decision-making rationales exist implicitly but lack formal structure, classification system, or integration with other domains.

Performance Indicators

Comprehensive measurement framework including leading indicators, outcome timeframes, and measurement methodologies directly linked to strategic responses.

Performance metrics exist within capabilities and value streams but aren't formalized as response metrics with predictive elements.

Structural Modelling

Approach

Formal Schema

Defined using JSON Schema for each domain.

Attribute Definition

Precise metadata for each entity and sub-element.

Attribute definition is practitioner-driven and context-specific.

Relationship Modelling

Explicitly defines entity-level relationships within and across domains.

Relationships described conceptually; implemented variably in practice.

Traceability and Alignment

Cross-Domain Linkage

Formalised via schema relationships and traceable paths.

Described through value stream and capability alignment patterns.

Strategy Execution

Strategy directly linked to Capabilities, Initiatives, KPIs, and Stakeholders.

Mapped indirectly; strategy is connected to capabilities and value streams.

Alignment Mechanism

Strategic Alignment is a consistent attribute across domains.

Alignment is achieved through Capability and Value Stream mappings.

Response Traceability

Strategic Response Model provides end-to-end traceability from external triggers through rationales to domain-level changes.

Scenarios and environmental factors influence decisions but lack formalized traceability to implementation.

Governance and Evolution

Change Management

Designed to support versioning and traceable updates.

Change management practices recommended but not embedded in the metamodel.

Governance Structure

Governance included as a domain attribute; connected to policies and structure.

Governance is a thematic concern but not formalised in modelling structures.

Openness to Extension

Designed for extensibility via schema augmentation.

Extension relies on interpretive application or community updates.

Conceptual Enhancements

Domain Attributes & Elements

Explicitly defined for each domain

Implicit or described in narrative form

Role Differentiation in Domains

Relationship roles (e.g. provider, owner) modelled formally

Typically inferred from process roles

Trigger and Response Modelling

Strategic Response Model traces causes to changes in Strategy, Capability, Policy, and Initiative

External drivers captured under Environment and Scenarios

Inter-Org Unit Contribution

Clearly modelled (e.g. one unit owns a Capability used by others)

Requires practitioner inference

Predictive Performance

Formalized leading indicators and outcome timeframes enable predictive performance management

Performance measures are primarily retrospective without structured prediction elements

Modelling Rigour

High (formal schemas, detailed attributes)

Moderate (narrative guidance and best practices)

Interoperability

Schema-based, tool-friendly

Tool-independent; requires manual implementation

Coverage of Domains

Broader with finer granularity

Focused on core domains with conceptual alignment

Practical Utility

Designed for structured implementation

Designed for guidance and interpretation

Governance and Traceability

Explicitly modelled

Advised in practice, not encoded in metamodel

Strategic Response Framework

Comprehensive, structured approach connecting triggers, rationales, and responses

Conceptual approach through scenarios lacking formal structure

Performance Management

Forward-looking with predictive indicators and temporal outcomes

Primarily retrospective performance measurement