1.2 Methodology

In presenting the architecture, we follow FMC (Fundamental Modeling Concepts) [FMC03] methodology for presenting the high level static structure. For flow diagrams we use a mixture of UML [UML2] sequence diagrams and ad-hoc "white boards". The richness of the latter allow us to better convey relevant control flow and dataflow aspects simultaneously.

For more detailed descriptions we use UML [UML2] modelling, with occasional ad-hoc diagrams to clarify aspects that are not easily communicated using formalisms.

While we usually define, inline, the terminology we use, the authorative definitions are in [TAS3GLOS] reproduced in Annex I. All architecture documents use this same Glossary and it will not be duplicated in the individual documents.

The stakeholders in context of TAS³ Architecture are

• Users accessing their own data

• Professionals working on data of others

• Service Providers, TTP Operators, and Trust Guarantor (jointly Deployers)

• Security Officers

• Implementers

• TAS³ Members

• Policy Makers

• EC Framework Program 7.

The TAS³ mandate is to build secure, trustworthy, and user-centric technology ([TAS3DOW] section B.0 "Summary"), thus we have adopted methodology where every composition and flow includes a User facet. Most of the flows are viewed from the User perspective and the business and regulatory aspects are filled in from this perspective. Given that gaining trust of the Users is fundamental to wide spread adoption, we have opted to emphasize security, transparency, privacy, and user control when trading off efficiency and simplicity.

This document has two goals: (1) Act as an authorative and prescriptive definition of the TAS³ architecture, and (2) communicate the architecture to the stakeholders, especially Deployers and Implementers. The latter goal is much in line with "Architect as Communicator" in Fig-1 of [FMC03].