Myth-Busting: What Enterprise Architecture Is Not November 3-7 ...
Myth-Busting: What Enterprise Architecture Is Not November 3-7 ...
Myth-Busting: What Enterprise Architecture Is Not November 3-7 ...
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<strong>Myth</strong>-<strong>Busting</strong>: <strong>What</strong> <strong>Enterprise</strong> <strong>Architecture</strong> <strong>Is</strong> <strong>Not</strong><br />
Perceptions of <strong>Enterprise</strong><br />
<strong>Architecture</strong> (EA)<br />
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"It seems like those architects are<br />
in an ivory tower telling us how to<br />
do our jobs."<br />
"I really don't want to get the<br />
EA team involved."<br />
"<strong>Enterprise</strong> architecture is<br />
too big and broad."<br />
"I see the output – but not a<br />
lot of business value."<br />
"Our management won't let us<br />
use the words 'enterprise<br />
architecture.'"<br />
Misperceptions regarding the role of EA abound in most organizations, resulting in conflicts, as well as<br />
resentment between the EA team and other groups. These issues are fueled by EA urban legends that have<br />
taken on a life of their own and that continue to be professed as truths by pundits and practitioners. The key is<br />
to increase collaboration between business, IT and architects by clearly communicating what EA is — and<br />
equally what EA is not — and to debunk the common EA urban legends. We have found that, to be effective:<br />
• The EA team must leverage the strategic guidance from a business strategy and the specific tactical<br />
guidance from the business plan to guide their EA efforts overall.<br />
• EA teams should serve as advisors to the IT strategic planning effort, along with the CTO, senior IT staff,<br />
business leaders and users.<br />
• EA teams must participate in performance management efforts relating to critical business processes.<br />
• <strong>Enterprise</strong> architects do not dictate implementation details for the entire organization or for specific<br />
practice areas.<br />
In a well-architected enterprise, EA is the coordinating process that ensures that the other strategic and<br />
management processes of the enterprise are in sync with respect to the future state.<br />
Betsy Burton<br />
ESC20_666, 11/08, AE<br />
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