Open Source Manifesto
The Orthogramic Metamodel is released as open source under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. This page explains the principles and philosophy that guide the project.
Our Beliefs
Business Architecture Should Be Accessible
Business architecture knowledge should not be locked behind paywalls or certification requirements. We believe that:
- Knowledge benefits from sharing — The more people who understand business architecture, the better organizations can align strategy with execution
- Barriers limit adoption — Cost barriers prevent small organizations, students, and emerging markets from accessing business architecture knowledge
- Community improves quality — Open collaboration produces better outcomes than closed development
Schemas Enable Automation
Business architecture has traditionally relied on narrative guidance and manual interpretation. We believe:
- Machine-readable definitions unlock automation — JSON Schema enables validation, code generation, and tool integration
- Consistency comes from structure — Formal schemas reduce ambiguity and inconsistency
- Integration requires standards — API-first design enables connection with enterprise tools and data platforms
Collaboration Drives Innovation
The best ideas come from diverse perspectives working together:
- Practitioners bring real-world insight — Those using business architecture daily understand practical needs
- Technologists enable implementation — Developers and architects turn concepts into working systems
- Academics provide rigor — Researchers ensure theoretical soundness
- Community provides scale — Many contributors accomplish more than any single organization
Our Principles
1. Open by Default
| Aspect | Our Approach |
|---|---|
| Schemas | All schemas publicly available |
| Documentation | Complete documentation open to all |
| Roadmap | Development plans shared publicly |
| Decisions | Major decisions discussed openly |
2. Schema-First Design
Every concept in the Orthogramic Metamodel is defined in formal JSON Schema:
{
"$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
"title": "Capability",
"type": "object",
"required": ["title", "description"],
"properties": {
"title": {"type": "string"},
"description": {"type": "string"}
}
}
This enables:
- Automated validation
- Code generation in any language
- API contract definition
- Tool interoperability
3. Practitioner-Driven Evolution
The metamodel evolves based on real-world needs:
- Feedback loops — Contributors share what works and what doesn't
- Use case driven — New features address actual practitioner problems
- Iterative improvement — Continuous refinement based on experience
- Backward compatibility — Changes respect existing implementations
4. Integration Focus
Business architecture doesn't exist in isolation:
- Data platform integration — Connect to OpenMetadata, data catalogs
- Industry standard mapping — BIAN, FIBO, SAP EAF alignment
- Tool agnostic — Works with any tool that supports JSON
- API-ready — Designed for programmatic access
5. Inclusive Community
Everyone is welcome to contribute:
- No prerequisites — You don't need certification to participate
- Multiple entry points — Contribute documentation, schemas, examples, or code
- Respectful discourse — All contributors treated with respect
- Recognition — Contributors acknowledged for their work
Our Commitments
To Users
| Commitment | What This Means |
|---|---|
| Free access | Always free to use, modify, and share |
| No lock-in | Standard formats, no proprietary extensions |
| Stability | Breaking changes clearly communicated with migration paths |
| Documentation | Complete, current, accessible documentation |
To Contributors
| Commitment | What This Means |
|---|---|
| Transparent process | Clear contribution guidelines and review process |
| Timely response | Issues and PRs reviewed within reasonable timeframes |
| Attribution | Contributors recognized for their work |
| Respectful engagement | Constructive feedback, inclusive environment |
To the Community
| Commitment | What This Means |
|---|---|
| Open governance | Major decisions made transparently |
| Sustainable development | Long-term project health prioritized |
| Interoperability | Work with other projects and standards |
| Knowledge sharing | Share learnings, not just code |
License Details
Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0
The Orthogramic Metamodel is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, which allows:
| Permission | Description |
|---|---|
| Share | Copy and redistribute in any medium or format |
| Adapt | Remix, transform, and build upon the material |
| Commercial Use | Use for commercial purposes |
With conditions:
| Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Attribution | Give appropriate credit to Orthogramic |
| ShareAlike | Distribute derivatives under the same license |
Why CC BY-SA?
We chose CC BY-SA because:
- Permissive but protective — Allows maximum use while ensuring derivatives remain open
- Commercial friendly — Enables businesses to use and build on the metamodel
- Community standard — Widely understood license for knowledge projects
- Attribution ensures credit — Original creators acknowledged
Attribution Example
When using the Orthogramic Metamodel, include attribution such as:
Based on the Orthogramic Metamodel (https://orthogramic.com)
Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
How to Participate
Use the Metamodel
The most important contribution is using the metamodel and sharing your experience:
- Implement it in your organization
- Share case studies and lessons learned
- Report issues when you find them
- Suggest improvements based on real needs
Contribute Content
Help improve the metamodel and documentation:
- Fix documentation errors
- Add examples and use cases
- Improve explanations
- Translate content
Contribute Code
Extend the technical ecosystem:
- Improve JSON schemas
- Build integrations
- Create tooling
- Develop validators
Spread the Word
Help others discover the project:
- Write about your experience
- Present at conferences
- Share on social media
- Recommend to colleagues
Project Governance
Current State
The Orthogramic Metamodel is currently maintained by its founding team with community input.
Future Direction
As the community grows, governance will evolve:
- Contributor recognition — Active contributors gain influence
- Working groups — Focused groups for specific domains or extensions
- Steering committee — Community representation in major decisions
- Foundation consideration — Potential move to foundation governance at scale
Decision Making
Major decisions are made through:
- Public discussion — Proposed in GitHub Discussions
- Community input — Feedback period for community response
- Consensus seeking — Work toward agreement where possible
- Transparent resolution — Clear communication of decisions and rationale
Join Us
The Orthogramic Metamodel is more than a technical specification—it's a community effort to make business architecture accessible, practical, and integrated with modern enterprise tools.
We invite you to:
- Explore the metamodel and documentation
- Use it in your organization
- Contribute your knowledge and experience
- Connect with other practitioners
- Shape the future of business architecture
Get Started
- GitHub Repository — Source code and schemas
- Contribution Guidelines — How to contribute
- Getting Started Guide — Learn the metamodel
The Orthogramic project believes that open, accessible business architecture knowledge benefits everyone. Join us in building a better future for the discipline.