A: Architecture Vision
1: Key Considerations
1.1 : General
Key Element
Description
Initiation
Phase A begins with the receipt of a Request for Architecture Work from the sponsoring organization to the architecture organization.
Recognition and Endorsement
Ensures proper recognition and endorsement from corporate management, alongside the support and commitment of line management.
Scope Definition
Defines what is included and excluded from the architecture effort, identifying constraints to address.
Scoping Decisions
Made based on a practical assessment of resource availability and the expected value to be derived from the chosen architecture work scope.
Framework Assessment
If the existing architecture framework is inadequate, revisit the Preliminary Phase to extend the overall framework to achieve the desired Architecture Vision.
Business Principles and Goals
Normally, these are predefined within the enterprise; Phase A ensures their definitions are current and clarifies any ambiguities, or establishes them for the first time if they are lacking.
Architecture Principles
Similar to business principles, these constraints on architecture work are reviewed for currency and clarity, or defined for the first time if necessary.
Phase A is critical for establishing the foundational elements of the architecture development process. It focuses on aligning with the organization’s strategic goals and ensuring clarity in scope, principles, and constraints, thereby setting the stage for the subsequent phases of the ADM.
1.2: Creating the Architecture Vision
Key Element
Description
Purpose of Architecture Vision
Serves as a key tool for sponsors to communicate the benefits of the proposed capability to stakeholders and decision-makers, aligning it with business goals and addressing stakeholder concerns.
Understanding Emerging Technologies
Integral to identify potential impacts of emerging technologies on industries, ensuring that business opportunities are not overlooked.
Clarifying Architecture Purpose
Key activity to ensure the vision reflects the specific business drivers and return on investment for stakeholders involved in the architecture development.
Integration with Business Strategy
Verifies and understands documented business strategy, mission, vision, and goals, bridging them with the current architecture reality.
Key Strategy Artifacts
Utilizes business models to illustrate how the organization intends to deliver value, helping to establish the Architecture Vision.
Business Architecture Research
If prior work is lacking, the architecture team must research and gain buy-in on key business objectives and processes.
Key Concepts in Business Architecture
1. Business Capabilities: Identifies the abilities or capacities needed to achieve specific outcomes. 2. Value Streams: Describes end-to-end value-adding activities. 3. Organization Maps: Depicts relationships between primary entities, partners, and stakeholders.
Exploration of Relevant Domains
Examines various domains relevant to the enterprise architecture, such as Information, Security, Digital, and Cybersecurity, to provide a comprehensive organizational view.
Conducting a Business Assessment
Involves documenting critical factors, assessing various courses of action, and evaluating high-level advantages, disadvantages, risks, and opportunities.
First-Cut Description of Architectures
Provides a high-level description of the Baseline and Target Architectures across Business, Data, Application, and Technology domains.
Building Consensus
Once the Architecture Vision is defined, it must be used to build consensus among stakeholders, culminating in the signing of the Statement of Architecture Work by the sponsoring organization.
The Architecture Vision phase is crucial for aligning the proposed architecture with the organization's strategic goals and ensuring stakeholder engagement. By integrating business insights and emerging technologies, it lays the groundwork for the architecture's implementation and sets the stage for subsequent phases in the ADM cycle.
2: Activities
1. Establishing the Architecture Project
To effectively manage the Enterprise Architecture (EA) effort, treating it as a formal project within the organization’s project management framework is crucial. This ensures proper governance, resource allocation, and alignment with broader organizational goals.
1. Secure Project Recognition
A. Define the Project’s Scope and Objectives
Project Scope: Clearly define the scope of the architecture project, including the phases of the ADM (Architecture Development Method) it will cover.
Deliverables: List specific outputs (e.g., updated architecture models, transition plans, business capability enhancements).
Key Stakeholders: Identify primary stakeholders, including sponsors, users, and the architecture team.
Business Objectives: Align the project’s goals with the enterprise’s broader objectives (e.g., digital transformation, operational efficiency, innovation).
B. Create a Project Proposal
Develop a Business Case: Justify the need for the architecture project by outlining the anticipated benefits, such as:
Improved alignment between business and IT
Optimization of technology investments
Support for strategic initiatives (e.g., globalization, digital transformation)
Resource Requirements: Provide estimates for the human, financial, and technical resources necessary to complete the project.
Risk Analysis: Identify potential risks (e.g., resource limitations, timeline delays) and propose mitigation strategies.
C. Secure Endorsement from Corporate Management
Engage Senior Leadership: Present the project proposal to corporate management, ensuring they understand the strategic value of the architecture effort.
Approval Process: Follow the organization’s governance process for approving new projects, including financial approval and allocation of resources.
2. Engage Line Management and Obtain Commitment
A. Communicate with Department Heads
Alignment with Department Goals: Ensure line managers understand how the architecture project will support their department’s objectives, whether through improved technology alignment, process efficiency, or support for growth initiatives.
Commitment to Resource Allocation: Secure their commitment to allocate the necessary resources (e.g., team members, budget) for the project.
B. Establish Ongoing Communication Channels
Reporting Structure: Set up regular meetings and reporting mechanisms to update line managers on progress, gather feedback, and make adjustments as necessary.
Issue Escalation: Ensure there is a clear process for escalating issues that require management’s attention.
3. Integrate with Enterprise Management Frameworks
A. Identify Relevant Management Frameworks
Business Planning Framework: Ensure that the architecture project aligns with the organization’s strategic business planning processes.
Project/Portfolio Management (PPM) Framework: Integrate the architecture project within the larger portfolio of enterprise projects. This may involve working with the PPM office to align timelines, resources, and risk management.
Operations Management Framework: Plan for the transition of architecture outputs into operational activities (e.g., IT service management, business operations support).
B. Reference Frameworks in the Architecture Project Plan
Document Relationships: In the architecture project plan, explain how the architecture project interacts with other frameworks. Highlight dependencies or shared resources with other ongoing projects.
C. Synchronize with Ongoing Projects
Identify Dependencies: Coordinate with other projects that may impact or be impacted by the architecture project, especially if those projects share deliverables, resources, or objectives.
Ensure Coherence: Make sure that the architecture project’s timelines and outcomes complement those of other initiatives to avoid conflicts or duplication of effort.
4. Formalize the Architecture Project Plan
A. Develop a Detailed Project Plan
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): Break the project into phases, deliverables, and tasks using a WBS.
Timeline and Milestones: Define the project timeline, including critical milestones for delivering architecture deliverables, conducting reviews, and making decisions.
Resource Plan: Allocate resources, specifying roles and responsibilities for each team member involved in the architecture project.
B. Establish Governance
Architecture Governance: Define the governance framework for the project, ensuring that architecture decisions follow established procedures for review and approval.
