EA Concepts and Framework Basics
What enterprise architecture is
Enterprise architecture (EA) is the discipline of describing an organization's structure, processes, information, and technology so that they align with its goals. The core vocabulary matters: an architecture is the fundamental organization of a system embodied in its components, their relationships to each other and the environment, and the principles guiding its design and evolution. A framework is a reusable structure (metamodel, viewpoints, process) for creating architectures. Keep these separate - a framework is not an architecture, and a methodology is not a framework.
Concepts you must know
Understand stakeholders and their concerns; views (what a stakeholder sees) versus viewpoints (the template/conventions used to build a view); architecture descriptions as the work product; and architecture principles as durable rules that guide decisions. Know the distinction between as-is (baseline) and to-be (target) states, and architecture domains (business, data, application, technology). Recognize the purpose of EA: alignment, integration, change management, and decision support - not project management or software design.
Traps
Questions blur framework vs. methodology vs. architecture vs. model. Another trap is treating a view as a diagram (a view may contain several models/diagrams). Also watch for "principles" being confused with "requirements" - principles guide and endure; requirements specify and change.
Rule of thumb
When a stem asks "what is the BEST first step," favor understanding stakeholders and concerns before selecting models; architecture is purpose-driven. If two answers sound similar, choose the one that is more general and reusable (framework > viewpoint > view > diagram).