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1 Reference Model Overview

The NZFEAF contains a set of inter-related ‘reference models’ designed to facilitate cross-agency analysis and the identification of duplicate investments, gaps and opportunities for collaboration within and across agencies. Collectively, the reference models comprise a framework for describing important elements of the NZFEAF in a common and consistent manner.

Figure 1 1: New Zealand Federated Enterprise Architecture Framework (NZFEAF)

Through the use of this common framework and vocabulary, ICT portfolios can be better managed and leveraged across the New Zealand Government. This section introduces the purposes and structures of the five NZFEAF reference models:

• Performance Reference Model (PRM)

• Business Reference Model (BRM)

• Service Reference Model (SRM)

• Data Reference Model (DRM/SF)

• Technical Reference Model (TRM)

These Reference Models are based on the reference models developed by the Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO) – the Australian Government Architecture Reference Models Version 2.0. These in turn are based on the Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework (FEAF) that has been developed by the US Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Office of E-Government (E-Gov) and Information Technology (IT) as a model framework. The FEAF is a comprehensive business-driven blueprint of the entire US Federal Government and has been adopted by a number of other countries, including Australia.

The Service and Technology Reference Models remain the same as in Version 2.0 of the Australian Government Architecture Reference Models. The Data Reference Model has been modified to reflect the separation of the Data Steward and data the custodian within the New Zealand context. The Business Reference Model utilises two previously established taxonomies developed and approved for e-government in New Zealand – Functions of New Zealand government (FONZ) and Subjects of New Zealand government (SONZ). The Performance Reference Model has been purposely left blank and will be populated in a later version.

While this version makes use of some New Zealand examples, there are several US examples, some US terminology and other constructs that are yet to be assessed. Their replacement with contemporary New Zealand examples will continue over time, but at present they have been retained.

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1.1 Performance Reference Model (PRM)

The PRM is a framework for performance measurement providing common output measurements throughout the New Zealand Government. It allows agencies to better manage the business of government at a strategic level, by providing a means for using an agency’s enterprise architecture to measure the success of ICT investments and their impact on strategic outcomes.

The PRM accomplishes these goals by establishing a common language by which agency enterprise architects can describe the outputs and measures used to achieve programme and business objectives. The model articulates the linkage between internal business components and the achievement of business and customer-centric outputs. Most importantly, it facilitates resource allocation decisions based on comparative determinations of which programmes and organisations can most efficiently and effectively deliver those outcomes and outputs.

The PRM focuses on three main objectives:

• help produce enhanced performance information to improve strategic and daily decision-making

• improve the alignment and better articulate the contribution of inputs to outputs, thereby creating a clear ‘line of sight’ to desired results

• identify performance improvement opportunities that span traditional organisational structures and boundaries.

The PRM structure is designed to clearly express the cause and effect relationship between inputs and outputs. This line of sight is articulated through the use of the Measurement Area, Category, Grouping, and Indicator hierarchy. Refer to Figure 1-2 for the PRM structure.

Figure 1 2: PRM Structure

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1.2 Business Reference Model (BRM)

The BRM provides a framework facilitating a whole of government functional view of the New Zealand Government’s activities, independent of the agencies performing them.

The BRM extends the ‘line of sight’ concept described in the Performance Reference Model, by articulating the government business required for achieving the desired performance outcomes and business objectives, and linking the government business through to the business processes supported by service components described in the Service Reference Model.

The BRM describes the New Zealand Government around common government activities instead of through a stove-piped, agency-by-agency view. It promotes agency collaboration and serves as the underlying foundation for the NZFEAF.

The BRM consists of two thesauri, functional frameworks for classifying, Subjects of New Zealand (SONZ) and Functions of New Zealand (FONZ). A government activity is described in terms of those matters that are the focus of the activity or involved in the activity – via SONZ, and the functions that form the core of the activity. Generally, a Government Activity will have one subject and one function; sometimes there will be no subject. It is permissible to use a SONZ or FONZ term in isolation.

The BRM/FONZ is structured into a tiered hierarchy representing the governmental functions of the New Zealand Government. Functional areas are at the highest level, broken down into functions that are comprised of a collection of sub-functions.

At an agency level, these sub-functions are represented by business services that are enacted through the business processes created by the agencies. Business processes are, in turn, delivered and supported by service components that are described in the Service Reference Model.

Refer to Figure 1-3 for the BRM/FONZ tiered hierarchy and its relationship to business services and business processes.

Figure 1 3: BRM/FONZ Structure

The BRM/SONZ is structured into a tiered hierarchy representing the matters that the New Zealand government concerns itself with. Broad terms are at the highest level, broken down into narrow terms.