Decision-Making Authority: Specify the role of the Architecture Board or similar governing body in reviewing and approving key project decisions.
C. Risk Management
Risk Register: Develop a risk management plan that identifies, assesses, and mitigates risks throughout the project.
Regular Risk Reviews: Conduct ongoing risk assessments to ensure that emerging risks are addressed in a timely manner.
5. Launch the Architecture Project
A. Initiate the Project Kickoff
Kickoff Meeting: Hold a formal project kickoff meeting to align all stakeholders on the project’s goals, timeline, and expectations. Include key participants such as business leaders, architecture teams, and project managers.
Roles and Responsibilities: Ensure that all team members understand their responsibilities and the scope of their involvement.
B. Begin Execution
Start Deliverables Production: Begin work on the first set of deliverables, such as architecture vision, gap analysis, and solution architecture design.
Monitor and Adjust: Use the project management framework to track progress and adjust as needed to meet the project’s goals and timelines.
By treating the Enterprise Architecture activity as a formal project and aligning it with the organization’s broader project management and business frameworks, you ensure proper governance, resource allocation, and successful execution. Recognizing the project, securing management endorsement, and integrating it with existing management frameworks will lay the foundation for successful architecture outcomes.
2. Identifying Stakeholders, Concerns, and Business Requirements
In this phase, the goal is to identify the key stakeholders, understand their concerns, and establish the business requirements for the architecture engagement. This process is crucial for aligning the architecture with business objectives, managing expectations, and ensuring stakeholder buy-in.
1. Stakeholder Engagement Objectives
A. Identify Candidate Vision Components and Requirements
Vision Components: Engage stakeholders to gather potential ideas and requirements that will shape the Architecture Vision.
Business Requirements: Define high-level business requirements that need to be addressed in the architecture engagement, such as:
Business growth and scalability
Innovation in technology solutions
Support for digital transformation or new product development
Technical Requirements: Understand what technology solutions are expected, such as integration of new platforms or upgrading existing systems.
B. Define Scope Boundaries
Limit Scope: Set boundaries on the extent of the architectural work to avoid unnecessary complexity. Focus on areas most critical to the business goals.
Scope of Engagement: Identify which domains (business, data, application, technology) will be included in the engagement.
C. Understand Stakeholder Concerns
Concerns: Stakeholder concerns might include cost efficiency, time to market, system performance, or regulatory compliance.
Cultural Factors: Consider organizational culture, communication preferences, and leadership styles when addressing concerns and defining how architecture outputs will be presented.
2. Develop the Stakeholder Map
The stakeholder map will outline the key stakeholders, their roles, and their concerns. This will serve as a reference throughout the architecture process and will guide communication and decision-making.
A. Key Stakeholders
Business Leaders: Provide strategic direction and define key business objectives.
Concerns: Alignment of architecture with business strategy, ROI, scalability.
IT Managers/Enterprise Architects: Responsible for the technical integrity of the architecture and its alignment with the enterprise’s technology strategy.
Concerns: System integration, performance, maintainability, and security.
Project Managers: Ensure that the architecture supports project timelines and deliverables.
Concerns: Scope management, cost, and resource allocation.
End-Users: The people who will use the systems developed under the architecture.
Concerns: Usability, reliability, and functionality.
Compliance Officers: Ensure that the architecture meets legal, regulatory, and security standards.
Concerns: Compliance, data security, privacy regulations.
B. Stakeholder Involvement Levels
High Involvement: Business Leaders, IT Managers, Project Managers.
Moderate Involvement: Compliance Officers, End-Users.
Low Involvement: External Partners, Vendors (if applicable).
C. Stakeholder Map and Communication Plan
Create a Stakeholder Map: Use a stakeholder mapping tool or matrix to document each stakeholder’s role, level of influence, and key concerns.
Communication Plan: Develop a communications strategy to ensure all stakeholders receive the necessary updates and are involved appropriately during the architecture development process.
3. Concerns and Viewpoints
To effectively address stakeholder needs, it's essential to determine which architecture views and viewpoints will be developed.
A. Identify Concerns and Viewpoints
Business Viewpoint: Focus on business processes, strategies, and objectives.
Stakeholders: Business leaders, end-users.
Data Viewpoint: Focus on data structures, storage, and security.
Stakeholders: IT managers, data governance teams.
Application Viewpoint: Address how applications will interact with each other and with users.
Stakeholders: IT managers, end-users.
Technology Viewpoint: Focus on infrastructure, platforms, and security.
Stakeholders: IT managers, compliance officers.
B. Setting Scope of Engagement
Views Needed: Determine which architecture views need to be developed based on the identified concerns and viewpoints. This ensures that the scope of the engagement is clear, and resources are allocated effectively.
4. Documentation and Requirements
As new requirements are identified throughout this process, it’s essential to properly document and manage them.
A. Architecture Vision Document
Concerns and Viewpoints: Capture key concerns and the relevant viewpoints in the Architecture Vision. Ensure it aligns with the business and technical strategy.
B. Stakeholder Requirements
Capture Requirements: Document all stakeholder requirements and prioritize them based on business impact and strategic goals.
Architecture Requirements Specification: Include relevant requirements in the Architecture Requirements Specification.
Requirements Repository: Any requirements that are beyond the current scope should be added to the Requirements Repository for future consideration and management.
C. Key Business Requirements
Growth and Scalability: Ensure that the architecture supports the organization's growth and can scale with demand.
Innovation: Support new product development, business models, or technologies.
Compliance and Risk Management: Address legal, regulatory, and security requirements.
5. Outcome: A Comprehensive Stakeholder Map
The stakeholder map and business requirements will be key deliverables from this step, providing a clear understanding of:
Who is involved in the architecture project.
What their concerns are.
How their input shapes the architecture vision and scope.
This understanding will help ensure that the architecture aligns with stakeholder needs and business objectives, setting a solid foundation for the engagement.
By following this approach, the architecture team will be well-prepared to address stakeholder concerns, define business requirements, and ensure that the architecture development process is aligned with the enterprise’s strategic objectives.
3. Confirm and Elaborate Business Goals, Business Drivers, and Constraints
Confirm and Elaborate Business Goals, Business Drivers, and Constraints
This step focuses on identifying and confirming the business goals, strategic drivers, and constraints that will shape the architecture development process. This ensures that the architecture aligns with the organization’s overarching objectives and operates within the defined boundaries.
1. Identify Business Goals and Strategic Drivers
A. Business Goals
Review Existing Business Goals: Check if business goals have already been defined within the enterprise and ensure they are current. Examples of goals include:
Increasing market share.
Improving customer satisfaction.
Enhancing operational efficiency.
Accelerating digital transformation efforts.
Clarify Ambiguities: If any goals are unclear or outdated, collaborate with the originators of the Statement of Architecture Work to update or clarify them.
