Issue 4

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The Enterprise Architecture Reference Cube

This article presents the “Enterprise Architecture Reference Cube” which provides guidance to enterprise architects for concepts used in modeling architecture. The Cube faces represent the dimensions to consider in enterprise architectures – the architectural concepts and their relationships to each other. These relationships are defined between the Cube faces and visually presented in three dimensions. A generic process, using the Cube, is provided for developing Enterprise Architectural artifacts. This process guides the developer of the EA in which products should be used in documenting the EA. The development of the EA Reference Cube is the result of the work of the INCOSE ISO/TC184/SC5 liaison team to update the ISO 15704:2000 standard.

Which Comes First, Strategy or Architecture?

This article discusses the “chicken or the egg” dilemma between business strategy and enterprise architecture. Presenting the use of strategy as an influencer in determining the enterprise architecture approach, the article progresses by discussing how enterprise architecture may be used to execute strategy and inform the strategic management process. For every enterprise architect working within either the public or private sector, strategic alignment of the enterprise architecture approach should be made as important a priority as the strategic alignment of the enterprise architecture artifacts themselves. In this article, we stand on the premise that an organization’s strategic foundation should serve as the guiding principle for all business management disciplines including the development and maintenance of enterprise architecture. However, we also make painstakingly clear that effective strategy formulation and execution cannot occur without a reliable and actionable enterprise architecture.

Improving Government Performance Through Enterprise-Focused Development

This case study article introduces the concept of Enterprise-Focused Development (EFD) as a part of a repeatable method for improving productivity in government agencies at federal, state, and local levels. EFD does this by promoting a project management approach that links business analysis and data modeling methods. EFD also takes an enterprise-level architected view to reducing software expenses and creating higher quality computer systems. In keeping with newer methods, EFD promotes the use of highly productive project teams and frequent iterations with clients to develop IT systems to avoid long delivery timeframes and performance failures that often came with early project management approaches and lifecycle development approaches, such as the ‘Waterfall’ method. In this way EFD has the potential to save government agencies significant time and resources in developing IT systems.

Focusing on Desired Outcomes to Formulate a Customer-Valued Enterprise Management Strategy: A Case Study

The objective of this case study is to determine a method that best supports strategy development through determining customer outcomes using an Enterprise Management Strategy. Customer outcomes are essential in formulating organizational strategies to allow organizations to be more competitive. Adapting Chatterjee’s core objectives theme, the Enterprise Management Strategy includes components such as interest, ideals, incentive, infrastructure/institution, culture, capabilities, needs, values, strategy, objectives and core capabilities. In order to achieve successful strategy, organizations must first understand the outcomes required from customers. IT and business professionals from numerous organizations completed a questionnaire and the results indicate that understanding customer outcomes, strategy and the implementation of strategy enhances overall strategic development. This study proposes an Enterprise Management Strategy which focuses on customer comprehension of outcomes for strategy development rather than focusing only on outcomes and objectives.