Transforming organizations into Digital Enterprises

Dragon1 software for managing risk, projects, strategy, digitalization, data & cybersecurity is a software application suite that constitutes the most powerful enterprise architecture tool. Providing capabilities to build strategy maps, create target architectures, do analytics & road mapping, and monitor and control the organization's digital transformation. Any business model, innovation, or concept can be designed.

• Import your Excel data into Visualization Templates
• Develop and Build Target Architectures upon your Strategy
• Align your Projects with your Targets and Budgets
• Generate Progress and Status reports with Dashboards
• Manage and Monitor Transitions Visually
• Increase Enterprise Performance, Governance, Compliance and Control
• Communicate the organization design and architecture effectively and efficiently

Tools for Enterprise Architecture Management

Use the enterprise architecture tools on the Dragon1 Platform for engineering and enterprise reporting on your Processes, Applications, Systems, and Infrastructure using the dashboards in the Viewer.

Integrated Web Applications, Cloud-Based and Repository Tool

The foundation of the enterprise architecture software is a cloud-based collaboration platform hosting integrated web applications. In the Repository Tool, clients store and manage their architecture artifacts. Also, clients can manage the IT services and assets, including configuration, change, and incident management. Clients can use the secure public cloud or get their private cloud. The client central repository by default is deployed on the database management system MS SQL Server. But clients can also choose MySQL, PostgreSQL, or Oracle.

The web applications that together constitute the Enterprise Architecture Tools are the Digital Workplace, Viewer, Chatbot, Import, Export, Task Manager, Enterprise Search, ePortfolio, Resource Center, Architecture Repository, Visual Designer, Management Dashboard, and Application Manager.

Open Standards and Open Source Software

Dragon1 is built using open-source software and open standards: HTML5, CSS3, SVG, PHP, JAVASCRIPT, jQuery, JSON, and XML. The platform supports modeling in the following open and non-open standards: UML, Flowchart, BPMN, Business Model Canvas, ArchiMate, and TOGAF.

The three major benefits of Dragon 1 software are that it maximizes interoperability with other systems, other developers can extend Dragon1 with their modules and no supplier dependency or vendor is locking.

Use Dragon1 Enterprise Architecture Tool Software and get all the freedom you need to innovate doing prototyping. Model different versions (current, future, and envision) of enterprise architecture solutions and products to collaborate with stakeholders, share information and communicate, supporting their decision-making.

Import and Export Data Tool

The EA Tools for Enterprise Architecture Management facilitate architects, engineers, and other roles, to create and generate architecture designs for integral solutions and monitor the implementation of these solutions, with the architecture applied. So it is never the beginning of an innovation or a project and never the end. A lot of data is needed in the enterprise architecture software to be available to create an architectural design of significance and importance.

Therefore it is important to be able to do all kinds of import and export of data. The enterprise architecture platform provides you with more than ten formats to import and export. These are: XML, XLMX, CSV, TXT, PPT, XLS, DOC, PDF, PNG, SVG, XPDL, JSON, JPEG, ARCHIMATE, BPMN, and DRAGON1.

Top Generated Dynamic Data Visualizations

The top data visualizations for digital transformation are:

• Business Model (consisting of 5 detailed models)
• Enterprise Transformation Roadmap
• Product Innovation Roadmap
• Enterprise Architecture Blueprint
• Process Application Landscape
• HR Competence-Capability Gap Map and Roadmap
• IT Savings, Security and Improvements Roadmap
• Financial In Control Roadmap
• Solution Architecture Blueprints
• Project Map / System Development Progress Map
• Technology Roadmap

Enterprise Architecture Software Platform

The Visual Designer, a Dragon1 Web Application

Screenshot of the Visual Designer. This is the main application you will use to create models, views, and visualizations. The screen shows an Enterprise Architecture Diagram opened.

Basic Features

Basic features of the Visual Designer, to enable the creation of architecture design and monitoring implementation are:

• Creating meta models and models
• Creating views and viewpoints
• Creating visualizations/diagrams like blueprints, landscapes, roadmaps, prototypes, reference models, and architectures
• Create presentations
• Merging models, views and visualizations
• Comparing and Reporting on models, views, and visualizations
• Creating Matrices and Catalogs
• 200+ Default Entity Classes
• Templates
• Color schemes and styles
• Icons and backgrounds
• Creating interactivity and dynamics in models and visualizations
• Scenario modeling and animation
• Validate and enforce meta-model compliance
• The Visual Designer works on any device, at any size

The Architecture Repository, a Dragon1 Web Application

Screenshot of the Architecture Repository. This application you will use to import, administer, manage, export, and report data.

All the web applications use the same repository, one single source of truth.

You can extend common and open EA frameworks and modeling languages. In this way, they optimally fit your situation and let discussions take place at the right time with the right people on how to apply a standard.