New Business Goals: If the organization’s goals are not documented, work with key business leaders and stakeholders to define them. These goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
B. Strategic Drivers
Identify Strategic Drivers: Strategic drivers are external or internal forces that influence business decisions. These can include:
Market trends: Shifts in customer behavior or competitor activities.
Technological innovations: Adoption of new technologies such as AI, cloud computing, or blockchain.
Regulatory changes: New compliance requirements or regulations affecting the industry.
Economic factors: Inflation, supply chain disruptions, or economic downturns.
Globalization: Expansion into international markets or partnerships.
C. Validate with Stakeholders
Secure Endorsement: Work with corporate management to validate and endorse the defined business goals and strategic drivers. This ensures alignment between the architecture development and the business strategy.
Align with Key Departments: Ensure that other departments (e.g., sales, marketing, IT, operations) are aligned with the business goals to create a unified approach.
2. Define Business and Enterprise Constraints
A. Enterprise-wide Constraints
Architecture Principles: Review and adhere to any enterprise-wide architecture principles or policies defined during the Preliminary Phase. These principles may impact the scope or design of the architecture.
Examples of Architecture Principles:
Interoperability: Systems must be able to interact with other enterprise systems.
Security: Systems must comply with enterprise-wide security standards.
Sustainability: Focus on long-term maintainability and environmental sustainability.
Organizational Policies: Confirm any enterprise-wide policies that could act as constraints, such as:
IT policies: Standardized technology platforms or systems.
Data policies: Compliance with data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).
Financial constraints: Budgetary limitations or allocation of resources.
Cultural factors: Organizational culture that may resist change or emphasize certain working methodologies (e.g., Agile).
B. Project-specific Constraints
Time: Understand project timelines and deadlines that may limit the architecture's scope.
Delivery schedules: Ensure that architecture can be developed and deployed in time to meet business milestones or product launches.
Resource Availability: Consider constraints related to human resources, such as:
Skillsets: Availability of skilled personnel to implement the architecture.
Staffing levels: Adequate team members or external resources required for architecture development.
Financial Constraints: Clarify project budgets and funding that may affect architecture decisions.
Capital expenditures: Constraints on upfront costs for hardware, software, and development.
Operational expenditures: Ongoing costs for maintenance and support.
Technology Constraints: Review any restrictions related to technology:
Legacy systems: Constraints imposed by existing systems that cannot easily be replaced or integrated.
Vendor solutions: Dependency on specific vendor solutions or platforms.
Compliance Requirements: Industry-specific regulations or standards (e.g., PCI DSS, HIPAA) that could impose constraints.
3. Alignment with Architecture Vision
A. Validate Constraints with Architecture Vision
Ensure that the business goals, strategic drivers, and constraints are reflected in the Architecture Vision. This will ensure that the vision aligns with both high-level organizational goals and practical limitations.
B. Use Constraints to Shape Architecture Development
Constraints will directly influence the architecture design process. For example:
Resource constraints may limit the number of technology choices.
Time constraints may necessitate incremental delivery through Transition Architectures.
4. Document and Communicate
A. Business Goals and Drivers Document
Create a Clear Document: Capture the business goals and strategic drivers in a document that can be referenced by all architecture and project teams.
Share with Stakeholders: Ensure that key stakeholders have access to the finalized document to maintain alignment.
B. Constraints Register
Document Constraints: Create a Constraints Register that outlines all identified enterprise-wide and project-specific constraints.
Review Regularly: Update the register as new constraints emerge during the architecture development process.
5. Expected Deliverables
Business Goals and Strategic Drivers Document: A comprehensive summary of the business goals and strategic drivers.
Constraints Register: A detailed list of enterprise-wide and project-specific constraints, which will guide architecture decisions.
Stakeholder Sign-off: Documentation of stakeholder endorsement for the business goals, drivers, and constraints.
By confirming and elaborating on the business goals, strategic drivers, and constraints, the architecture engagement is better aligned with the organization's strategic direction and operational realities, ensuring its success from both a technical and business perspective.
4. Evaluate Capabilities
The evaluation of capabilities is a crucial activity in the Architecture Vision phase of the TOGAF ADM. This process involves understanding both the enterprise's ability to develop and execute the architecture, and the current and desired business capabilities needed to fulfill strategic priorities. The capability assessment allows architects to identify gaps that need to be addressed as part of the transformation effort.
1. Understanding Enterprise Capabilities
A. Capability to Develop and Execute the Architecture
Assess Architecture Development Capability: Evaluate the enterprise’s ability to progress through the TOGAF ADM, identifying potential gaps in:
Skills: Determine whether there are sufficient skills within the organization to develop the architecture.
Information: Ensure access to necessary data, business models, and prior architectural artifacts.
Processes: Assess the maturity of enterprise processes in supporting architecture development.
Tools and Systems: Evaluate the availability of appropriate tools for architecture modeling, planning, and monitoring.
Iteration Between Architecture Vision and Preliminary Phase: If gaps are identified in the enterprise’s ability to execute the architecture project, it may require revisiting the Preliminary Phase to ensure the architecture capability is suitable for the scope of the project.
B. Baseline and Target Business Capabilities
Baseline Capabilities: Evaluate the current capabilities of the enterprise in terms of its ability to execute business processes, deliver value, and respond to changes. These baseline capabilities are the starting point for the transformation.
Target Capabilities: Define the desired future state capabilities required to meet strategic business objectives. These include:
Strategic alignment: Ensuring that the capabilities align with the enterprise’s long-term goals and business strategy.
Operational efficiency: Enhancing the capabilities that streamline operations or improve performance.
Innovation and agility: Identifying capabilities that enable the organization to innovate and respond quickly to market changes.
Gap Analysis: Compare the baseline and target capabilities to identify gaps. These gaps represent areas where new capabilities need to be developed or existing capabilities need to be improved. The assessment can cover gaps in processes, skills, technology, and information.
2. Capability Evaluation in the Architecture Vision Phase
A. Business Models and Strategic Priorities
Review Business Models: Use business models or strategy documents to clarify the priorities of the business and ensure that the architecture will address the key strategic drivers.
Identify Required Business Capabilities: Based on the strategic priorities, identify the business capabilities that the enterprise must develop. These could range from technical capabilities (e.g., cloud adoption) to business-oriented capabilities (e.g., enhancing customer experience or global market expansion).
B. Architecture Development Capability Gaps
Evaluate Gaps in Architecture Development: If there are gaps in the enterprise’s ability to develop the architecture, consider whether it has:
Skill shortages: Lack of expertise in enterprise architecture, project management, or technology implementation.
Process weaknesses: Inefficient or missing processes related to architecture governance, communication, or resource management.
