Free The Open Group OGEA-103 Practice Exam with Questions & Answers | Set: 2

In this scenario, thestrategic architecture is already complete and approved, and the sponsors now wantassurance about risks before approving the detailed Implementation & Migration Plan. According to TOGAF, this work occurs inPhase E: Opportunities & SolutionsandPhase F: Implementation & Migration, where a key activity is performingBusiness Transformation Readiness AssessmentandRisk Assessmentbefore finalizing the roadmap and migration plan.

OptionCaligns exactly with TOGAF guidance for this stage:

Why Option C is correct

1. It starts with assessing organizational readiness for change

TOGAF Phase E requires evaluation ofBusiness Transformation Readiness, addressing:

Organizational capability

Cultural readiness

Skills and capacity

Sponsorship and governance

This is exactly what Option C describes:

“assess how ready the organization is to change.”

This directly responds to the concern in the scenario that “most senior leaders feel the operations need to be more efficient” and that “significant changes are necessary.”

2. It includes identification and classification of risks

TOGAF requires performing aRisk Assessmentbefore migration planning, ensuring risks are categorized, documented, and mitigation strategies defined.

Option C includes:

“identification and classification of the risks … together with an approach to mitigate the risks.”

This is precisely what the sponsors requested: clear management of risks before approving migration planning.

3. It ties risk, dependencies, and gaps directly into the Implementation & Migration Plan

TOGAF requires identifying:

Dependencies between work packages

Gaps between baseline and target

Required actions to improve readiness

Work package sequencing

Option C states:

“identifying dependencies between the set of changes, including gaps and work packages… identifying improvement actions to be worked into the Implementation and Migration Plan.”

This matches TOGAF Phase E and F activities exactly.

4. It evaluates business value, effort, and risk for each transformation

The scenario involvesthree distinct transformations, and sponsors want assurance ofvalue delivery. TOGAF Phase F includesConsolidated Gaps, Solutions, and Dependenciesandmigration prioritization based on value, cost, and risk.

Option C states:

“The business value, effort, and risk associated for each transformation should then be identified and documented.”

This is directly aligned to the TOGAF-required migration prioritization criteria.

Why the other options are incorrect

A – Focuses on gap analysis only

Gap analysis was performed during Phases B–D, and while relevant, Option A doesnot emphasize risk, readiness, or assurance—key concerns of the scenario.

B – Misrepresents TOGAF (organizational requirements matrix is not a formal TOGAF artifact)

Also, it incorrectly focuses on aligning change with the operating model, which TOGAF does not prescribe as the primary risk-mitigation activity.

D – Focuses on architectural alternatives; the target architecture is already approved

The scenario states the strategic architecture is complete and approved—there isno need to revisit alternatives. This is misaligned with the starting point of the question.

Conclusion

OptionCis the only answer that conducts:

Business transformation readiness assessment

Risk identification and mitigation

Dependencies, gaps, and work package analysis

Integration of risks and improvement actions into migration planning

This matches precisely what TOGAF expects at this stage and what the sponsors requested.

According to the TOGAF standard, the need for the ADM process to be governed is to ensure that the architecture development and implementation activities are conducted in a consistent, coherent, and compliant manner1. Governance provides the means to verify that the method is being applied correctly and effectively, and that the architecture deliverables and artifacts meet the quality and standards criteria1. Governance also enables the management of risks, issues, changes, and dependencies that may arise during the ADM process1.

Some of the benefits of governing the ADM process are2:

•Improved alignment of the architecture with the business strategy and objectives

•Enhanced stakeholder engagement and communication

•Increased reuse and integration of architecture assets and resources

•Reduced complexity and duplication of architecture efforts

•Increased agility and adaptability of the architecture to changing needs and requirements

•Improved compliance and auditability of the architecture outcomes and outputs

Ensuring compliance with internal and external standards and regulatory obligations is one of the activities included as part of Architecture Governance. Architecture Governance is the practice and orientation by which enterprise architectures and other architectures are managed and controlled at an enterprise-wide level. It involves establishing processes, roles, responsibilities, policies, and standards to ensure that architectures are aligned with the enterprise’s strategy and objectives, and meet the quality and performance requirements. Reference: The TOGAF® Standard | The Open Group Website, Section 3.3.6 Architecture Governance.

