Colloquial can be used out of the box with proven frameworks and accelerators, including the Higher Education Reference Models, or configured to reflect an institution's own architecture and operating model.
The Higher Education Reference Models (HERM) describe what a university does and the information, applications and technology behind it. CAUDIT's Enterprise Architecture Community of Practice maintains them, and they're free for institutions to use.
What the institution does, from learning and teaching to research and the functions that enable them.
The information the institution creates, manages and relies on.
The kinds of application that support each capability.
The platforms and infrastructure the applications run on.
Starting from the sector's shared language makes it easier to compare notes with peers, brief vendors and explain architecture to academic leadership.
Use the Higher Education Reference Models to categorise your Fact Cards, so your first map speaks the language of the sector from day one.
Rename or add groups to reflect your institution. Colloquial shows which parts of your model still follow HERM and which you have tailored.
Connect each application to the capabilities it supports to see duplication, gaps and where investment is going.
Bring lifecycle, cost and fit together for every application, then decide what to consolidate and what to retire.
Our Showcase for CAUDIT member institutions, Doing More with Less: Getting More Value from Your Application Portfolio, is on 5 November 2026. CAUDIT members can find the details, and afterwards the recording, on the CAUDIT website.
Showcase detailsEnterprise architecture in higher education, from the Colloquial blog.
Start your architecture journey with a free trial. Experience how the right tools can accelerate your efforts.
14-day free trial • No credit card required • Setup in minutes