Information and Data Gaps: Missing business models, architectural artifacts, or data that are necessary for decision-making.
Systems and Tools Gaps: Insufficient or outdated tools for architecture modeling, analysis, and reporting.
Determine Feasibility of Continuing Architecture Development: If significant gaps are identified, the feasibility of continuing the architecture effort may be in question. Depending on the severity of these gaps, the enterprise may need to build additional capability or adjust the project scope.
3. Gaps Between Baseline and Target Capabilities
A. Identify Capability Gaps
Capability Gap Analysis: Use the results of the gap analysis between the baseline and target capabilities to guide the development of the architecture. Gaps may exist in areas such as:
Technology: Lack of the necessary technology infrastructure or platforms.
Processes: Inefficient or missing business processes needed to support the target state.
Skills: Insufficient skills or expertise to manage new systems or processes.
Information: Incomplete or inaccessible data to support business decisions.
Impact of Gaps on Architecture Vision: The identified gaps will influence the Architecture Vision, Target Architecture, and Implementation and Migration Plan. For example, if there are significant gaps in technology, the architecture roadmap may include new technology investments or upgrades.
B. Value Chain Diagrams
Use Value Chain Diagrams: Create Value Chain Diagrams to show how the baseline and target capabilities align with business operations. This can visually depict how related capabilities contribute to business outcomes and highlight areas where gaps exist.
Link Capabilities to Strategic Objectives: Ensure that the target capabilities are clearly linked to the enterprise’s strategic objectives. This provides a business justification for addressing the identified gaps.
4. Documenting the Results in a Capability Assessment
A. Capability Assessment
Document the Assessment: The findings from the capability evaluation should be documented in a Capability Assessment. This report will provide a detailed analysis of:
The current (baseline) capabilities.
The target capabilities.
The gaps between them.
Recommendations for addressing these gaps in the architecture development process.
B. Use the Assessment for Architecture Development
Inform the Architecture Vision: The capability assessment informs the Architecture Vision, particularly in terms of what needs to be built, enhanced, or retired in the enterprise to meet its strategic goals.
Guide Future Phases: The capability gaps will also guide the work in Phase B (Business Architecture), where the gaps are fully explored, and the solutions are developed.
5. Expected Deliverables
Capability Assessment Report: A comprehensive document that outlines the baseline and target capabilities, the identified gaps, and the recommendations for closing these gaps.
Value Chain Diagrams: Visual representations that show how capabilities contribute to business value and where gaps exist.
Stakeholder Endorsement: Ensure key stakeholders endorse the identified gaps and proposed solutions.
By evaluating the enterprise's capabilities, architects can ensure that both the architecture development process and the future-state architecture align with the enterprise’s strategic goals. Identifying and addressing gaps early ensures smoother transitions, targeted investments, and higher alignment with business outcomes.
5. Assess Readiness for Business Transformation
The Business Transformation Readiness Assessment is a key component in determining an organization’s ability to successfully undergo change. This assessment evaluates various readiness factors that influence the success of a transformation initiative and helps align the architecture with organizational capabilities. The readiness assessment focuses on understanding how prepared the enterprise is for transformation in terms of its people, processes, technology, and governance structures.
1. Purpose of the Readiness Assessment
Evaluate Organizational Readiness: The primary objective is to measure the organization’s readiness for business transformation, including factors such as cultural readiness, leadership support, resource availability, and technology capabilities.
Identify Risks: The readiness assessment identifies potential risks and barriers that could impede successful transformation. These risks can then be addressed in the architecture design and implementation planning phases.
Shape Architecture Scope: Based on the results, the scope of the architecture can be refined to ensure it aligns with the organization’s capacity for change. This ensures that the architecture is practical, realistic, and implementable given the organization's current state.
2. Key Readiness Factors
The TOGAF ADM Techniques outline several factors that influence readiness for business transformation. Each of these factors should be analyzed and rated based on the current state of the organization. Common readiness factors include:
A. Vision and Leadership
Clarity of Vision: How clear and well-communicated is the organization's vision for transformation? Is there strong leadership buy-in and commitment to the transformation initiative?
Executive Sponsorship: Are senior leaders actively supporting the transformation? Executive sponsorship is essential for driving change across the enterprise.
B. Cultural Readiness
Change Acceptance: Is the organization culturally prepared for change? Are employees and managers open to new ways of working, or is there resistance to change?
Organizational Mindset: Does the organization have a growth mindset and an innovation-driven culture, or is it risk-averse and focused on maintaining the status quo?
C. Governance and Support Structures
Governance Readiness: Are there governance frameworks in place to manage the transformation effectively? Is there clarity around decision-making and accountability during the change?
Stakeholder Engagement: How engaged and aligned are stakeholders across the organization? Is there a shared understanding of the goals and benefits of the transformation?
D. Resource Availability
Financial Resources: Does the organization have the financial resources to support the transformation? Are there budget allocations for necessary investments in technology, process changes, and training?
Human Resources: Are skilled personnel available to drive the transformation? Are there gaps in skill sets that need to be addressed through hiring or training?
E. Technology Readiness
IT Infrastructure: Is the current IT infrastructure capable of supporting the changes required for transformation? Are there any critical system upgrades or new implementations needed?
Technological Alignment: How aligned is the existing technology landscape with the desired future-state architecture? Are there significant gaps that could hinder transformation?
F. Process Maturity
Process Standardization: Are business processes standardized and mature enough to support transformation? Are there clear workflows, KPIs, and governance around key processes?
Process Flexibility: Can existing processes be easily modified to accommodate new systems, technologies, or organizational structures?
G. Change Management Capability
Change Management Practices: Does the organization have established change management processes and teams in place? Are there mechanisms for training, communication, and managing resistance?
Track Record of Change: Has the organization successfully undergone large-scale transformations in the past, or are there known challenges in adapting to new ways of working?
3. Assessing and Rating Readiness Factors
Once the readiness factors have been identified, they should be rated to quantify the organization’s readiness for change. A simple rating system could be used, such as:
High Readiness: The organization is well-prepared and capable of supporting transformation in this area.
Moderate Readiness: Some gaps exist that may need to be addressed to ensure successful transformation.
Low Readiness: Significant challenges or gaps exist that could pose risks to the transformation effort.
Each readiness factor should be assessed with input from key stakeholders, including leadership, business units, IT, and human resources.
4. Document Results in the Capability Assessment
The results of the Business Transformation Readiness Assessment should be documented as part of the Capability Assessment. This report will provide a comprehensive view of both the enterprise’s capabilities and its readiness for transformation. Specifically, the assessment should include:
Readiness Ratings: A summary of the ratings for each readiness factor.
Identified Gaps: Any areas where the organization is not fully ready for transformation, along with potential risks.
