An L1 High-Level Operational Concept Description Diagram is based on the UML Composite Structure Diagram. Since it is a bit complex, the L1 Free Form diagram can be used alternatively.

A Concept Role here is a property for a High-Level Operational Concept element. It represents a role that an element (the type of this property) is playing in this High-Level Operational Concept. According to the UAF specification Concept Role may represent (to have a type set as) an Operational Node, any of the Resources (System, Systems Node, etc.) or Location. The difference among Concept Role, Operational Node Concept Role and other Roles is the type or in other words, the represented element of the Concept Role.

Concept Role represents logical or physical unit of your architecture. It means that you should have those units in the architecture before creating the diagram.

To create an L1 High-Level Operational Concept Description diagram


  1. Create Concept Roles.
  2. Specify the types of the Concept Roles (make sure you have L1 and P1 diagrams completed).
  3. Associate Concept Roles using Arbitrary Relationships.