Evolutionary transitions

Horizontal maturity growth

Catalog → Connected model

1. Preserve existing identifiers.
2. Remove or merge confirmed duplicates.
3. Replace text references with object references.
4. Type relationships and validate allowed pairs.
5. Complete critical chains from service to implementation.
6. Register gaps as explicit defects instead of hiding them.

Connected → Governed model

1. Assign owners to significant objects and relationships.
2. Introduce lifecycle and current/target distinction.
3. Establish source and review interval.
4. Add applicable criticality, SLA, and security measures.
5. Automate quality checks.
6. Register exceptions with an owner and expiration date.

Vertical profile growth

Startup → Stable business

• preserve the system as the product boundary;
• identify independently governed components;
• replace the simplified service-to-system link with “service ← process → capability ← system”;
• promote channel and information object to independent objects;
• refine integration endpoints to components.

This refinement can also happen earlier, at the Catalog → Connected model transition within the Startup profile itself: the profile sets the possible level of detail, while maturity is the actual trigger.

Stable business → Enterprise

• introduce interfaces as endpoints of governed integrations;
• replace direct placement with “component ← deployment → resource → network segment”;
• specialize information into business objects, data objects, and messages;
• add current/target and relationship lifecycle;
• extend automated checks to security, compatibility, and freshness.

Object promotion rule

A string or attribute becomes an object when it gains independent identity, ownership, lifecycle, reuse, or several significant relationships. A transition refines an object; it must not change its identifier merely because detail increased.