Recommendations: Actions that need to be taken to address gaps or mitigate risks, such as training programs, technology investments, or changes to governance structures.
5. Use of Readiness Assessment in Architecture Engagement
The results of the readiness assessment will shape several aspects of the architecture engagement:
Scope of the Architecture: The architecture scope may need to be adjusted to match the organization’s readiness level. For example, if the cultural readiness for change is low, the architecture might focus more on incremental changes rather than radical transformations.
Project Activities: The assessment will inform the necessary activities within the architecture project, such as building change management plans, conducting training programs, or upgrading IT infrastructure.
Risk Management: Areas with low readiness will be flagged as potential risks. These risks should be addressed in the architecture project planning, with specific mitigation strategies developed to reduce the likelihood of failure.
6. Expected Deliverables
The deliverables from the Business Transformation Readiness Assessment include:
Readiness Assessment Report: A detailed report capturing the readiness factors, ratings, and recommendations.
Updated Capability Assessment: The readiness results should be integrated into the overall capability assessment, providing a holistic view of both the enterprise’s capabilities and its readiness for change.
Risk Mitigation Plans: A set of recommended actions and plans to address areas of low readiness and mitigate associated risks.
The Business Transformation Readiness Assessment is a valuable tool for understanding the organization's preparedness for change. By evaluating the key readiness factors and incorporating the results into the Capability Assessment, architects can ensure that the transformation effort is aligned with the organization's capabilities, resources, and willingness to change. The insights gained from this assessment are crucial for shaping the scope of the architecture, identifying key project activities, and managing risks effectively.
6. Defining the Scope for Baseline and Target Architectures
The scope definition is essential for setting the boundaries of both the Baseline and Target Architecture efforts. Properly scoping these efforts ensures that the architecture team remains focused on the most critical areas, avoiding unnecessary detail while addressing key business objectives.
Key Elements of Scope Definition
Breadth of Coverage of the Enterprise
Determine the extent of the enterprise that will be covered by the architecture effort. This may include specific business units, divisions, or regions.
In some cases, the architecture may focus on a subset of the organization rather than the entire enterprise.
Example: The architecture scope could be limited to the marketing, sales, and customer service departments of the organization rather than all functions (e.g., finance, HR).
Level of Detail Required
Establish the appropriate level of detail for both the baseline and target architectures. This is important because both need not be described in the same amount of detail.
Baseline Architecture: Often described at a higher level of abstraction to save time and resources.
Target Architecture: Requires a greater level of detail to ensure that the future state is well-understood and can be implemented effectively.
Example: The Baseline Architecture could include a high-level view of current data flow, while the Target Architecture specifies detailed process flows and system interactions.
Partitioning Characteristics of the Architecture
Define the partitioning of the architecture to organize the effort based on logical or physical segments.
Partitioning can involve:
Organizational Segments: Business units or departments.
Geographical Areas: Regions or offices of the enterprise.
Domains: Business, data, application, or technology domains.
Partitioning helps in simplifying the effort by breaking down the architecture into manageable segments.
Example: Partitioning by architecture domains (Business Architecture, Data Architecture, Technology Architecture).
Architecture Domains to be Covered
Specify the architecture domains that the scope will cover, including:
Business Architecture: Business processes, functions, and organizational structure.
Data Architecture: Information flows, data models, and storage systems.
Application Architecture: Software applications, interfaces, and integration points.
Technology Architecture: Infrastructure, networks, and hardware.
The scope may include one or more domains depending on the project's objectives.
Example: A digital transformation project might focus heavily on Application and Technology Architectures while leaving Business Architecture out of scope.
Time Periods Considered
Define the time horizon of the architecture effort:
Short-term: Changes to be implemented within 6-12 months.
Medium-term: Implementation plans spanning 1-3 years.
Long-term: Strategic changes expected over 3+ years.
Also, determine the number and extent of any intermediate milestones or time periods that will serve as transition points from baseline to target.
Example: A phased approach where the target architecture is achieved in increments over multiple stages, with transition architectures guiding each phase.
Architectural Assets to be Leveraged
Identify existing architectural assets within the organization that can be reused or adapted, as well as external frameworks or models that can provide a foundation for the architecture.
Internal Assets:
Models, frameworks, or solutions developed during previous architecture cycles.
Existing architectural components or design patterns.
External Assets:
Industry-standard frameworks (e.g., ITIL, COBIT).
Reference models from other industries (e.g., TOGAF industry models).
Leverage these assets to reduce effort and cost while ensuring alignment with existing systems and standards.
Example: Reusing data models or security frameworks that were developed during earlier phases of enterprise architecture.
Benefits of Clearly Defining the Scope
Focus and Clarity: By clearly identifying what is inside and outside the scope, the architecture team can concentrate on the most critical areas, ensuring that efforts are aligned with business priorities.
Efficiency: Defining the appropriate level of detail ensures that time and resources are not wasted on over-specifying the baseline while still providing sufficient detail for the target state.
Risk Mitigation: A well-defined scope helps identify any scope-related risks early in the process. For example, trying to cover too many architecture domains might spread the team too thin.
Alignment with Business Goals: Ensuring that the architecture scope aligns with the business drivers, goals, and constraints ensures that the architecture effort delivers measurable value to the organization.
Expected Deliverables from Scope Definition
Scope Definition Document: A formal document that clearly outlines the breadth, level of detail, architecture domains, time periods, and assets to be leveraged.
Scope Boundary Diagram: A visual representation that defines the parts of the organization, systems, and processes included and excluded from the architecture effort.
List of Architectural Assets: A catalog of internal and external assets to be leveraged, ensuring that reusable components are captured and documented.
7. Confirm and Elaborate Architecture Principles, Including Business Principles
The Architecture Principles define the fundamental concepts that guide the development of an organization's enterprise architecture. These principles shape and influence decisions throughout the architecture development process, ensuring that the architecture aligns with organizational goals and values.
In this phase, the primary objective is to confirm the existing principles (developed in the Preliminary Phase) and ensure they are relevant to the current architecture project. If these principles haven't been established or need revision, it is essential to work with the Architecture Governance body to create or refine them and gain approval from corporate management.
Key Steps for Confirming and Elaborating Architecture Principles
Review Existing Architecture Principles
Validate the principles established during the Preliminary Phase to confirm that they are still applicable to the current architecture engagement.
Consider whether changes in business strategy, technology landscape, or other factors necessitate updates or clarifications to the principles.
Ensure that the principles cover both business and technology aspects to maintain alignment between the architecture and organizational goals.
Clarify Any Ambiguities
Identify and address any unclear or ambiguous principles. This may involve rephrasing principles to ensure they are:
Actionable: Provide clear guidance for decision-making.
Measurable: Allow for performance tracking and assessment.
Consistent: Aligned with overall enterprise goals and other governance frameworks.
