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Reference architecture · Free download

Where an approval and evidence layer fits in your enterprise AI architecture

AI agents are starting to raise orders, release payments and change records. This reference view shows a board, an executive team and a CIO where the "stop and ask a person" step belongs, what evidence to keep, and three ways to place the control point. Vendor-neutral and based on the TOGAF® Standard.

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The reference viewFive horizontal bands stacked top to bottom: 1 Business decision, 2 AI agents, 3 Approval and evidence, 4 Systems of record, 5 Assurance and reporting. Each band holds three example building blocks. Band 3 is drawn in ember and slightly wider than the others. An arrow from band 2 into band 3 is labelled proposes; an arrow from band 3 into band 4 is labelled releases; a return arrow from bands 3 and 4 into band 5 is labelled evidence. A faint crossed-out arrow from band 2 directly to band 4 is labelled never direct. A thin vertical bar on the right spans all five bands and is labelled Identity and access, Data governance, Security, Operations.
8 pages, PDF.

What's inside

What's inside

8 pages, PDF. Theory Y's practical interpretation. Not certification, accreditation or legal advice. TOGAF® is a registered trademark of The Open Group.

  1. 01

    Five logical layers from the business decision to assurance and reporting, with the approval and evidence layer in its place between AI agents and your systems of record.

  2. 02

    Six decision points and ten board questions you can put to any AI proposal, internal or vendor, before an agent is allowed to act.

  3. 03

    Three placement patterns (central, per-domain, hybrid inside your perimeter), with how each works across cloud, client-dedicated, on-premises and hybrid deployment.

The reference architecture

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