The Value of Enterprise Architecture

The most asked question through my various interactions with Enterprise Architects around the world is: “What does Enterprise Architects do?”. Explaining to general business people that architects develop the blueprints of the business seems only to confuse them more. The discussion usually ends up in a discussion of the toolsets. The tools used by architects are used to promote reuse and standardization.

The architecture toolset consists of methodologies (processes) and tools (documents and applications). Methodologies consist of strategy analysis and solution development processes, and tools are generally the meta-model, principles and standards.

Strategy analysis in most businesses today follows an unstructured approach, and process and solution development may have some structure, but generally is done in silos throughout the enterprise. One of the most valuable contributions of Enterprise Architecture is taking what was previously mostly guesswork and transform it into a science. Through the methodology and tools of enterprise architecture both the strategy analysis process and solution development processes are structured, delivering traceable and trackable solutions.

Strategy analysis is the architecture world does result in the same output as any other strategy development methodology, however the process which is followed deliver improved accuracy and traceability. META, which is now part of Gartner, developed the Enterprise Architecture Strategy process. This process analyzes strategy by breaking each element on the strategy into business drivers, information requirements, architecture requirements, and solutions. Each of the steps results in a traceable strategy breakdown into solutions, ensuring alignment between IT and the enterprise.

Enterprise Architecture also brings structure to the solution development process through following the architecture meta-model. A common solution development framework is achieved throughout the different business units through the meta-model. It specifies the artifacts that needs to be captured and how they relate to each other, as well as the levels and structures of the artifacts. The standardization of the development of solutions also assists the architects in their efforts to standardize, optimize and improve reuse of the overall architecture.

The meta-model focuses on what must be documented in the enterprise blueprint, following the good-enough principle. The first decision for the meta-model is what domains will be needed in terms of the architecture. These domains can follow any of the established architecture frameworks currently available in the market (Zagman, DODAF, TOGAF, TEAF, FEAF, etc.). These frameworks provide a valuable starting point for the development of the meta model, however the decision of what is critical to capture, and in what detail is independent of the framework. A study conducted by Jaap Schekkerman in 2003 showed that most companies still use internally developed frameworks, with Zagman a distant second.

Enterprise Architecture is still an evolving field and will only reach maturity in another 5-10 years, when compared to other engineering disciplines. Yet Enterprise Architecture already has a lot to offer to the business through involvement in the strategy and solution development processes.