 In Phase E of the ADM cycle, building block gaps become associated with work packages that will address the gaps. This phase involves creating an Implementation and Migration Plan that defines a set of work packages and Transition Architectures that will deliver the Target Architecture. Reference: The TOGAF® Standard | The Open Group Website, Section 3.2.5 Phase E: OpportunitiesandSolutions.

The chart shown is a Gantt chart, which is commonly used for project management to illustrate a project schedule. In the context of TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework), which is a framework for enterprise architecture, this Gantt chart is demonstrating the sequenced approach to the Architecture Development Method (ADM). The ADM is the core process of TOGAF which provides a tested and repeatable process for developing architectures. The ADM is described as being iterative, over the whole process, between phases, and within phases. For each iteration of the ADM, a fresh decision must be taken about each of the parameters (scope, granularity, time period, and architecture assets).

The ADM consists of a number of phases that have to be followed in sequence:

Preliminary Phase: Framework and principles

Phase A: Architecture Vision

Phase B: Business Architecture

Phase C: Information Systems Architectures, including Data and Application Architectures

Phase D: Technology Architecture

Phase E: Opportunities and Solutions

Phase F: Migration Planning

Phase G: Implementation Governance

Phase H: Architecture Change Management

Requirements Management

Each phase is dependent on the outputs of the previous phase and the Requirements Management phase runs throughout. The Gantt chart clearly shows the dependency and sequence in which these phases occur, implying that a structured approach is followed to produce the enterprise architecture.

The TOGAF Standard, Version 9.2, a standard of The Open Group

The TOGAF documentation available at https://publications.opengroup.org/standards/architecture and https://publications.opengroup.org/guides/architecture

A business scenario describes business and technology environment in which those problems occur. It provides a realistic context for identifying and addressing business problems and opportunities, as well as their impact on the enterprise’s architecture. Reference: The TOGAF® Standard | The Open Group Website, Section 3.3.1 Business Scenarios.

The illustration shows the relationship between the Enterprise Continuum, the Architecture Continuum, and the Solutions Continuum, which are key concepts in the TOGAF framework. The Enterprise Continuum is a view of the Architecture Repository that shows how generic foundation architectures can be leveraged and specialized to support the requirements of an individual organization. The Architecture Continuum specifies a structured classification for architectural artifacts, such as models, patterns, and descriptions, that can be reused and adapted across different domains and levels of abstraction. The Solutions Continuum identifies implemented solutions that support various stages of business and IT capability evolution, such as common systems, industry solutions, and organization-specific solutions. The illustration also shows how the architecture context and requirements are influenced by external factors, such as business drivers, stakeholders, and standards, and how they shape the generic and specific architectures and solutions. The illustration also shows how the deployed solutions become part of the architecture context for future iterations of the architecture development cycle. References:

•TOGAF Standard, 10th Edition, Part II: Architecture Development Method, Chapter 6: Architecture Repository, Section 6.2 Enterprise Continuum.

•TOGAF Standard, 10th Edition, Part IV: Architecture Content Framework, Chapter 35: Enterprise Continuum and Tools, Section 35.1 Introduction.

The scenario states that:

Astrategic architecture and roadmap already exist.

Business Architecture is complete, so the work now shifts toInformation Systems and Technology Architectures (ADM Phases B–D).

The CTO requires use of thepurpose-based EA Capability model(from the TOGAF Series Guide:A Practitioner’s Approach to Developing Enterprise Architecture Following the TOGAF ADM).

The EA team has to plan, organize, and manage the next stage of architecture development, includingre-use of existing hardware/software platform components, candidate solutions, feasibility, risks, and prioritization.

Under the purpose-based EA approach, when moving from strategy into defining the next layers of architecture, TOGAF emphasizes:

Using the superior (already-approved) architecture to guide the next ADM cycles– This corresponds to the strategic architecture that is already completed.

Analyzing project dependencies, overlaps, and sequencing

Defining high-level architecture descriptionsfor the next iteration

Identifying reference architectures and candidate building blocks(especially when reusing existing platform components)

Assessing feasibility, value, cost, and risk for each project

Preparing for stakeholder trade-offs before formalizing the roadmap

These tasks map directly to OptionA.

Why Option A is correct

Option A includes exactly what the purpose-based EA approach prescribes at this stage:

“The superior architecture should be used to guide the approach.”✔Correct — strategic architecture guides the work.

“Review the identified projects, dependencies, and potential overlaps, then decide the order…”✔Correct — sequencing and dependency assessment are core early tasks in Phases B–D planning.