You can import and define new concepts, and you can define your shapes in your own shapes collection. Extending the Meta Model and storing naming conventions rules of common frameworks, methods, and languages is also an option.

Other Basic Features

The Architecture Repository as a web application offers many features. The most important ones to mention here are:

• Add/edit/delete data
• Hierarchy and sort order management
• Query and search
• Data Versioning
• Role-Based Access control
• Import and export of data
• Data Locking
• Life-cycle management
• Retention and holding/records management
• Data Management
• The Architecture Repository works on any device, at any size

The Graph Search, a Dragon1 Web Application

Dragon1 Graph Search - Big Data Analytics

Graph Search is a new application that enables CIOs, architects, and IT Managers to do Big Data Analytics. Click on the screenshot for a live demo.

Dragon1 Viewer

Imagine: in every meeting, you can access your architecture products on any device: iPad or Tablet PC and iPhone or Smartphone. And comment on them on the spot.

Screenshot of the Viewer, a Dragon1 Web Application. Stakeholders use this application to view visualizations.

The data visualization shows a clickable front page of a presentation created in the Visual Designer. If you click on an icon, you are forwarded to another visualization.

You do not want your client or stakeholders to have access to all materials and bits and pieces you create as part of a design. You only want them to see meaningful and finished products. That gives the best results. Therefore we provide you with a publishing environment: the Viewer.

The Viewer has the following features:

• Role-based access control. You can only watch account-specific content in the Viewer if you are logged in and have the correct privileges.
• View and play published visualizations, views, documents, reports, presentations, and videos
• Add Comments
• Filter, slice, and dice the visual content
• Share the content with other
• Subscribe to content changes
• List updates and changes for the visual content
• Presentation controls
• The Viewer works on any device, at any size

This application is used by stakeholders and other roles to view, filter, and comment on published visualizations, documents, and reports.

All the web applications use the same repository, so you watch in the viewer what the architect has designed in the Visual Designer, using the data entered in the Architecture Repository. It is also possible to import your data from your Excel sheets via a .dragon1 File.

Read more about importing data into a visualization template and to view the data visualisation in the Viewer.

The Digital Workplace, a Dragon1 Web Application

Dragon1 innovates how you work by providing a digital workplace. You can create documents and presentations, send messages to other users, create teams and networks, and design models and diagrams.

Also share updates and write blogs, create your channel for published content, and publish your business profile and professional portfolio.

Data Management Tools: Views, Roadmapping and Simulation

Dragon1 is an online enterprise architecture software collaboration platform that provides you the ability to do systems engineering: to create static/dynamic and animated architecture products. Dragon1 as Enterprise Architecture Tooling offers you basic as well as unique features.

1. Task-Based Digital Workplace

Dragon1 allows you to work completely online in the office; task-based, the creation of documents and email. In your digital workplace, in the Architecture Diagram Tool with access to 1) specific applications like the visual designer and architecture repository, 2) lots of templates and example data, and 3) support services and online eLearning training.

You will be efficient and productive in the Digital Workplace, using task lists and checklists in your team or as an individual to create valuable solutions and products.

Read here about the Workplace Application.

2. Creation of Collaborative Architecture Diagrams

The Diagram Tool provides the Architecture Repository and Visual Designer enabling you to produce any diagram, flowchart, map, landscape, blueprint, matrix, or document as defined by commonly used and open standards in the disciplines. For example, you can accomplish requirements engineering in this tool for the Enterprise Architect, Manager, or CIO.

Various features enable you to co-create or create products in collaborations! You see edits on products in real-time and you can comment on work in progress. Via smart versioning, you can create many different versions to try out, using Dragon1 as a real innovation lab.

A. Create Static Diagrams & Matrices

I. Visualizing your Business - Many organizations today make use of Dragon1 to visualize, compliant with ISO and IEEE standards, the current situation (AS-IS) and future situation (TO-BE) of the enterprise, their business model, information systems, and IT infrastructure.

These companies create process maps and application portfolios or visualize an enterprise blueprint (digital twin). Enabling the architects to analyze and simulate the impact of proposed changes to the organization's architecture.

The architecture designs and visualizations communicate the developed strategy and planned business changes to manage risk, time savings, and costs.

II. Model, Draw and Generate - Enterprise Architecture Tools or Business Architecture Tools allow you to model, draw, and generate static enterprise architecture diagrams (or report views).

You can create a templated data visualization (diagram) on top of views and models. If the data in the model or view changes, the visualization (diagram) is automatically updated.

In the Examples section, you can view a static example of an Enterprise Architecture Diagram.

III. Work with Templates and Checklists - Dragon1 enables you to work with templates, tutorials, and checklists for models, diagrams, and documents. You can reuse or edit a template and checklist from the content packages or create your own templates and checklists. This will increase your productivity enormously.

