What is it that an Enterprise Architect (EA) does? Why do we need EA’s? After these questions are presented, answered, elaborated, and elaborated some more, hopefully the executives will give in and say ‘go do your EA’. Now, what is the first step?
The importance of leaders embracing and understanding EA cannot be underestimated; aligning business objectives with technology allows organizations to make better use of their existing technology, providing a clear strategic, technology driven path going forward.
Technology enables the achievement of business objectives, a key statement applicable to the first steps in establishing a true Enterprise Architecture. Isolating the business goals and functions from the technology currently utilized within the organization is key in developing an enterprise architecture. A strong understanding of business requirements and objectives is required.
Discovering business objectives, drivers, and goals may be a complicated task when there is limited technology or a small, mostly operational / help desk Information Technology (IT) department. There are several techniques, both technical and non-technical an EA may utilize in obtaining and understanding business objectives. These skills and techniques are often used by Business Analysts today.
- Interviews: Interviewing key managers (CIO, CEO, CFO, CTO), leaders, and stakeholders provides a wealth of information on business objectives or goals.
- Company Mission Statements / Documentation: Review organizational documentation which may be found internally or externally. Different branches of a large corporation may be responsible for different business objectives or goals.
- OMB Guidance and Definitions: For Federal Enterprise Architecture, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) provides guidance and definitions on various objectives and goals Federal Agencies posses.
Another, however lower level aspect which must be understood while establishing an Enterprise Architecture: the business processes undertaken to meet the business objectives and goals. Business Process Modeling (BPM) is an excellent technique to create Business Process Diagrams (BPD). These diagrams display a step-by-step process for achieving a particular business goal or objective. BPM’s are often completed using the Unified Modeling Language (UML) based Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) depicting flow elements, swim lanes, and artifacts utilized and completed throughout the execution of the business process.
From these, a Business Reference Model (BRM) may be created. The BRM is one of the most important artifacts in establishing an Enterprise Architecture within an organization. The BRM concentrates on both the functional and organizational aspects of the business and helps establish the Business Architecture.
Having a clear understanding of the Business Goals and objectives is important to establishing an excellent Enterprise Architecture, and eventually aligning business goals with Information technology. The technology supporting the business is then defined in the Technical Reference Model (TRM), Application Architecture, and Data Architecture.
What are your first steps to establishing an Enterprise Architecture?