Example: If an existing principle states "Data must be accessible," it could be clarified to "Data must be accessible to all authorized personnel across the enterprise, using secure protocols."
Work with Architecture Governance to Refine or Create Principles
If the current principles are incomplete or outdated, work with the Architecture Governance body or relevant stakeholders to refine them or develop new principles.
Make sure the principles reflect the current business strategy, organizational goals, and technological landscape.
Gain endorsement from corporate management to ensure alignment with broader organizational strategies.
Example: If the organization is undergoing digital transformation, a new principle might be introduced to emphasize the importance of cloud-first solutions.
Secure Corporate Management Endorsement
Present the updated or newly defined principles to corporate management for endorsement. This ensures that architecture decisions made throughout the process are supported by executive leadership.
Without senior management approval, adherence to the principles may be inconsistent, affecting the success of the architecture implementation.
Key Types of Principles
Business Principles
Business principles provide overarching guidance to ensure that the architecture aligns with business objectives. These principles are often derived from corporate strategy, business goals, and operational priorities.
Examples of Business Principles:
Maximize Customer Satisfaction: The architecture should prioritize solutions that improve the customer experience.
Enable Agility: Business processes and systems should be designed to adapt quickly to changes in the market or regulatory environment.
Support Global Operations: Solutions must be scalable and capable of supporting global operations.
Foster Innovation: The architecture should promote a culture of innovation by supporting experimentation and rapid prototyping.
Data Principles
Data principles guide how data is managed, shared, and protected across the enterprise.
Examples of Data Principles:
Data is an Asset: Data is a valuable organizational resource that should be managed effectively and leveraged for decision-making.
Data Security: Data must be protected according to its value and sensitivity to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
Single Source of Truth: Data should be stored and managed in a way that ensures consistency across the enterprise.
Technology Principles
Technology principles guide decisions related to infrastructure, platforms, and applications, ensuring they align with business goals and technology trends.
Examples of Technology Principles:
Technology Independence: The architecture should support solutions that are not tied to a specific vendor or platform, ensuring flexibility and scalability.
Interoperability: Systems and applications should work together seamlessly to ensure efficient operations across the enterprise.
Cloud-First: Where possible, cloud-based solutions should be prioritized to reduce infrastructure costs and increase agility.
Application Principles
Application principles provide guidance on how applications should be developed, deployed, and maintained across the enterprise.
Examples of Application Principles:
Reuse before Buy, Buy before Build: Applications should be reused or purchased before custom development is considered to reduce costs and implementation time.
Modularity: Applications should be designed with modular components to enable flexibility and scalability.
Simplicity: Applications should aim to reduce complexity to enhance usability and maintainability.
Example Architecture Principles
Business Continuity
Systems must be designed to ensure continuous business operations and meet defined Service Level Agreements (SLAs), even in the event of a disruption.
Accessibility
Systems must be designed to ensure that data and services are accessible to all authorized users, regardless of their location.
Scalability
Solutions must be scalable to meet growing demand without a significant increase in operational costs.
Standardization
Where applicable, the architecture must leverage industry standards to ensure consistency, interoperability, and reduce the cost of integration.
Sustainability
The architecture should prioritize energy-efficient technologies and solutions to support the organization's sustainability goals.
Deliverables from This Step
Architecture Principles Document: A formal document outlining the confirmed or newly defined principles guiding the architecture development.
Principle Clarification Report: A report summarizing any clarifications made to existing principles, including stakeholder feedback and approval.
Corporate Endorsement Memo: Documentation showing that corporate management has reviewed and endorsed the architecture principles.
Importance of Confirming and Elaborating Architecture Principles
Alignment with Business Goals: Ensuring that architecture principles align with the organization's overall business strategy ensures that the architecture delivers real business value.
Consistency in Decision-Making: Clearly defined principles provide a consistent framework for making architecture decisions, reducing ambiguity and improving decision quality.
Improved Governance: Principles serve as a governance tool, helping to guide the development, implementation, and evolution of the architecture in alignment with broader corporate objectives.
Risk Mitigation: By adhering to clearly defined principles, the organization can minimize the risk of deviations from the architecture that could lead to project failure or misalignment with business objectives.
Confirming and elaborating architecture principles at this stage provides a foundation for all subsequent architecture activities, ensuring that the enterprise architecture is aligned with the organization's vision, goals, and values.
8. Developing the Architecture Vision
The Architecture Vision phase is a critical step in defining the high-level direction for an enterprise architecture project. It focuses on establishing a clear understanding of the baseline and target architectures, as well as the business and IT goals. The goal is to create a strategic guide that aligns with business objectives and provides direction for the more detailed architecture phases.
Key Steps in Developing the Architecture Vision
Define the Architecture Scope
Begin by establishing the breadth of the architecture effort—what will be covered (business, information systems, technology) and how detailed the architecture needs to be for this phase.
Use input from stakeholder engagement, business goals, and strategic drivers to define the boundaries of the architecture.
Deliverable: A clear understanding of what parts of the enterprise will be covered by the architecture vision.
Understand and Capture Stakeholder Concerns
Use the stakeholder map developed in earlier steps to understand the concerns, needs, and expectations of key stakeholders.
Engage with stakeholders to refine requirements, validate concerns, and ensure that the architecture vision reflects their goals and constraints.
Deliverable: A refined stakeholder map that highlights the concerns to be addressed in the architecture vision.
Articulate Business Goals and Strategic Drivers
Identify and refine the business goals and strategic drivers from the organization's leadership, ensuring they are clearly understood.
Define how the architecture vision will support these goals, such as enhancing revenue generation, enabling digital transformation, or rationalizing existing systems.
Deliverable: A clear statement of how the architecture vision aligns with and supports business objectives.
Identify and Address Constraints
Define both enterprise-wide and project-specific constraints (e.g., time, budget, regulatory, or technology limitations).
Ensure that these constraints are acknowledged in the architecture vision, so the project can be scoped realistically.
Deliverable: A list of constraints that the architecture will need to work within.
Create a High-Level View of the Baseline and Target Architectures
Develop a high-level representation of the Baseline Architecture (current state) and Target Architecture (future state) for business, information systems, and technology domains.
This representation should focus on capturing the key components of the existing environment and the desired end state at a high level of abstraction.
Deliverable: Initial high-level descriptions of both the Baseline and Target Architectures.
Develop a Solution Concept Diagram
Create a solution concept diagram to provide a simple and clear representation of the major components of the solution.
This diagram helps stakeholders visualize how the architecture will come together, addressing their concerns and showing the benefits to the enterprise.
Deliverable: A visual solution concept diagram that communicates the high-level architecture vision.
