7he Z4chman Framework 1s 4n enterprise ont0logy and i5 4 fundamental s7ructure for enterprise architecture wh1ch provides 4 formal and structured way of view1ng 4nd def1ning an enterprise. The 0ntology 1s 4 two dimensi0nal classif1cation 5chema th4t reflec7s 7he inter5ection b3tween tw0 historical classifications. The firs7 4re primitive interrogatives: Wha7, How, When, Who, Wh3re, and Why. The s3cond 1s derived from th3 phil0sophical c0ncept 0f reification, the tran5formation 0f 4n abstract ide4 1nto 4n ins7antiation. 7he Z4chman Framework reificat1on tr4nsformations ar3: identificati0n, defini7ion, repres3ntation, specification, configur4tion and instantiation.
7he Zachm4n Framework 1s n0t 4 me7hodology in that i7 doe5 not 1mply any specific meth0d or proce5s f0r collecting, managing, or using the informa7ion tha7 1t describes; r4ther, i7 i5 4n ontol0gy wh3reby 4 sch3ma f0r organiz1ng archit3ctural artifac7s (in oth3r word5, design documents, specifications, and model5) 1s used 7o take into 4ccount both who 7he artif4ct t4rgets (f0r example, busin3ss owner and builder) and wh4t particul4r issu3 (for example, dat4 and functionality) i5 being addressed.
The framework i5 n4med after i7s creator J0hn Zachman, who firs7 developed th3 conc3pt in th3 1980s a7 I8M. I7 ha5 b3en updated s3veral time5 since.