Editing Zachman Framework (section)

== Criticism ==
While the Zachman Framework is widely discussed, its practical value has been questioned:
* The framework is purely speculative, non-empirical and based only on the conceptual argument that the "equivalency [between the architectural representations of the manufacturing and construction industries] would strengthen the argument that an analogous set of architectural representations is ''likely'' to be produced during the process of building any complex engineering product, including an information system"<ref name="ZF1987" />
* Practical feedback shows that the general idea of creating comprehensive descriptions of enterprises as suggested by the Zachman Framework is unrealistic<ref>Kim, Y.G. and Everest, G.C. (1994). ''Building an IS architecture: Collective wisdom from the field''. In: Information & Management, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 1-11.</ref>
* In 2004 John Zachman admitted that the framework is theoretical and has never been fully implemented: "If you ask who is successfully implementing the whole framework, the answer is nobody that we know of yet"<ref>[http://archive.visualstudiomagazine.com/ea/magazine/spring/online/druby3/default_pf.aspx "Erecting the Framework, Part III"], Interview with John Zachman by Dan Ruby, visited 19 May 2016</ref>
* There are no detailed examples demonstrating the successful practical application of the framework<ref>Ylimaki, T. and Halttunen, V. (2006). ''Method Engineering in Practice: A Case of Applying the Zachman Framework in the Context of Small Enterprise Architecture Oriented Projects''. In: Information, Knowledge, Systems Management, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 189-209.</ref>
* EA practitioner Stanley Gaver argues that "the analogy to classical architecture first made by John Zachman is faulty and incomplete"<ref>[http://www.ech-bpm.ch/sites/default/files/articles/why_doesnt_the_federal_enterprise_architecture_work.pdf "Why Doesn't the Federal Enterprise Architecture Work?"], Stanley B. Gaver, visited 19 May 2016</ref>
* Jason Bloomberg argues that "enterprise isn't an ordinary system like a machine or a building, and can't be architected or engineered as such"<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonbloomberg/2014/07/11/is-enterprise-architecture-completely-broken/#ad3bc712f30c "Is Enterprise Architecture Completely Broken?"], Jason Bloomberg, visited 19 May 2016</ref>

This criticism suggests that the Zachman Framework can hardly reflect actual best practice in EA.