Allow Card Type color customization to support TOGAF and ArchiMate visual conventions

[TommasoChi]

I would like to start this discussion to outline the benefits of having the option to customize the colors of the paper types.

Main motivation

The main motivation is to make it possible to align Turbo-EA diagrams with TOGAF and ArchiMate-inspired visual conventions.

In Enterprise Architecture work, colors are often used as part of the modelling language and communication standard. They help stakeholders immediately distinguish between different architectural layers and concepts, for example:

• Business / Value Stream elements
• Business Processes
• Objectives / Motivation / Value Gates
• Applications
• Technology components
• Organizations
• Data Objects

For teams already using TOGAF, ArchiMate, or internal architecture standards based on similar conventions, being able to adapt Card Type colors would make Turbo-EA diagrams easier to understand and more consistent with existing EA materials.

Example use case

In our Organizzation, we are modelling:

• Business Context / Value Streams
• Business Processes (with BPM)
• Objectives / Value Gates
• Organizations
• Applications
• Infrastructure component
• Data Objects

and we want modelling (bat is hard in as.is)

• Data Flow
• Integration Fow

It would be useful to align their colors with our architecture notation, for example:

• Business-related elements in yellow/orange
• Objectives / motivation elements in purple
• Applications in blue
• Technology components in green
• Organizations in grey or another neutral color
• Data Objects with a dedicated data color

This would make diagrams more consistent with TOGAF / ArchiMate-oriented communication and easier to read for architecture stakeholders and easy to use about interna ed external audit.

Proposed approach
The idea is not to replace the default Turbo-EA palette.
A possible approach could be:

1. Keep the current Turbo-EA color palette as the default.
2. Add an optional setting in the Metamodel to override the color of a Card Type.
3. Provide a “reset to default color” (my option, but optional)

This would allow users who do not need customization to keep the current coherent experience, while giving architecture teams more flexibility when they need to align diagrams with TOGAF, ArchiMate or company-specific architecture standards.

Expected benefit
This could improve:

• diagram readability;
• stakeholder, auditor communication;
• alignment with TOGAF and ArchiMate visual conventions;
• consistency between Turbo-EA diagrams and other EA deliverables;
• adoption of Turbo-EA in enterprise architecture practices.

I conclude with my personal thanks to @vincentmakes for your work.

[vincentmakes]

Was not as easy as it sounds but I threw Fable at it. Color picker now possible for pre-built card types and preview visible as well. The contrast between the text and the different tonalities of the color picked against the dark or light theme is the tricky part.

[TommasoChi]

Spettacular, fable 5 is good x this type of job. I’m poor and use only sonnet 5 ;)
Thx a lot for your support.