The Zachman Framework is a framework for Enterprise Architecture developed by IBM in the 1980s.

It provides a way of defining an enterprise according to a 6x6 matrix of architecture documentation. The columns of this matrix ask the questions why, how, what, who, where, when. The rows look at these questions from different levels of detail: contextual, conceptual, logical, physical and detailed.

The Zachman Framework provides a view for Planners, Owners, Designers, Builders and Subcontractors. The basic idea is that the same thing can be described for different purposes in different ways. This creates a holistic view ― it allows different people to look at the Enterprise from different perspectives.

The Zachman Framework has been incorporated into many Enterprise Architecture frameworks. (often as a reference model)