DYA is based on the following ten principles: 

1. Architecture is strategic if IT is strategic
   IT is of strategic importance: developments in IT can cause radical changes to both the business strategy of an organization and its associated business model. IT is decisive in attaining a competitive edge and provides the conditions necessary for attracting and retaining customers. Architecture is therefore also of strategic importance: it is indispensable in realizing the full potential of IT;
2. Architecture must facilitate pace of change
   The present market climate gives organizations an increasingly shorter reaction time to adequately deal with internal and external developments. Pace of change has become a critical factor for success. Architecture should be an enabling factor in developing this pace of change;
3. Communication between business and IT management is crucial
   Sound communication between business and IT management is a prerequisite to realizing the full strategic potential of IT. Business strategy and IT strategy are a combined responsibility and must therefore be formulated by both disciplines;
4. Business objectives govern the development of architecture 
   The effort and expenditure needed for working within architecture can only be justified if architecture assists in achieving business objectives. Development of architecture must therefore be driven by business objectives. Without this principle, there soon may be the rather vague situation of “architecture for architecture's sake.” Architects should focus on achieving specific business objectives instead of on the autonomous development of an enterprise architecture;
5. The level of architecture will be continually raised if architecture is aligned to important business changes 
   Architectural investments have a good chance of being approved if they are both the result and an integral part of the investment necessary to attain an important business objective. This principle underlines the architecture’s purposeful approach to achieving business objectives and also emphasizes that without it, convincing the business of the need to raise the level of architecture becomes nigh impossible;
6. Architecture must be developed “just enough, just in time”
   “Just enough, just in time” development means that the various components of architecture will only be developed when it is clear how and for what purpose they will be used. In other words when it is clear which business objectives will be achieved with the architecture. The allocation of architectural resources varies with the dynamics and frequency of the business objectives being pursued: more demand for architecture means more architects, less demand means fewer architects;
7. Working within architecture is supported by a theoretical and working model
   The inherent differences in business needs and strategies between organizations preclude a simple, unambiguous, step-by-step recipe for implementing working within architecture as these differences influence the best way to employ architecture as a whole. On the other hand, however, there is a genuine need for concrete guidance in shaping working within architecture, to the needs of an organization. Working within architecture will not happen by itself and it is advisable to implement it by following widely accepted theories and best practices. The DYA model provides both tangible, usable instruments and enough room for diversity in implementation. Architects can utilize the various parts of the model that are most suited to them and elaborate on these components to meet the specific needs of the organization;
8. Transparent relationships must be defined
   By providing a clear insight into the relationships between the various architectural objects (processes, information, applications etc.) and the various architectural levels (strategic, tactical, and operational) within an organization, it will become obvious where choices and agreements must be made. A clear insight into these relationships also helps in determining which domains of an architecture need further elaboration;
9. Several development strategies are distinguished
   If time is limited and there is a great deal of pressure to develop an IT solution for a specific business objective, an organization must be able to rely on alternative development strategies in which deliberate non-compliance to the architecture is permitted. The key factor in this principle is that parallel to the development of a solution using one of the alternative strategies, an architecturally sound solution will be recreated. In this way, incidental non-compliant developments become part of the standard way of working and the risk of uncontrolled growth of non-compliant solutions will be reduced;
10. Architectural principles and processes must be an integral part of the organization
    Without the willingness to provide resources to embed the architectural principles and processes into an organization, the organization will never obtain an information function that will adequately respond to its wishes and demands.