John Zachman
Enterprise Ontology - What is it? How to Use it?
The Zachman Framework™ is the basis for Architecture - We know what architecture is for industrial products (buildings, airplanes, locomotives, computers, etc., etc.) because in the Industrial Age, it was the industrial products that were increasing in complexity and the industrial products that were changing. If we had not gotten extremely sophisticated relative to architecture for industrial products, we would not likely be able to create and change complex industrial products and we would likely still be in the Industrial Age learning about Product Architecture.
Now that we are in the Information Age, it is the Enterprise that is increasing in complexity and the Enterprise that is changing. It is my opinion that Enterprise Architecture is the determinant of survival in the Information Age. Therefore, the Framework for Enterprise Architecture, the Zachman Framework™, has some profound significance in putting definition around Enterprise Architecture, the survival issue of the Century. We have yet a LOT to learn about Enterprise Architecture, but I submit, the Zachman Framework™ would be a good place to start.