Introduction
Enterprise Architecture (EA) is a strategic tool that helps organizations align their business goals with their IT infrastructure. It provides a structured approach to identify and address gaps between aspirations and reality, accelerating the achievement of stated objectives. This guide will explore the four broad purposes of EA, providing examples and detailed explanations to help you understand how to effectively use EA in various contexts.
Purposes of Enterprise Architecture
1. EA to Support Strategy
Purpose: Deliver EA to provide an end-to-end Target Architecture and develop roadmaps of change over a three to ten-year period.
Characteristics:
- Breadth: No specific pattern. Some strategies will have a broad impact, while others will cover narrow subjects.
- Level of Detail: Not very detailed but may contain point constraints that are very detailed when the value depends on tight control.
- Time: Typically looks ahead for a 3 to 10-year period.
- Recency: Current Architecture to Support Strategy tends to have a short timeframe of validity. The need to update and keep this architecture current is highly variable.
Example: A retail company aims to become a digital-first organization. The EA for this purpose will span multiple change programs, such as implementing e-commerce platforms, enhancing customer analytics, and integrating supply chain systems. The architecture will identify change initiatives, set terms of reference, identify synergies, and govern the execution of the strategy via portfolios and programs.
2. EA to Support Portfolio
Purpose: Deliver EA to support cross-functional, multi-phase, and multi-project change initiatives.
Characteristics:
- Breadth: Covers single subjects (the Portfolio).
- Level of Detail: Typically not very detailed but may contain discrete constraints that are very detailed when the value depends on tight control.
- Time: Typically valid for a 2 to 5-year period.
- Recency: Current Architecture to Support Portfolio should be considered past its best-before date. A portfolio without a view to the future is pointless. The need to update and keep this architecture current is highly variable.
Example: A healthcare organization wants to improve patient care through digital transformation. The EA for this purpose will span a single portfolio, identifying projects such as implementing electronic health records, telemedicine solutions, and data analytics platforms. The architecture will set terms of reference, align approaches, identify synergies, and govern the execution of projects.
3. EA to Support Project
Purpose: Deliver EA to support the Enterprise’s project delivery method.
Characteristics:
- Breadth: Narrow breadth, typically discrete projects within a portfolio.
- Level of Detail: Typically detailed and will contain detailed constraints that may not be fully supported by detailed architecture descriptions.
- Time: Typically valid as a target for less than 2 years.
- Recency: Will have very long-lived timeframes as current (post-realization). The architecture and associated constraints and guidance will continue indefinitely in the absence of an Architecture Project.
Example: A financial institution is implementing a new customer relationship management (CRM) system. The EA for this purpose will clarify the purpose and value of the project, identify requirements to address synergy and future dependency, assure compliance with architectural governance, and support integration and alignment between projects.
4. EA to Support Solution Delivery
Purpose: Deliver EA that is used to support the solution deployment.
Characteristics:
- Breadth: Typically very narrow.
- Level of Detail: Most detailed EA, containing the most detailed constraints.
- Time: Typically valid as a target for less than 2 years.
- Recency: Will have very long-lived timeframes as current (post-realization). The architecture and associated constraints and guidance will continue indefinitely in the absence of an Architecture Project.
Example: A manufacturing company is deploying a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. The EA for this purpose will define how the change will be designed and delivered, identify constraints, controls, and architecture requirements for the design, and act as a governance framework for change.
Table 1: Purpose and EA Landscape Characterization
| Purpose | Breadth | Level of Detail | Time | Recency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture to Support Strategy | No pattern. Some strategies will have a broad impact, while others will cover narrow subjects. | Not very detailed but may contain point constraints that are very detailed when the value depends on tight control. | Typically looks ahead for a 3 to 10-year period. | Current Architecture to Support Strategy tends to have a short timeframe of validity. The need to update and keep this architecture current is highly variable. |
| Architecture to Support Portfolio | Covers single subjects (the Portfolio). | Typically not very detailed but may contain discrete constraints that are very detailed when the value depends on tight control. | Typically valid for a 2 to 5-year period. | Current Architecture to Support Portfolio should be considered past its best-before date. The need to update and keep this architecture current is highly variable. |
| Architecture to Support Project | Narrow breadth, typically discrete projects within a portfolio. | Typically detailed and will contain detailed constraints that may not be fully supported by detailed architecture descriptions. | Typically valid as a target for less than 2 years. | Will have very long-lived timeframes as current (post-realization). The architecture and associated constraints and guidance will continue indefinitely in the absence of an Architecture Project. |
| Architecture to Support Solution Delivery | Typically very narrow. | Most detailed EA, containing the most detailed constraints. | Typically valid as a target for less than 2 years. | Will have very long-lived timeframes as current (post-realization). The architecture and associated constraints and guidance will continue indefinitely in the absence of an Architecture Project. |
Conclusion
Understanding the purposes of Enterprise Architecture (EA) is crucial for effectively aligning business goals with IT infrastructure. By recognizing the different purposes—supporting strategy, portfolio, project, and solution delivery—organizations can tailor their EA efforts to meet specific needs and achieve their objectives efficiently. This guide provides a comprehensive overview and examples to help you implement EA successfully in your organization.