Channel 4 Meta Model
Detailed description of the Meta Model used by Enterprise Architects to describe the workings of Channel 4 in LeanIX (EAM Software).
Model Overview
Over the next few pages, I want to give you a good understanding of the meta model we use to build the Enterprise Architecture Model (EAM). The EA team use LeanIX as the tool to build this model, and there is a simple guide to getting started with LeanIX you should familiarise yourself with before diving in. Also we have modified the default model in a few places that we will highlight and explain, for the majority of the model I will point you in the direction of the excellent LeanIX documentation.
What is an EAM? It's a framework for understanding the structure, behaviour and relationships within an organisation. An EAM serves as a shared language and common view among stakeholders, enabling them to communicate effectively about business strategy, technology infrastructure, and organisational processes. By defining the meta-model of an EAM, we can establish a standardised structure for representing the various aspects of an enterprise's architecture, including its business capabilities, information systems, data flows, and technological foundations.
The Channel 4 EAM Meta Model is depicted below:
We have increased the number of layers within the model form the default LeanIX model and it's worth explaining each here.
Model Layers
Business Influences
Sometimes change comes form other places other than a set of requirements. We have modelled two types of change in new factsheets.
[[Business Drivers]] come in the form Internal or External and may be a regulatory change or a challenge from a competitor.
[[Risk]] Helps us understand how we implement change to reduce risk.
Strategy Transformation
We've also adopted [[Strategy#Business Motivation Model]] , so this domain has been updated:
[[Goal]] These capture the Vision and Goals of any BMM
[[Objective]] As per the LeanIX default, with a new relationship to Goals, to track which objectives deliver which goals.
[[Initiative]] As per the LeanIX default with an additional type: Tactic as part of delivering a BMM. Also not we have used a shortcut notation to depict that fact that an initiative can affect almost every other factsheet (keeping my diagram clean!) We've also repurposed Platform, into the [[#Application Architecture]] layer
Business Architecture
This layer has remained very close to the original LeanIX definition, it contains
[[Organisation]]
[[Business Capability]] This factsheet is critical in understanding the business of Channel 4, its well worth look through the ==BCM==. We have added a new relationship that links Business Capability and KPI.
[[Business Context]]
Data Architecture
We've separated out this layer, as we've added a new data related factsheet but also as we believe data is an important subject that should be called out separately.
[[Data Object]] As per the LeanIX default, with a new relationship to the new KPI factsheet
[[KPI]] The Key Performance Indicator factsheet has been added to aid the measurement of the business capabilities through the use of a Data Object
Application Architecture
The Application Architecture Layer includes the repurposed Platform factsheet
[[Platform]] This factsheet has been repurposed to group Applications, Components and Interfaces into a business centric platform e.g. Broadcast Management System (BMS)
[[Application]] As per LeanIX default
[[Interface]] As per LeanIX default
Technical Architecture
[[Provider]] as per the LeanIX default, these represent the supplier of an IT Component
[[IT Component]] as per the LeanIX default
[[Tech Capability]] this has been renamed from Tech Category, the purpoes remains as per the LeanIX default, it help categories what the IT Component does at a technical level.
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