Enterprise Architecture – Reality Bites 1

Let's discuss some of the key components of Enterprise Architecture. Pick any business you like and try to open it into pieces like a puzzle. We will see some of the common building blocks:

1. Business – includes business strategy, vision, mission, support services, HR, payroll, finance, products, services and much more..
   
2. Information – At each stage of communication between key business entities, some sort of information is shared or transferred between them. This information is critical and form the basis of Information architecture
   
3. Applications – To support key business process and information exchange, most organisations have LOB (Line of business) applications. These applications are imprtant part of day-to-day operations and management
   
4. Technologies (Infrastructure) - All applications or systems in an organisation are built on a technology platform or bundle of technologies. In simple terms, we can try to understand technology as Infrastructure to support business processes
   

There are other key artefacts in any business to support above 4 critical horizontals like – shared services, policies, procedures, program management and change management.

If we amalgamate all of the above to create a model, then the Enterprise Architecture should look like the following:

I have based my model on TOGAF Framework . I will use it as our base for further explanations on key aspects of Enterprise Architecture. I am closing tonight on this reference model. From tomorrow onward, I will use above model to explain various aspects of Enterprise Architecture.

Good night!!

 

 

    

Enterprise Architecture - Reality Bites

Enterprise Architecture is one of the most discussed topics among senior management of many organisations. Most of the business leaders believe that EA can solve their day-to-day business problems and can help them have better control of their business.

It is not a wrong assumption on their part regarding EA possibilities. It can help and has helped many but it has hurt more than it has helped. Why most of EA program fails and never gets above the ground.

Reality is that IT is still a vendor driven market. Businesses have no choice but to believe in what Industry has to offer them at large. Over the period of time, most organisations grow organically implementing proprietary solutions based on vendor specific technologies.

Most of projects are implemented to solve tactical issues at any point-in-time. Project manager and team members are always under pressure to deliver solutions within the constraints of time and budget. No one has time to think through the whole process from end-to-end and analyse how these projects deliver value in alignment to business strategy and goals.

How can Enterprise Architecture be a catalyst to help business realise their potentials and justify investments in ambitious projects? It is such a huge subject to discuss that it cannot be covered in one BLOG.

I will be presenting my own personal views regarding Enterprise Architecture in coming weeks. There are many interesting areas within Enterprise Architecture to discuss and evaluate. I will be commenting on subjects like EA, SOA, MDA, BPEL, BPMN, EA Frameworks, EA Maturity assessment model, SOA maturity assessment model, How to implement pragmatic EA etc.

I would like to close this BLOG on the note that these views are my personal views based on my knowledge and experience. I will not be representing any organisation or person in particular. People with any constructive feedbacks are more than welcome to leave their comments. I will try my best to get back to them as soon as practically possible.

Good night!!

A walk with CEO.NET

It is just a coincidence that my first blog happen to coincide with opening of NSW.NET industry clusters. Today on my way to opening of this event, I got an opportunity to have a chat with Unique World CEO, Mr Eddie Geller.

It was an interesting conversation with a CEO of an organisation, what really impressed me was a school boy enthusiasm in Eddie on opening of this event. He is one of the people who have worked very hard and made NSW.NET a reality, I guess no wonder he was very enthusiastic today.

NSW.Net is an ICT industry cluster which brings together local software companies to engage in co-operative activities, achieve collective competitiveness and develop new opportunities for Australia’s software industry. It is an amazing opportunity for all those SMEs who always wanted to do bigger things but were restricted due to their small size and budgets. This industry cluster presents them with much bigger opportunity to participate and join other like minded organisations to pursue their bigger goals.

Membership to NSW.NET cluster is free of cost. It is a very good opportunity for early adopters to get on and subscribe before commercial aspects gets applied. NSW.NET can be reached at http://www.nswdotnet.com.au/index.aspx