The Definitive ArchiMate
Relationship Matrix
The reference every enterprise architect keeps on their desk. Three pages covering every relationship rule, cross-layer constraint, and common modeling mistake in ArchiMate 3.2.
Download the PDF
3-page printable reference. Landscape A4 format — perfect for pinning next to your monitor or including in architecture governance packs.
What's Inside
Page 1: Relationship Categories
All 11 ArchiMate relationship types organized into four categories — Structural (Composition, Aggregation, Assignment, Realization), Dependency (Serving, Access, Influence), Dynamic (Triggering, Flow), and Other (Specialization, Association). Plus the five cross-layer rules that every architect must internalize.
Page 2: Validity Matrices
Two color-coded matrices showing which relationships are allowed between Business Layer elements (intra-layer) and between elements across layers (cross-layer). Each cell shows the primary valid relationship type with color-coded abbreviations. Instant lookup for any element pair.
Page 3: 8 Anti-Patterns
The eight most common ArchiMate modeling mistakes that pass tool validation but produce incorrect or misleading models. Each anti-pattern shows the wrong approach (✗) and the correct alternative (✓), with clear explanations of why the mistake matters.
Designed for Daily Use
Landscape A4 format optimized for printing and desk reference. High-contrast color coding for quick scanning. No vendor-specific content — pure ArchiMate 3.2 standard. Suitable for architecture review boards, training sessions, and governance documentation.
The 8 Anti-Patterns at a Glance
Composition Instead of Assignment
Serving in the Wrong Direction
Flow Instead of Triggering
Cross-Layer Composition
Untyped Access Relationships
Realization Between Same-Type
Skipping the Application Layer
Association as Catch-All
Want to master ArchiMate in depth?
Our hands-on modelling coaching covers every concept in this matrix — with real modeling exercises in Sparx Enterprise Architect.