How We Help Clients Transform Existing Architecture Models into Sparx Enterprise Architect

Why Clients Migrate to Sparx EA

Organizations migrate to Sparx Enterprise Architect (EA) to centralize their architecture practices, enhance traceability, enable collaboration, and reduce tool fragmentation. Legacy modeling tools often fall short when it comes to integration with agile workflows, web access, or team collaboration. Sparx EA offers an affordable, extensible platform for modeling enterprise, solution, and data architecture at scale.

Common Source Tools and Target Options

Archi (ArchiMate) — great open-source tool, often used for initial architecture modeling
IBM System Architect — a legacy heavyweight EA tool with complex governance features
MEGA HOPEX — powerful, but often cost-prohibitive or overly complex
Microsoft Visio and PowerPoint — used widely for diagrams, but lacks modeling structure
Other tools like ARIS, Bizagi, Lucidchart, Draw.io, and BOC ADOIT

While our main target platform is Sparx EA, we also help organizations migrate models to and from Archi — including developing custom Archi scripts and extensions when needed.

Our 5-Step Migration Approach

1. Assessment & Inventory

We start with a thorough assessment of the client’s current tools, modeling conventions, team processes, and repository scope. We identify what can be reused, what should be cleaned up, and what needs to be refactored or archived.

Catalog of all models, elements, relationships
Documentation of standards, notations, naming rules
Export feasibility: XMI, XML, CSV, JSON or direct API

2. Meta-Model Mapping

Each tool has its own metamodel. We translate source elements and relationships to the EA metamodel using:

Stereotype and element type mapping
Tagged values and custom properties transfer
Diagram layout translation (where possible)

3. Migration Execution

This phase includes automated and semi-automated migration of content using:

EA APIs (JavaScript, VBScript, SQL scripting)
Custom import tools (Excel/CSV → EA)
Direct model transformation tools (e.g., XMI-based transfer, Archi to EA converter)
Archi export scripts (`.archimate` XML parsing, element reclassification)

When working with Archi, we also write Groovy or Java-based plugins to export and repackage data for migration into Sparx EA.

4. Refactoring & Optimization

We don't just lift-and-shift — we optimize the models:

Normalize element naming and classification
Structure repository into reusable packages and viewpoints
Clean unused or invalid connectors
Organize models under TOGAF, Zachman, or Agile-aligned structures

5. Enablement & Training

We help teams adopt Sparx EA with confidence:

Architecture modeling guidelines and playbooks
Model validation scripts and quality gates
Integration with Jira, Confluence, SharePoint
Configuration of Pro Cloud Server and WebEA
Optional Archi-to-EA synchronization (for hybrid tool teams)

Results Clients Achieve

Unified architecture repository for all stakeholders
Standardized modeling across domains and projects
Automated reporting, traceability, and governance
Clear modeling accountability and collaboration processes

Real-World Example: Archi to Sparx EA for a Public Agency

A national digital agency used Archi for lightweight ArchiMate modeling. As teams scaled, Archi’s limitations became clear — no versioning, weak multi-user collaboration, and no integration with Jira.

We exported models from Archi’s `.archimate` XML format, parsed elements and relationships, and imported them into Sparx EA’s ArchiMate MDG. We then:

Created custom views and dashboards with Prolaborate
Trained both architects and business users
Linked EA elements with Jira epics and Azure DevOps pipelines