Guide to Walking Through Architecture to Support Strategy Using TOGAF ADM

1. Introduction

The objective of developing an architecture to support strategy is to create a comprehensive Target Architecture and a roadmap for achieving it, typically constrained by a planning horizon of three to ten years. This architecture will guide the creation of targeted change initiatives, define governance boundaries, and establish acceptance criteria for value reporting. The process will involve iterating through the TOGAF Architecture Development Method (ADM) at both the Enterprise level and the EA Capability level.

This guide will walk through the ADM phases as they relate to developing an architecture to support strategy, providing examples to illustrate each step.

2. Understanding the Context

Phase H: Understand Context

Activities:

• Review existing roadmaps and infer gaps.
• Analyze the enterprise context, including goals, objectives, initiatives, and competitive analysis.
• Identify stakeholders and their concerns.

Example: A retail organization may review its existing roadmap to identify gaps in its digital transformation strategy. By analyzing competitive pressures, it may discover that competitors are leveraging advanced analytics for customer insights, prompting the need for a new analytics capability.

Phase A: Request for Architecture Work

Activities:

• Reaffirm the planning horizon.
• Define the operating model and existing governance and risk management models.
• Identify the EA Capability model and customize the EA process model.

Example: In a healthcare organization, the planning horizon may be set for five years to align with regulatory changes. The operating model might include a shift towards value-based care, necessitating a review of existing governance structures to ensure compliance with new healthcare regulations.

3. Perform Assessment and Analysis

Phases B, C, and D: Assess Current and Target States

Activities:

• Assess current and target operational levels for processes, information systems, and capabilities.
• Identify candidate Architecture Building Blocks (ABBs) and document the gaps between current and target states.

Example: A manufacturing company may assess its current production processes and identify that they are heavily reliant on manual labor. The target state may involve automation and IoT integration. The gap analysis reveals the need for ABBs related to robotics and data analytics.

Capability Level Phases B, C, and D

Activities:

• Assess current operational challenges and stakeholder engagement.
• Reaffirm the value proposition of the enterprise.

Example: In a financial services firm, the assessment may reveal challenges in customer engagement due to outdated technology. The value proposition may need to be revised to emphasize improved customer experience through digital channels.

4. Define Approach to Target State

Phases B, C, and D: Define Specifications and Work Packages

Activities:

• Define specifications and work packages for each identified gap.
• Identify capabilities to improve and create candidate organization and operating models.

Example: In a telecommunications company, the target state may require the development of a new customer relationship management (CRM) system. Work packages could include vendor selection, system integration, and user training.

Phase A: Develop Architecture Vision

Activities:

• Develop the Architecture Vision and Architecture Definition.
• Reaffirm the relevance of the vision, definition, and work packages.

Example: A government agency may develop an Architecture Vision that emphasizes transparency and citizen engagement. The vision could include the implementation of an online portal for public services, with work packages focused on user experience design and backend integration.

Phase E: Assess Impact of Differentiating Processes

Activities:

• Identify options to close gaps and assess the impact of differentiating processes.

Example: In a logistics company, the assessment may reveal that implementing a new supply chain management system could significantly reduce delivery times. Options to close the gap could include partnerships with technology providers and process reengineering.

5. Finalize Architecture Vision/Target State

Phase F: Complete Roadmap and Governance Model

Activities:

• Finalize the roadmap and governance model.
• Complete the architecture definition and specification.

Example: A university may finalize its roadmap for implementing a new learning management system (LMS). The governance model could include a steering committee to oversee the implementation and ensure alignment with academic goals.

Phase G: Compliance and Risk Review

Activities:

• Conduct a compliance review and finalize the stakeholder matrix.

Example: In a pharmaceutical company, the compliance review may focus on ensuring that the new data management system adheres to regulatory requirements for data privacy and security. The stakeholder matrix would include representatives from legal, IT, and business units.

Here’s the table with the phases of the TOGAF ADM organized in the correct order:

This table now reflects the correct order of the phases in the TOGAF ADM process for developing an architecture to support strategy.

 

6. Conclusion

Walking through the TOGAF ADM process to develop an architecture that supports strategy involves a structured approach that encompasses understanding the context, performing assessments, defining the target state, and finalizing the architecture vision. By iterating through the ADM phases, organizations can create a comprehensive architecture that aligns with their strategic goals and drives successful change initiatives.

Summary of Key Phases and Activities