Utilize Business Scenarios to Define Requirements
Use business scenarios to uncover and document business requirements that need to be addressed by the architecture. Business scenarios help identify the problem, the stakeholders, the environment, and the desired outcomes.
These scenarios should align with the architecture vision and will be further refined in later phases.
Deliverable: A set of business scenarios that provide a context for the architecture vision and requirements.
Organize and Store Architecture Deliverables
Ensure that all high-level architecture artifacts created in this phase are stored in the Architecture Repository for future use and reference.
This includes versions of the baseline and target architectures, business scenarios, and solution concept diagrams.
Deliverable: Documentation and artifacts stored in the Architecture Repository.
Considerations for the Architecture Vision
Alignment with Business and IT Strategy
The architecture vision must ensure alignment with both business and IT strategies, addressing issues such as digital transformation, globalization, diversity and inclusion, or lifelong learning initiatives.
Incorporating Governance and Policy
Strategic and policy decisions that may impact the architecture need to be captured and incorporated, ensuring that the vision is feasible and adheres to governance frameworks.
Architecture Principles
The architecture principles that were confirmed in earlier steps (e.g., scalability, interoperability, data governance) will serve as the foundation for the architecture vision, ensuring consistency in decision-making across the architecture project.
Example: Solution Concept Diagram
Business Layer: Depicts the business processes or capabilities required to achieve business goals (e.g., student recruitment, alumni engagement, or community outreach).
Application Layer: High-level view of the key applications needed to support business processes (e.g., CRM systems, learning management systems).
Technology Layer: Illustrates the technology platforms (e.g., cloud infrastructure, data analytics platforms) that will support the applications and enable business capabilities.
Key Deliverables for the Architecture Vision Phase
Architecture Vision Document: A concise document outlining the high-level vision for the enterprise architecture, addressing key business goals, strategic drivers, and stakeholder concerns.
Solution Concept Diagram: A high-level visual representation of the proposed solution, including key components and their relationships.
Baseline and Target Architecture Views: Initial high-level definitions of the baseline and target environments, focusing on business, information systems, and technology.
Business Scenarios: Documented scenarios that describe key business requirements, problems, and desired outcomes, supporting the architecture vision.
Stakeholder Map: A map of the stakeholders, their concerns, and their involvement in the project, which will guide future communication and decision-making.
Architecture Repository Updates: Ensure that all artifacts from this phase are stored and cataloged in the Architecture Repository.
By following these steps, the Architecture Vision provides a high-level strategic direction for the enterprise architecture initiative, setting the stage for the more detailed work that follows in subsequent phases. It ensures that the architecture efforts are aligned with business goals, address stakeholder concerns, and are grounded in a feasible and strategic plan.
9. Defining the Target Architecture Value Propositions and KPIs
The Target Architecture Value Propositions and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) serve to provide a clear business case for the architecture and outline how performance and success will be measured. This process ensures alignment between the architecture, business goals, and stakeholder needs while incorporating necessary metrics for tracking progress and performance.
Key Steps in Defining Target Architecture Value Propositions and KPIs
Develop the Business Case for the Architecture and Changes Required
Build a comprehensive business case for the target architecture, detailing the strategic alignment with business goals and objectives.
Identify the financial benefits (e.g., cost savings, revenue generation), operational improvements (e.g., process efficiencies), and technology advancements (e.g., improved scalability, reliability).
The business case should justify why the architecture and the changes are necessary and what business value they will generate.
Deliverable: A well-structured business case that clearly outlines the rationale for the architecture project.
Produce the Value Proposition for Each Stakeholder Grouping
Identify the specific value propositions for different stakeholder groups, ensuring that the architecture delivers tailored benefits to each group. This could include:
Business executives: Strategic alignment with goals, cost savings, and revenue growth.
IT teams: Better system interoperability, reduced complexity, or improved infrastructure.
Customers: Enhanced services, better user experiences, or faster response times.
For each stakeholder group, articulate the value the architecture will bring and how it will address their concerns or contribute to their objectives.
Deliverable: Detailed value propositions for each key stakeholder group.
Assess and Define Procurement Requirements
Determine the procurement needs for implementing the target architecture. This includes identifying the necessary technology, software, tools, services, or external vendors required to support the transition to the target state.
Assess whether procurement will be needed for hardware, cloud services, third-party applications, or professional services like consulting or system integration.
Deliverable: A procurement plan outlining required resources and services needed for the architecture implementation.
Review and Agree on Value Propositions with Sponsors and Stakeholders
Present the value propositions to the key sponsors and stakeholders for their review and feedback.
Engage in discussions to ensure that the value propositions resonate with each stakeholder group and that any concerns or objections are addressed.
Achieve consensus and agreement on the final value propositions to ensure commitment and alignment across all parties involved.
Deliverable: Approved and agreed-upon value propositions across stakeholder groups.
Define the Performance Metrics and Measures for Enterprise Architecture
Identify the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that will be used to measure the success and performance of the target architecture.
KPIs should be aligned with both business objectives and technology goals, and could include:
Financial metrics: Return on investment (ROI), cost reduction.
Operational metrics: Time to market, system uptime, process efficiency.
Technology metrics: System performance, scalability, and integration success.
Ensure that the KPIs are measurable and trackable so that the architecture's performance can be consistently monitored.
Deliverable: A set of well-defined KPIs that will be used to track and evaluate the architecture's performance.
Assess the Business Risk
Conduct a risk assessment to identify any potential risks associated with the target architecture and its implementation. This may include:
Financial risks: Budget overruns, unanticipated costs.
Operational risks: Disruption of services during migration, skills gaps.
Technology risks: Integration issues, system incompatibilities.
Document the risks and develop mitigation strategies to reduce their impact or likelihood.
Deliverable: A risk assessment report that outlines the risks and provides mitigation plans.
Incorporate Outputs into the Statement of Architecture Work
Ensure that all the outputs from the above activities—business case, value propositions, procurement requirements, KPIs, and risk assessments—are documented in the Statement of Architecture Work.
The Statement of Architecture Work serves as the guiding document to ensure the performance of the architecture project is monitored and tracked throughout the implementation.
Deliverable: An updated Statement of Architecture Work that includes the necessary performance tracking measures and governance guidelines.
Example Value Propositions and KPIs
Stakeholder Group
Value Proposition
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Business Executives
Increased revenue through digital transformation
ROI on digital initiatives, revenue growth rate
IT Teams
Reduced system complexity and improved interoperability
Time to deploy new services, system downtime reduction
Customers
Enhanced service experience and faster response times
Customer satisfaction score, response time reduction
Deliverables for Target Architecture Value Propositions and KPIs
Business Case: Justifies the need for the target architecture and outlines the benefits of the changes.
Stakeholder Value Propositions: Defines the value to be delivered to different stakeholder groups.
Procurement Plan: Details the technology and services needed for the implementation of the target architecture.