B. Create Dynamic Diagrams & Matrices

If you want more than static Enterprise Architecture diagrams, you can create interactive diagrams with indicators, clickable links, mouse-over popups with background information, audio, and video.

Maybe you want processes and applications that are not executing compliance to policy to be colored red in the data visualization and on mouse over you get a popup dialog information on why they are colored red.

With indicators and popup dialogs you can turn visualizations (diagrams) into a visual management instrument. You can real-time show changes in a visualization that reflects the changes in the data model.

Dragon1 Enterprise Architecture Tools

With the agile enterprise architecture tools on the Dragon1 platform, you can create the high-level business, application, technology, and more important cross-over models smartly for managing successful projects and change.

1. Cross-Domain Modeling. In any organization today there are business processes supported by applications running on computers. These three concepts are in three different worlds: business, information, and technology, each with its people, concerns, dynamics, and language. A business manager, information architect, or network engineer is not likely to use the same language. With Enterprise Architecture you can do some effective high-level cross-domain modeling.

2. Model-Based Systems Engineering. Next to document-based information exchange, you can create and exploit domain models for information exchange between architects and engineers. At a logical level, modeling to support: system requirements, design, analysis, verification, and validation activities beginning in the conceptual design phase and continuing throughout development and later life cycle phases.

3. Controlled Framework and Language Extensions. Enterprise Architecture Frameworks and EA Modeling Languages are always extended in practice. A lot of organizations that are busy with Enterprise Architecture modeling tools put up rules for naming conventions.

Two common user extensions on Frameworks and Standards are the business activity concept and the business capability concept. On Dragon 1, we have prepared these two and other extra concepts for you to use right away. And we have prepared a standard naming convention for you.

4. Strict Modeling On Dragon1, there is also a switch to Strict Modeling available if you want to make sure your visual models are stored compliant with the common standards, frameworks, and languages.

5. Standard Types Users want to work with common concepts. For example, three types of processes are Chain, Business, and Work Processes. The three types of applications are Office, Business, and Middleware. Three types of servers are File servers, App servers, and DB servers. We have prepared many common standard types for you.

Resource Center: Build your own Semantic WIKI, Knowledge Base or Intranet

This screenshot shows an example of using the Resource Center as an Intranet. We have entered a webpage of the US Government with Dodaf as this is open data. NOTE: The US Department of Defense is not using Dragon1 for this.

The Resource Center is a web application in which you can create secured HTML pages. Only people who have access to your account can access these pages. You can build an intranet, WIKI, or knowledge base with it.

For instance, you can administer and publish background information to do EA, and naming conventions/rules, new shapes, building blocks, patterns, CRUD-matrices, and generic types for EA concepts.

An important thing is, for example, to communicate the version of common or open EA standards that are used in the organization: The Original Version, 1.0 or 2.0?

Watch an example of EA Modeling extensions published in your own Intranet here.

Suppose you have created a target architecture (aka TO-BE Architecture or Future State) consisting of many products and diagrams, you can publish that as a consistent whole. Look here for an example.

Service and Support

Help and Service Desk

Dragon1 provides you with extensive Help Pages. If you spend time on this help system you will see you can without any help from others create the most beautiful diagrams. The help system is designed around tutorials and provides you with a lot of templates making the work easy for you.

If you need a person to talk to or to mail with we are there for you. You as a paying client can call, or mail us. We are based in The Netherlands so you can reach us on GMT+1 working hours.

Training and Consultancy

We provide training and consultancy ourselves and via partners. Dragon 1 is a software tool and an open EA Method, so we have training in the tool and the method. Look here on our Training Courses for more information on training.

Our large network of users consists of enterprise architecture consultants. So if you have any questions about how to do enterprise architecture or need a consultant we are happy to fulfill your need or redirect you to one of our partners in our network.

Tip: Some clients made use of our Quick Start Consulting including a 10-week Architecture Game Plan.

Invest in the future of your Company

Dragon1 enables to do blueprinting, landscaping, and roadmapping. With that, to increase your business capabilities and to lower your costs. Business Tools support you in diagramming any Architecture Blueprint, Landscape, Roadmap, Planning, Scenario, Diagram, Matrix, and any other Document you like to make.

We hope we have inspired you to use the Dragon1 Enterprise Architecture Tool. We know for sure you will enjoy working with it! If you want to be a certified Enterprise Architect, watch this page for Enterprise Architecture certification here.

Dragon1 is one of the 10 most significant Enterprise Architecture management suite providers in the Dragon1 Software - Forrester Wave EAMS 2017.

Read Also

If you are interested in enterprise architect tools for creating diagrams, flowcharts, and schematics, you might also be interested in the following:

• What is an Enterprise Architect?
• Enterprise Architects drive Digital Transformation
• Software for Engineering Digital Twin Architectures
• Jason Bloomberg Blog on Forbes > Don't be a Fool with a Tool