Document Summary
#Info-Tech #EA #research
- 148 slides in total
Document Summary
Executive Brief
Phase 1
- Explore a general EA strategy approach
- Introduce Agile EA architecture
Phase 2
- Define the business and technology drivers
- Define your value proposition
Phase 3
- Realize the importance of EA fundamentals
- Finalize the EA fundamentals
Phase 4
- Select relevant EA services
- Finalize the set of services and secure approval
Executive Brief
- Slides 3-16
- 4: build a right-size enterprise architecture strategy
- 5: Enterprise Architecture - Thought Model
- 6: Enterprise Architecture Capabilities
- This really speaks to the activities, outputs of an EA practice – not just to Capability modelling
- Emphasises agile iterations
- 7: statement re EA needs to be right sized for the needs of the organization
- 8: statement re EA provides business options based on a deep understanding of the organization
- 9: Design an EA strategy that
- helps org make decisions that are hard to change in a complex environment
- fits the current org's maturity and remains flexible and adaptable to unforeseen future changes
- 10: Exec summary listing
- Your Challenge
- Common Obstacles
- Info-Tech's approach
- 11: Info-Tech insight summary on archit. agility
- Tactical insights for Business Engagement, EA Fundamentals, Enterprise Services
- 13: chart of typical EA maturity stages
- Business Silos
- Standardized Technology
- Optimized Core
- Business Componentization
- Digital Ecosystem
- 14: Enterprise Architecture maturity (from, to)
- Unstable - struggles to support
- Firefighter - supports the business
- Trusted Operator - optimizes the business
- Business Partner - Expands the business
- Innovator - Transforms the business
- 15: Info-Tech support offerings
- DIY Toolkit
- Guided Implementation
- Workshop
- Consulting
- 16: Provides a breakdown of a Workshop (sessions, activities, outcomes)
- 17: Provides a breakdown of a Guided Implementation (Phases + Calls)
Phase 1: Explore the Role of Enterprise Architecture
- Slides 18-
Phase 1
- Explore a general EA strategy approach
- Introduce Agile Enterprise Architecture
- 19: Enterprise architecture optimizes the outcomes of the entire organization
- Corporate Strategy -> Enterprise Architecture Strategy
- 20: Existing EA functions vary in the value they achieve dur to their level of maturity
- Operationalized: Common EA value (Decreased Cost, Reduced Risk, Cut through Complexity, Increased agility)
- Emerging (limited Ad Hoc EA function, not aligning business and IT): can't build the value of Operationalized
- 21-22: Benefits of Enterprise Architecture
- Focus on business outcomes
- Traceability of architectural decisions to / from business goals
- Provides ways to measure results
- Provides consistency across different LOBs, common vocab
- Reduces duplications
- Presents actionable migration the strategy / vision via short term milestones / steps
- aka "Transition packages"
- Increases agility
- Reduces costs
- Mitigates risks
- Stimulates innovation
- Helps achieve stated business goals
- Enhances competitive advantage of the enterprise
- 23: Qualities of a well established and practical Enterprise Architecture
- Objective
- Impartial
- Credible
- Practical
- Measurable
- 24: Roles of the Enterprise Architecture
- Guardrails for the enterprise, so Agile teams work independently in a safe, ready to integration environment
- Establish strategy
- Establish priorities
- Continuously innovate
- Establish enterprise standards and enterprise guardrails to guide solution / domain / portfolio architectures
- Align with and be informed by the org's direction
- (Also includes a breakdown of Members of the Architectural Board) #ARB
- Chief (Business) Strategist
- Lead Enterprise Architect
- Business SME from each major domain
- IT SME from each major domain
- Operational and Infrastructure SME
- Security & Risk Officer
- Process Management
- Other relevant stakeholders
- 25: For Enterprise Architecture to contribute, EA must address the org's vision and goals
- 26: How does Enterprise Architecture provide value
- Business and Technology Drivers
- Vision, Aspirations, Long-Term Goals
- EA Contributions - contributions that alleviate obstructions
- Promise of Value
- 27: EA function scope is influenced by EA value proposition and previously developed EA fundamentals
- EA value prop + EA vision / mission / goals & objectives ->influences-> Org coverage + arch domains + depth + time horizon ->defining-> EA function scope
- 28: EA Team Characteristics (i.e. the EA Strategy Creation Team, not just an individual)
- Been in the org for a long time and has strong relations with stakeholders -> can become the EA strategy sponsor
- Someone who understands the diff tech components in the org that support its business operations
- Someone in the org who can communicate IT concepts to business managers in a language the business understands
- An individual with a strategy background or perspective on the org. Will understand where the org is headed
- Any individuals who feel acute pain as a result of poorly made investment decisions -> can be champions of EA strategy in their respective functions
- 29: EA Skills and Competencies (for the team)
- Arch thinking
- Analytical
- Trusted, credible
- Can handle complexity
- Can change perspectives
- Fast learners (both business and technology)
- Independent and steadfast
- Not afraid to go against the stream
- Able to understand problems of others with empathy
- Able to estimate scaling on design decisions such as model patterns
- Intrinsic capability to identify where relevant details are
- Able to identify root causes quickly
- Able to communicate complex issues clearly
- Able to negotiate and come up with acceptable solutions
- Can model well
- Able to change perspectives (from business to implementation and operational perspectives)
- 30: Use of Enterprise Architecture methodologies
- Balance EA methodologies with Agile approaches
- 31: Use of Enterprise Architecture methodologies vs Agile methods
- Use an existing methodology to structure thinking and establish a common vocabulary to communicate basic concepts, processes and approaches
- Customize the methodology to your needs, making it as lean as possible
- Execute in an Agile way but keep in mind the thoughtful checks recommended by your end-to-end methodology
- Clarify goals
- Have good measures and metrics in place
- Continuously monitor progress, fit for purpose, etc.
