Enterprise Architecture in a nutshell
From an Agile Perspective
Hey there! Today, let’s unpack something that sounds super formal but is actually pretty cool once you get the hang of it - Enterprise Architecture (EA). Jeanne Ross, Peter Weill, and David Robertson described it as aligning business goals with tech strategy to make sure everything fits nicely with how a company operates. In my own words? It’s like making sure all the pieces of a puzzle - your company goals and the tech stuff - fit together just right.
So, what does this mean?
Imagine your company as a ship. The goals are your destination (like offering awesome services or making your products super affordable). EA is the captain that charts the best course, using tech and smart strategies as its compass and map.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. To steer the ship right, we need to know two things: where we are now (the ‘As-Is’ state) and where we want to be (the ‘To-Be’ state). Sometimes, there might even be a few pit stops (intermediate states) along the way. The trick is spotting the gaps - like if we’re missing a piece of tech or need to tweak a process - and then planning how to fill them. Think of it as a treasure map, marking where the treasure (our goals) is and plotting a route to get there.
But hey, it’s not all about tech upgrades.
Sometimes, it’s about changing how we do things or shaking up the team structure. The roadmap we create isn’t just a tech shopping list; it's more like a travel itinerary that includes who's doing what, when, and what we need to pack for the journey.
And just to make this super relatable, imagine a café wanting to speed up their order process. Their ‘As-Is’ is taking orders manually. Their ‘To-Be’? A cool app where customers order ahead. The gap? They need the app and maybe a bit of a process change. The roadmap lays out how they’ll get there, step by step.
To wrap it up, Enterprise Architecture isn’t just some stuffy corporate speak; it’s a practical way to make sure your business and tech are BFFs, working together to get you where you want to go. It’s about having a plan, but also being ready to adjust the sails when needed.
How to Design an Enterprise Architecture: Making it Simple
Alright, let's dive into the nitty-gritty of designing an EA. You might be wondering, "How do we build this thing?" Well, it's a bit like baking a cake – there are different recipes (or frameworks) you can follow, but the essentials remain the same.
One popular recipe is TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework). It's like the classic vanilla cake – versatile and well-liked. TOGAF is cool because it's kind of a one-size-fits-all framework, suitable for a wide range of companies. And guess what? The same folks behind TOGAF, The Open Group, came up with something called Open Agile Architecture. It's like adding sprinkles to your vanilla cake, making TOGAF agile-friendly and ready for fast-paced business environments.
But here's the thing – businesses change, like, all the time. So, your EA needs to be a bit like a chameleon, changing colors to match the environment. That's why I'm all for agility in EA design. By setting up 'checkpoints' in your EA, it's like having rest stops on a long road trip. You get to pause, reassess, and make sure you're still on the right track, ensuring your EA stays relevant and valuable.
What's in the Enterprise Architecture Box?
Now, what goes into your EA depends on your recipe (framework) and what your company is all about. I usually like to focus on four main ingredients:
Business Architecture: This is understanding the heartbeat of your company – its capabilities, processes, and how it ticks. It's crucial to know where you are now (the As-Is state) and where you're heading (the To-Be state). It's like having a map for your business journey.
Data Architecture: Here's where you get a grip on the data – what you need, how you're using it, and how it should flow in the future. It's all about making sure your data serves your business goals, both now and down the road.
Application Architecture: This is about the tools in your toolbox – the systems and software that power your business processes. It's about figuring out what you've got, what you need, and how to bridge that gap.
Infrastructure Architecture: Think of this as the foundation of your building. It's the hardware and other tech stuff that supports everything else. It's about making sure the physical and digital infrastructure aligns with your business needs.
And there you have it! But hey, if you're curious about diving deeper into each of these areas, or how to document and communicate them, let me know. I'd love to chat more about it!