“Develop high-level architecture descriptions.”✔Correct — Business Architecture is done; now high-level IS/Tech Architecture descriptions are needed.

“Identify reference architectures and candidate building blocks.”✔Correct — aligns with TOGAF building-block approach, and specifically fits the scenario where existing platform components will be reused.

“Identify resource needs, considering cost and value.”✔Correct — mandatory for feasibility and planning.

“Document options, risks, and ways to control them to enable feasibility analysis and trade-off with stakeholders.”✔Correct — this matches ADM guidelines for preparing options and addressing complexity before deeper development.

This is precisely how TOGAF expects the architecture team toplan, organize, and managean ADM cycle after strategy is set.

You are asked to identify themost relevant Architecture Principles,besides Business Continuity, that apply to arapid merger, where:

Back-office and store management systems will be consolidated

Duplicate applications will be eliminated

Innovation must remain fast

Customer experience must remain uninterrupted

Combined enterprise value is the priority

TOGAF’sexample Architecture Principlesinclude four main categories:

Business Principles

Data Principles

Application Principles

Technology Principles

OptionDcontains the principles that best support thespecific needsof the merger as described.

✔Why Option D is correct

1. Service Orientation (Business Principle)

This principle states that architecture should be organized around services, enabling flexibility, loose coupling, and ease of integration.

For the merger:

Integrating two companies’ store systems, mobile apps, and inventory platforms requires modular, interoperable services.

Service orientation directly supports the requirement that innovation must not slow down.

It allows systems to be merged with minimal disruption.

This principle supportsfast integration + ongoing innovation— exactly what stakeholders demand.

2. Maximize Benefit to the Enterprise (Business Principle)

This principle ensures decisions are made from anenterprise-wide(not departmental or local) perspective.

In the scenario:

Two companies are merging.

Decisions must prioritize combined enterprise value, not local optimizations by either company.

System consolidation and elimination of duplicates requires an enterprise-first mindset.

This principle aligns perfectly with a merger that aims to unify operations and reduce redundancy.

3. Common Use Applications (Application Principle)

This is one of the MOST relevant principles in any merger.

TOGAF defines this principle as:

“Applications should be shared across the enterprise and not duplicated.”

In the scenario:

Back-office systems and store management toolsmust be consolidated.

Duplicate applications are explicitly to be reduced.

One main system will be used across stores.

This principle directly matches the merger's objectives.

✔Summary

OptionDcontains the three principles that best support:

A major merger

System consolidation

Reduction of duplication

Enterprise-wide benefit

Flexible, service-oriented integration

Continued innovation

Therefore, OptionDis the most appropriate selectionaccording to TOGAF’s example Architecture Principles.

Based on the TOGAF standard, this answer is the best approach for architecture development to realize the CEO’s change in direction for the company. The reason is as follows:

The scenario describes a major business transformation that requires a clear understanding of the current and future states of the enterprise, as well as the gaps and opportunities for change. Therefore, the priority is to understand and bring structure to the definition of the change, rather than focusing on the implementation details or the technology aspects.

The team should use the TOGAF ADM as the method and guiding framework for architecture development, and adapt it to suit the specific needs and context of the enterprise. The team should also leverage the existing Architecture Capability and the Architecture Repository to reuse and integrate relevant architecture assets and resources.

The team should focus iteration cycles on a baseline first approach to architecture development, which means starting with the definition of the Baseline Architecture in each domain (Business, Data, Application, and Technology), and then defining the Target Architecture in each domain. This will help to identify the current and desired states of the enterprise, and to perform a gap analysis to determine what needs to change in order to achieve the business goals and objectives.

The team should then focus on transition planning, which involves identifying and prioritizing the work packages, projects, and activities that will deliver the change. The team should also create an Architecture Roadmap and an Implementation and Migration Plan that will guide the execution and governance of the change.

The team should use the Architecture Vision phase and the Requirements Management phase to work out in detail what the shared vision is for the change, and to capture and validate the stakeholder requirements and expectations. The team should also use the Architecture Governance framework to ensure the quality, consistency, and compliance of the architecture work.

 The TOGAF Standard, Version 9.2 - Architecture Development Method : The TOGAF Standard, Version 9.2 - Architecture Vision : The TOGAF Standard, Version 9.2 - Requirements Management : [The TOGAF Standard, Version 9.2 - Architecture Governance]