The Operational Viewpoint (OV) describes the tasks and activities, operational elements, and resource flow exchanges required to conduct operations. It may be used to describe a requirement for a “To-Be” architecture in logical terms or as a simplified description of the key behavioral and information aspects of an “As-Is” architecture. The OV Models re-use the capabilities defined in the Capability Viewpoint (CV) and put them in the context of an operation or scenario.

The Operational Viewpoints (OV) can be used in a number of ways:

• Including the development of user requirements
• Capturing future concepts
• Supporting operational planning processes

The nine Operational Viewpoints (OV) are listed below:

• OV-1: High-Level Operational Concept Graphic
• OV-2: Operational Resource Flow Description
• OV-3: Operational Resource Flow Matrix
• OV-4: Organizational Relationships Chart
• OV-5a: Operational Activity Decomposition Tree
• OV-5b: Operational Activity Model
• OV-6a: Operational Rules Model
• OV-6b: State Transition Description
• OV-6c: Event-Trace Description

Operational Viewpoints can be used to help to answer the following questions:

• What are the lines of business supported by this enterprise?
• What activities are in place to support the different lines of business?
• What is the functional scope of the capability or capabilities for which I am responsible?
• This can be answered by a combination of information from the activity model and CV Models. What is the organizational span of influence of this capability or capabilities?
• What information must be passed between capabilities?
• What strategic drivers require that certain data are passed or tracked?
• This can be answered by a combination of data within the logical data model, information exchanges, activities, and CV Models. What activities are being supported or automated by a capability or capabilities? What role does organization X play within a capability or capabilities?
• What are the functional requirements driving a particular capability?
• What rules are applied within a capability, and how are they applied?

	DoDAF Viewpoint Matrix
AV	1	2
CV	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
DIV	1	2	3
OV	1	2	3	4	5a	5b	6a	6b	6c
PV	1	2	3
SvcV	1	2	3a	3b	4	5	6	7	8	9	10a	10b	10c
StdV	1	2
SV	1	2	3	4	5a	5b	6	7	8	9	10a	10b	10c

AcqTips:

• The DoDAF descriptions in this website are very generic and are mostly taken from the DoDAF Architecture Framework website. Make sure you visit the actual website for the most update information and a more thorough explanation of each viewpoint.
• DoDAF Version 1.0, although outdated, has some good examples on how to construct AV’s, OV’s, and SV’s.

AcqLinks and References:

• [1] DoDAF Architecture Framework Version 2.02
• DoD Architecture Framework Working Group Version 1.0, Volume 1: Definition and Guideline, 9 Feb 04 (Old Version)
• DoD Architecture Framework Version 1.0, Volume 2: Product Description, 9 Feb 04 (Old Version)
• Website: DoDAF Architecture Framework – DoD Deputy Chief Information Officer
• Website:  DoDAF Architecture Framework Version 2.02

Updated: 7/29/2021

Rank: G4