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Enterprise Architecture as Strategic Vision

Long term planning demands strategic vision, a clear picture of future operations. How does an enterprise create a strategic vision when Information Technology (IT) has become such a powerful force and everything seems to be changing? Part of the answer is to look for stability. This paper discusses the balance between stability and agility in open systems design. Logical structure is stable. The Delta Air Lines core diagram is presented as an example of strategic vision as enterprise architecture (EA). The CIO has an important governance role as sponsor and architect; the CEO as client.

Framework Standards – What’s It All About?

Two years ago, some of my friends pressed me intensely to be more definitive about the Framework concepts. Even though, I had written “The Book,” they were specifically asking me for definitions of the entities that comprise the meta model of Row 2 of the Enterprise Framework. It has taken me and a team of dedicated folks two years, however we have progressed far beyond the original requirement. We have produced definitions, not only of the meta entities of Row 2 of the Enterprise Framework, but also we have dictionary definitions of the meta entities of Row 1, Row 2, Row 3, Row 4, Row 5 and Row 6 of the Enterprise Framework plus dictionary definitions for the Product Framework (where I learned about the Framework classification in the first place), for the Profession Framework (that I used to call the I/S Framework, the “meta Framework” relative to the Enterprise Framework) and for the Zachman Classification Framework (the Framework classification for all Frameworks). This work is particularly significant at this point in time for several reasons.

The Organization’s Compass – Enterprise Architecture

This article seeks to establish Enterprise Architecture (EA) as a discipline to achieve an organization’s operating model and position it beyond its current perceived value as framework for standardization and documentation. This is analogous to using a compass, not just to establish the magnetic north but also to chart the direction to go. It describes our operating models, problem space, and the work that has been done to advance the maturity of EA. This is in the form of a foundation layer in the common integrated operating environment that is enabled by our IT governance process. This incremental approach enables projects to incorporate enterprise requirements and collectively build up capabilities to achieve our desired operating model. In this aspect, EA can enable the Ministry of Defense and the Singapore Armed Forces to achieve their operating models – and in the process become their organizational compass.

A Goal-Oriented Way to Define Metrics for an Enterprise Architecture Program

Metrics are becoming more and more important in the development of enterprise architecture (EA) programs. Therefore, guidelines and support to define metrics for EA programs are needed. A goal-oriented approach for defining metrics for EA program and the measurement aspects for EA program are presented in this article. This approach was developed and tested during the development of proposals of EA program metrics for two companies.

Integrating Enterprise Architecture and IT Portfolio Management Processes

Information Technology Portfolio Management (ITPfM) greatly improves the value and contribution that IT makes to the business by aligning IT investments with business needs. ITPfM provides information on the likely return on investment, areas for reducing risk, setting priorities, and scheduling projects. Enterprise Architecture (EA) is a comprehensive framework for the management and alignment of an organization’s IT assets, people, operations, and projects with organizational goals. The ultimate aim of the EA and ITPfM integration is to replace the IT portfolio with a business performance improvement portfolio. The most profound outcome of an integrated approach is a structured process to balance demand for projects with supply of IT resources. This article addresses the twin models, financial and IT portfolio models and what approach the EA should adopt to support the development of business cases for investments in ongoing IT programs and new development projects. The most common mistake EAs make in supporting business case preparation, is adopting a financial portfolio model approach, which does not support their efforts. This article advances the argument that EAs would position themselves best by adopting the ITPfM model. The premise for this argument is that most IT projects cannot easily match high yielding projects which easily pass the formal-rational appraisal hurdle.

A Balanced Scorecard Approach to Measure The Value of Enterprise Architecture

The value returned by Enterprise Architecture (EA) is increasingly under consideration by researchers and practitioners. They struggle to justify the EA investments that currently are made. Quantifying the EA benefits has always been a challenge because measurements and real value delivered can not often be expressed in simple technical oriented metrics only. In this article we suggest a multi-perspective framework, based on the concept of Balanced Scorecard, for providing guidance about where to identify and quantify the value of EA from the perspective management. A derived methodology is used to localize a few selected Key Performance Indicators for measuring the benefits of EA that help practitioners to design and implement the suggested framework.