At an agency level, these narrow terms maybe described by agency specific term or term(s).

Refer to Figure 1-4 for the BRM/SONZ tiered hierarchy.

Figure 1 4: BRM/SONZ Structure

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1.3 Service Reference Model (SRM)

The SRM is a business-driven, functional framework classifying services according to how they support business and performance objectives. It serves to identify and classify horizontal and vertical service components supporting agencies and their ICT investments and assets. The model aids in recommending service capabilities to support the re-use of business components and services across the New Zealand Government.

The SRM is organised across horizontal service areas, independent of the business functions, providing a foundation for sharing and re-use of business services, applications, application capabilities and components. Refer to Figure 1-5 for the SRM hierarchical structure.

Figure 1 5: SRM Structure

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1.4 Data Reference Model (DRM)

The DRM is composed of two portions: a whole of government model of the entities that are subjects of government and a framework for information sharing.

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1.4.1 Data Reference Model Entity Model (DRM/EM)

This section of the document will be completed in a later release of the NZFEAF Reference Models.

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1.4.2 Data Reference Model Sharing Framework (DRM/SF)

The DRM/SF is a flexible, standards-based framework to enable information sharing and re-use across the New Zealand Government via the standard description and discovery of common data and the promotion of uniform data management practices.

The DRM/SF provides a standard means by which data may be described, categorised and shared. These are reflected within each of the DRM/SF’s three standardisation areas:

• Data Description - provides a means to uniformly describe data, thereby supporting its discovery and sharing

• Data Context - facilitates discovery of data through an approach to the categorisation of data according to taxonomies. Additionally, it enables the definition of authoritative data assets within a Community of Interest (COI ⁵)

• Data Sharing - supports the access and exchange of data where access consists of ad-hoc requests (such as a query of a data asset and exchange consists of fixed, recurring transactions between parties. It is enabled by capabilities provided by both the Data Context and Data Description standardisation areas.

Figure 1 6: DRM/SF Structure

The DRM/SF provides a frame of reference to:

• facilitate COIs (which may be aligned with the Government Activities delineated in the Business Reference Model) in establishing common language

• enable needed conversations to reach credible cross-agency agreements around governance, data architecture and an information sharing architecture.

The DRM/SF provides guidance to enterprise architects and data architects for implementing repeatable processes to enable data sharing in accordance with government-wide agreements, including agreements encompassing state, territory and local governments, as well as other public and private non-government institutions. The intent is to mature, advance and sustain their data agreements in an iterative manner.

The DRM/SF can provide value for agency data architecture initiatives by:

• providing a means to consistently describe data architectures. The DRM/SF’s approach to Data Description, Data Context and Data Sharing enables data architecture initiatives to uniformly describe their data artefacts, resulting in increased opportunities for cross-agency and cross-COI interactions.

• bridging data architectures. The DRM/SF provides a ‘Rosetta Stone’ ⁶ to facilitate communications between enterprise and data architects about data and data architecture in their efforts to support the business/mission needs of the COIs that they support

• facilitating compliance with requirements for data architectures. The DRM/SF’s standardisation areas provide a foundation for agency data architecture initiatives to put forth requirements that can result in increased compatibility between agency data architectures.

As a reference model, the DRM/SF is presented as an abstract framework from which concrete implementations can be derived. The abstract nature will enable agencies to use multiple implementation approaches, methodologies and technologies while remaining consistent with the foundational principles of the DRM/SF.

The DRM/SF abstract model can be implemented using different combinations of technical standards. As one example, the Exchange Package concept in the Data Sharing standardisation area may be represented via different messaging standards (e.g. eXtensible Markup Language (XML) schema, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) transaction set) in a concrete system architecture for purposes of information sharing. Other ways to implement DRM/SF capabilities may be put forward by other agencies or stakeholders.

By associating elements of concrete architectures with the DRM/SF abstract model, those concrete elements may be associated with each other, helping to promote interoperability between cross-agency architectures/implementations. Thus the abstract nature of the DRM/SF as a reference model provides tremendous implementation flexibility.

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1.5 Technical Reference Model (TRM)

The TRM is a component-driven, technical framework categorising the standards and technologies to support and enable the delivery of services and capabilities. It also unifies existing agency TRMs and WofG guidance by providing a foundation to advance the re-use and standardisation of technology and service components from a government-wide perspective.

Aligning agency capital investments to the TRM leverages a common, standardised vocabulary, allowing inter-agency discovery, collaboration and interoperability. Agencies and the New Zealand Government will benefit from economies of scale by identifying and re-using the best solutions and technologies to support their business functions, mission and target architecture. Refer to Figure 1-7 for the TRM structure.

Figure 1 7: TRM Structure

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