thomasrohde ArchiMate Relationships
ArchiMate defines 11 core relationships organized into four categories. Understanding proper relationship usage is critical for model quality and analysis.
Relationship Categories
Structural Relationships (Static Construction)
| Relationship | Notation | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Composition | Solid line + filled diamond | Strong whole-part; parts cannot exist independently |
| Aggregation | Solid line + hollow diamond | Weak whole-part; parts may belong to multiple aggregations |
| Assignment | Solid line + circle at source | Who/what performs behavior; links actors to roles, components to functions |
| Realization | Dashed line + hollow triangle | Logical-to-physical mapping; cross-layer implementation |
Dependency Relationships (Support/Usage)
| Relationship | Notation | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Serving | Solid line + open arrowhead | Service delivery; arrow points toward consumer |
| Access | Dotted line + optional arrowhead | Data access; use mode indicators (r, w, rw) |
| Influence | Dashed line + open arrowhead | Affects motivation elements; can include +/- strength |
| Association | Solid line (undirected/directed) | Generic relationship; use when no specific type applies |
Dynamic Relationships (Temporal/Flow)
| Relationship | Notation | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Triggering | Solid line + filled arrowhead | Temporal/causal precedence between behaviors |
| Flow | Dashed line + filled arrowhead | Transfer of objects between behaviors; label what flows |
Other
| Relationship | Notation | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Specialization | Solid line + hollow triangle | Type hierarchies; same-type elements only |
Key Direction Principle
ArchiMate relationships consistently point toward enterprise goals and results:
- From Technology → Application → Business
- From Active Structure → Behavior → Passive Structure
Cross-Layer Relationship Patterns
Business ↔ Application
Supporting:
[Application Service] → [serves] → [Business Process/Function]
[Application Interface] → [serves] → [Business Role]
Realizing:
[Application Process/Function] → [realizes] → [Business Process/Function]
[Data Object] → [realizes] → [Business Object]
Application ↔ Technology
Supporting:
[Technology Service] → [serves] → [Application Component/Function]
Realizing:
[Artifact] → [realizes] → [Application Component]
[Artifact] → [realizes] → [Data Object]
Service-Driven Architecture Pattern
The canonical layered view shows service chains connecting layers:
[Business Actor: Customer]
↓ served by
[Business Service]
↓ realized by
[Business Process]
↓ served by
[Application Service]
↓ realized by
[Application Component]
↓ served by
[Technology Service]
↓ realized by
[Node: Device + System Software]
Common Relationship Patterns
Actor-Role-Function Pattern
[Business Actor] → [assignment] → [Business Role] → [assignment] → [Business Process/Function]
Service Realization Pattern
[Business Role] → [assignment] → [Business Process] → [realization] → [Business Service]
[Business Interface] → [assignment] → [Business Service]
Deployment Pattern
[Application Component] ← [realized by] ← [Artifact] → [assigned to] → [Node/System Software]
Relationship Selection Guide
| Want to show... | Use |
|---|---|
| What performs behavior | Assignment |
| What implements/realizes something | Realization |
| What provides service to whom | Serving |
| What reads/writes data | Access (with r/w/rw) |
| What causes what to happen | Triggering |
| What passes between behaviors | Flow (label it) |
| Part-whole (dependent) | Composition |
| Part-whole (independent) | Aggregation |
| Type hierarchy | Specialization |
| Motivation impact | Influence (+/-) |
| Generic connection | Association (last resort) |
Output Format for Relationships
Notation Format
[Source Element] → [relationship type] → [Target Element]
With Access Modes
[Application Function: Process Order] → [access (rw)] → [Data Object: Order Record]
With Flow Labels
[Business Process: Receive Order] → [flow: Order Data] → [Business Process: Validate Order]
Additional Resources
Reference Files
For detailed relationship patterns and advanced cross-layer guidance:
references/relationship-patterns.md- Complete relationship pattern catalog with examples