TOGAF 10: enterprise architecture, explained simply
Every large organisation eventually faces the same problem: hundreds of systems, no map, and every change breaking something unexpected. Enterprise architecture is the discipline that draws the map, and TOGAF is its dominant method.
The framework's heart is the Architecture Development Method — a cycle from vision through business, data, application and technology architectures to implementation governance. TOGAF 10 restructured the material to be modular and easier to apply in agile contexts, answering its stiffest criticism.
Certification comes in two levels: Foundation proves vocabulary and concepts; Practitioner (formerly Level 2) proves you can apply the ADM to scenarios. Large employers and consultancies commonly require both for architecture roles.
The honest positioning: TOGAF gives structure and a shared language, not a paint-by-numbers answer. Architects who combine it with real delivery scars produce pragmatic roadmaps rather than shelf-ware.
For senior engineers eyeing the architect title — and its remuneration — TOGAF certification remains the recognised gate.