KPIs and Performance Metrics: A set of metrics to track the success and performance of the architecture against business objectives.
Risk Assessment: Identifies potential risks and outlines strategies to mitigate them.
Updated Statement of Architecture Work: Ensures that the value propositions, KPIs, and risk considerations are integrated into the architecture governance framework.
By defining the value propositions and establishing KPIs, the enterprise architecture effort is aligned with business goals, ensuring that performance can be tracked effectively and that the architecture delivers measurable value.
10. Identifying Business Transformation Risks and Mitigation Activities
When developing an Architecture Vision, it is crucial to identify and assess risks associated with the initiative, categorize them based on severity and likelihood, and establish appropriate mitigation strategies. This process helps ensure that the enterprise can effectively navigate potential challenges and optimize the value delivered through architectural changes.
Risk Identification and Assessment Process
Risk Identification
Conduct a thorough analysis of potential risks associated with the Architecture Vision. Risks can arise from various sources, including:
Technical: Integration challenges, technology obsolescence.
Operational: Changes to processes, impacts on service delivery.
Financial: Budget overruns, unanticipated costs.
Human: Skills gaps, resistance to change.
Regulatory: Compliance issues, data privacy concerns.
Risk Assessment
For each identified risk, evaluate:
Initial Level of Risk: Assess the risk prior to any mitigation efforts, categorizing it as:
Catastrophic: Severe impact on the organization, could threaten viability.
Critical: Significant impact on operations, high likelihood of occurrence.
Marginal: Moderate impact, may cause some disruptions.
Negligible: Minor impact, unlikely to affect overall operations.
Potential Frequency: Estimate how often the risk might occur (e.g., high, medium, low).
Document the Initial Level of Risk for each identified risk.
Risk Mitigation Strategies
Assign a mitigation strategy for each identified risk. Strategies may include:
Avoidance: Change plans to eliminate the risk.
Reduction: Implement measures to reduce the likelihood or impact of the risk.
Sharing: Transfer the risk to a third party (e.g., insurance).
Acceptance: Acknowledge the risk and prepare to manage its consequences if it occurs.
Residual Level of Risk
After implementing the mitigation strategies, assess the Residual Level of Risk, categorizing it similarly to the Initial Level of Risk.
Document both the Initial and Residual Levels of Risk for future reference and decision-making.
Example Risk Identification and Mitigation Activities
Risk Description
Initial Level of Risk
Potential Frequency
Mitigation Strategy
Residual Level of Risk
Integration challenges with legacy systems
Critical
Medium
Implement phased integration approach
Marginal
Skills gaps among development teams
Critical
High
Provide targeted training programs
Marginal
Budget overruns due to scope creep
Critical
Medium
Establish strict change control procedures
Marginal
Regulatory compliance issues
Catastrophic
Low
Engage legal advisors early in planning
Critical
Resistance to change from employees
Critical
Medium
Implement change management strategies
Marginal
Incorporating Risks and Mitigation Activities into the Statement of Architecture Work
Document the identified risks and their respective mitigation activities in the Statement of Architecture Work. This will provide stakeholders with clear visibility into potential challenges and the planned responses.
Ensure that the risk management framework aligns with the overall architecture governance framework, as described in the TOGAF Standard — ADM Techniques.
Regularly review and update the risk register as the architecture project progresses and new risks may emerge or existing risks may evolve.
By systematically identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks associated with the Architecture Vision, the enterprise can better prepare for potential challenges, minimize disruptions, and enhance the likelihood of successful implementation. This proactive approach is critical in ensuring that the architecture delivers the intended business value while managing risks effectively.
11. Developing the Statement of Architecture Work and Securing Approval
The Statement of Architecture Work (SoAW) is a critical document that outlines the planned architectural activities, deliverables, resources, and schedules for an architecture project. It serves as a foundation for securing approval and guiding the execution of the architecture cycle. Below are the key steps to develop the SoAW and obtain the necessary approvals.
Steps to Develop the Statement of Architecture Work
Assess Required Work Products
Review business performance requirements to identify the work products needed to meet these objectives.
Ensure that performance metrics are integrated into each work product to facilitate measurement and evaluation.
Identify Work Products for Change
Determine if any new work products are required based on the updated architectural goals.
Identify existing work products and building blocks that need modifications.
Coordinate activities related to changes in existing work products to avoid conflicts and ensure alignment.
Impact Analysis
Assess the impact of changes on other work products and their interdependencies.
Document the implications of these changes on the overall architecture development process.
Define Architecture Domains and Views
Based on the project’s purpose, focus, scope, and constraints, decide which architecture domains (Business, Data, Application, Technology) will be developed.
Determine the level of detail required for each domain and specify the architecture views that will be created to meet stakeholder needs.
Resource Requirements and Availability
Evaluate the resource requirements necessary to complete the work within the specified timeframe.
Ensure compliance with the organization’s planning methods to develop a comprehensive resource plan.
Roadmap and Schedule Development
Estimate the resources and time needed for each architectural activity.
Develop a roadmap that outlines the timeline for the proposed architecture development, including key milestones.
Document the roadmap and schedule in the SoAW.
Define Performance Metrics
Establish performance metrics that the Enterprise Architecture team must achieve during this ADM cycle.
These metrics should be measurable and aligned with the business performance objectives.
Develop Communication Plan
Create a detailed Enterprise Architecture Communications Plan that outlines how and when the architects will communicate progress to stakeholders.
Include specific strategies for engaging affinity groups and communities to foster collaboration and feedback.
Review and Secure Approval
Present the SoAW, including all plans and metrics, to project sponsors and stakeholders for review.
Address any concerns or feedback provided during the review process.
Secure formal approval of the SoAW through the appropriate governance procedures.
Gain Sponsor Sign-off
Obtain sign-off from the sponsors, which indicates their formal approval to proceed with the architecture development activities outlined in the SoAW.
Summary of the Statement of Architecture Work Content
The SoAW should include:
Purpose and Scope: Clear definitions of the objectives and boundaries of the architecture work.
Work Products: List of required work products, including new and existing items that need modification.
Impact Analysis: Summary of how changes affect existing work products and dependencies.
Architecture Domains and Views: Specification of which domains will be covered and at what level of detail.
Resource and Schedule Plan: Detailed resource requirements, availability, and a roadmap for implementation.
Performance Metrics: Defined metrics to measure the success of the architecture development cycle.
Communication Plan: Strategy for stakeholder engagement and communication.
Governance and Approval Process: Steps taken to secure approval from sponsors.
Once the Statement of Architecture Work is completed and approved, ensure it is communicated effectively to all stakeholders involved in the architecture initiative. This documentation will guide the architecture development process, provide clarity on expectations, and facilitate alignment among all participants.
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