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FAQs

faq (1) 42010 (1)
Nic Plum

Frequently Asked Questions

Contents

General

Is TRAK a Language?

No. TRAK defines a means to describe the architecture of a system of interest. This is done in a neutral way. It isn't tied to any particular technical language. The MDG for TRAK, for example, provides the means to create TRAK architecture descriptions in the UML and the SysML. The UML and the SysML are examples of particular Architecture Description Languages (ADL).

TRAK itself does not care about what particular architecture description language you use. Owing to the contents of an architecture description language and the rules affecting what can be connected together or shown in particular diagrams there might then be limitations affecting how much of a TRAK architecture view can be produced using that particular architecture description language.

TRAK Architecture Viewpoints

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TRAK Architecture Views

Is a View a Schema or Instance of its Governing Architecture Viewpoint?

No. An Architecture Viewpoint is an artefact that defines/specifies conventions for the preparation and interpretation of an Architecture View. It is governed by an Architecture Viewpoint i.e. an Architecture View is supposed to conform to or satisfy the requirements of its governing Architecture Viewpoint. In the same way that a car is not an instance of the System Requirement Document for the Car an Architecture View is not an instance of its governing Architecture Viewpoint.

This confusion is likely a result of the more general misuse of the term for the Thing meaning 'description of Thing' e.g. using 'Architecture' to mean 'Architecture Description' or 'Ontology' to mean the document holding the description of the semantics of individual vocabulary elements.

Why do Triples Have to be Shown on TRAK Architecture Views?

If triples are hidden, for example by simply placing one element inside another or inside a named boundary then the reader doesn't know how to interpret this. What is the hidden relationship - 'owns', 'contains', 'has part', 'is a'? Triples form assertions so simply presenting the start and end node elements doesn't form an assertion and isn't a description of anything. Hiding relationships represents a form of technical debt and relies on the knowledge of the reader knowing that there is a hidden relationship. For all these reasons hiding relationships represents poor practice.

TRAK Metamodel

I Can't see the property/attribute I need - Can I add my own?

You are free to add attributes to elements in your architecture description as you see fit and still conform to TRAK. Clearly if the missing attribute is something that many others would benefit from it makes more sense to raise a ticket on the trakmetamodel and request that it be added to the TRAK metamodel for the benefit of every user.

Terminology

Is 'Viewpoint' the same as 'Architecture Viewpoint'?

Possibly ... or not. The problem in using the unqualified term 'viewpoint' is that it might mean :

A place or position from which something is viewed

Source: Oxford English Dictionary, “viewpoint (n.), sense 1,” July 2023, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/5467211266

which is not at all as the meaning in ISO/IEC/IEEE 42010:2011:

work product establishing the conventions for the construction, interpretation and use of architecture views to frame specific concerns

and the ISO/IEC/IEEE 42010 conceptual model defines that 'Architecture Viewpoint governs Architecture View' i.e. an Architecture Viewpoint defines a set of requirements that a conforming Architecture View must satisfy.

This is why care is taken to always use the qualified term 'architecture viewpoint' and avoid potential confusion with 'viewpoint'.

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