- Highlight risks, roadblocks, etc.
- Get support
- Communicate vision, goals, key decisions, etc.
- Iterate
- 32: Business strategy first, EA strategy second, EA operating model third
- 33: High-level perspective: creating an effective practice involves many moving parts
- Environment
- Business Strategy - how the org adds value and acts as rudder to direct the org
- Organizational Strategy - defines character of the org, what it wants to be, vision, mission, etc.
- Core Process - the flow of work through the organization
- Structure - how people are organized around business processes, including reporting structures, boundaries, roles, and responsibilities
- Systems - interrelated sets of tasks or activities that organize and coordinate work
- Culture - personality of the organization, leadership style, attitudes, styles, management practices -> it measures how well philosophy is translated into practice
- Results - measurement of how well the org achieved its goals
- Leadership - brings the org together by providing vision and strategy; designing, monitoring, and nurturing the culture, and fostering agility
- 34: The answer to the strategic planning entity dilemma is Enterprise Architecture
- Enterprise Architecture is a discipline that defines the structure and operation of an organization
- The intent of Enterprise Architecture is to determine how an org can most effectively achieve its current and future objectives
- 35: Enterprise Architecture spans across all the domains of architecture
- Business Architecture is the cornerstone that sets the foundation for all other architectural domains
- Security, Data, Application, Technology
- Business Architecture is the cornerstone that sets the foundation for all other architectural domains
- 36: Enterprise Architecture deployment continuum
- If EA practice operates on its own (Centralized), can lead to Ivory Tower and / or Dictatorship
- If EA practice is embedded with the BUs (Federated) then leads to Balanced and / or Democracy
- If EA practice is embedded separately within individual BUs (Decentralized) then leads to Siloed and / or abdicates Enterprise role
- 37: Enterprise vs. Program / Portfolio / Domain
- Decisions at the enterprise level apply across multiple programs / portfolios / solutions and represent the guardrails set for all to play with
- Enterprise scope: business architecture, technology arch, data arch, applications arch
- Program / Portfolio scope: bus requirements, business processes, solution architecture
- 38: Decide on the degree of centralization
- Typically see a need for a centralized repository of reusable assets and standards across the organization, while other approaches / standards can apply locally
- Centralization
- Allows for more strategic planning
- Visibility into standards and assets across the org promotes rationalization and cost savings
- Ensures enterprise-wide assets are used
- More strategic sourcing of vendors and resellers
- Can centrally negotiate pricing for better deals
- Easier to manage risk and prepare for audits
- Greater coordination of resources
- Derives benefits from enterprise decisions e.g. integration
- Decentralization
- May allow for more innovation
- May be easier to demonstrate local compliance if the org is geographically decentralized
- May be easier to procure software if offices are in different countries
- Deployment and installation of software on user devices may be easier
- 39: EA Strategy
- What is the role of Enterprise Architecture vis-a-vis business goals?
- What needs to be done?
- Who needs to be involved?
- When?
- Where?
- Why?
- How?
- What is the role of Enterprise Architecture vis-a-vis business goals?
- 40: Top-down approach starting from the goals of the org
- What the Business sees - Bus Goals -> Value Streams -> Capabilities
- What the CxO sees - Capabilities -> Processes -> actually this is kind of unclear
- What the App Managers sees - Processes -> Applications
- What the Program Managers sees - Programs / Projects
- Need traceability all the way from goals to projects
- 41: Measure EA strategy effectiveness by tracking the benefits it provides to the corporate business goals
- The success of the EA function spans across three main dimensions
- The delivery of EA-enabled business outcomes that are most important to the enterprise
- The alignment between the business and the tech from a planning perspective
- Improvements in the corporate business goals due to EA contributions (standardization, rationalization, reuse, etc.)
- The success of the EA function spans across three main dimensions