Get the Business Engaged in Enterprise Architecture Processes

Get the Business Engaged in Enterprise Architecture Processes Keep the “E” in “EA. ” Info-Tech Research Group 1

Introduction Gain business engagement in your enterprise architecture (EA) processes to ensure that you keep the “E” in “EA. ” This Research Is Designed For: This Research Will Help You: üEnterprise architects and CIOs who want to üAssess which enterprise architecture create an EA function in the organization and need to plan business engagement in EA processes. üEnterprise architects and CIOs planning to engage the business in existing EA processes. üBusiness leaders considering participating in processes would benefit most from business engagement. üEngage the business in your EA processes so it can lend its authority and expertise. üCreate maximum value for the organization through enterprise architecture and trying to define their own role in the processes. For enterprise architecture to really fulfill its true potential, business engagement is an imperative, it's an absolute essential success factor. There could be some success without it, but much more muted than it could have been. - Pallab Saha, National University of Singapore Info-Tech Research Group 2

Executive Summary Situation • In many organizations, the EA function lacks business engagement and proceeds only with the assistance of IT. • However, active engagement of business leadership and staff in key EA processes drives much of the value of EA. Complication • Business leaders have their own methods for managing the business and do not perceive much value in the EA function. They see enterprise architecture as an IT intrusion into their own domain of expertise. • In many cases the task of sponsoring the EA function falls to IT, cementing the perception of EA as a methodology with a strong footing in IT. Resolution • Avoid an all-or-nothing approach to business engagement. Focus on those EA processes that will most benefit from engagement of the business. • Instead of alienating business leaders by proposing a new strategic business planning method, plug EA into the existing strategic planning process. Position EA as a tool that the business can use for improved decision making within the context of existing strategic planning processes. • Deal with special situations using Info-Tech’s recommended strategies. For example, adapt EA for an organization that has no formal business strategic planning exercise. Info-Tech Research Group 3

Headline / Subhead Vertical Spacing V 2 What is enterprise architecture and why is business engagement important? What’s in this Section: Sections: • • Explanation of EA Importance of Business Engagement Drivers of EA value Lay the Groundwork Business engagement as an enabler of EA value Business Engagement in Describe Current EA Planning your business engagement strategy Business Engagement in Design Target EA Business Engagement in Review Projects Special Scenarios Info-Tech Research Group 4

Enterprise architecture models are descriptions of the structure of an enterprise: where it is and where it needs to be Built in sequence Architecture domains are built in sequence. A weak design of the business architecture (BA) leads to inappropriate requirements for the lower level architectures, making it crucial to get the BA right. This solution set focuses on business engagement in the business architecture. Domains within EA Topics of interest Importance of business engagement Business architecture The sequential flow of activities in processes, and how events (such as the beginning of a fiscal quarter) trigger processes High: This architecture deals entirely with topics of interest to the business. Data architecture The data used in the organization and where it is stored, as well as which applications use which data Medium: The business has a stake in data usage and modeling. Application architecture The interfaces between applications, and when and how individuals or other applications use functionality Medium: The business has an interest in application interfaces. Technology architecture Hardware and software components that support the application architecture, and deployments of software code that combine to form applications Low: This architecture usually lies below the business’s interest. Info-Tech Research Group 5

The enterprise architecture methodology creates enterprise architecture models and uses them to govern the organization Enterprise architecture is a function within the organization, like a PMO or a VMO. Typically, an enterprise architect oversees these processes: EA process flow Iterate Describe the current state architecture Goal Document the current elements of the enterprise Design the target state architecture Define the vision for what the organization should look like • Creating diagrams and Typical models to show the current models to show the activities operation of the four organization should look, domain architectures. without redundant and unnecessary processes and systems. • Designing reusable components that the organization can leverage throughout the enterprise. Review project solutions Enforce the vision for the enterprise using governance • Reviewing solution architectures to ensure that IT projects conform to the target state architecture. • Reviewing changes to business processes to ensure alignment with the architectural vision. Info-Tech Research Group 6

The enterprise architecture methodology brings value to the organization through improved planning and design Enterprise architecture benefits Typical EA activities Elimination of unnecessary processes and systems Efficiency – reduced costs Effectiveness – improved outcomes Agility* – reduced time to deploy Eliminating redundancy reduces costs Eliminated redundancy results in consistency and better predictability Eliminating redundancy reduces complexity, reducing time to deploy new systems Reusable components reflect high standards of design, ensuring a high service quality The solution design stage is shorter when reusable components are used Creation of reusable components Review of project (solution) architectures Locating solutions within a broader architecture allows for more efficient use of resources across solutions Understanding the relationships between solutions allows for better-defined behavior of solutions *The Info-Tech survey defined agility as “speed with which the IT organization can roll out new services” and “speed with which the business can roll out new services. ” Info-Tech Research Group 7

Double your chances of EA success by building business engagement in EA processes Describe the current state architecture Importance of business engagement How to build business engagement Effect of engagement on success Design the target state architecture Review project solutions Business leaders or staff can expedite the documentation process and prevent the enterprise architect from having to sift through reams of documents. Business staff can find opportunities for business process improvement that an EA, CIO, or IT architect cannot. Business leaders will review the big picture. Business leaders will have to approve the overall governance structure for it to govern business process design. • Drive discussion sessions around current business concerns. • Keep the level of modeling depth appropriate to your audience. • Bring enterprise architecture to business strategic planning sessions. • Target the right people for the areas you need information about. • Tie models into existing strategic planning artifacts. • Promote EA governance through your executive advocate. % of EA initiatives that succeed 72% 69% 33% (Source: Info-Tech Research Group; N=43) 31% With business engagement in this process. . . Without business engagement in this process. . . Avoid an all-or-nothing approach to business engagement in enterprise architecture. Business engagement in each process brings measurable benefits, but also adds to its cost. Use the guidance in this storyboard to assess whether to seek business engagement in each of your EA processes. Info-Tech Research Group 8

Case Study: At a large Australian logistics company, business engagement in EA drives efficiency benefits of EA processes It is important to tie together the process analysis and the IT analysis. The EA’s role was to get everyone talking together. Business architects acted as a bridge in the middle of the design process. - Tom Graves, Principal Enterprise Architect, Tetradian Consulting Industry: Logistics Segment: Large enterprise Situation Action Lesson Learned • The Australian logistics company created an enterprise architecture initiative. • The initiative received approval from senior business executives, who enthusiastically participated in documentation of the current state and creation of a target state architecture. • The transformation team (which included enterprise architects and domain specialists) sought a way to disseminate the target state architecture among a wide business and technology audience. • The transformation team designed a target functional business model for the organization that described each business group’s contribution to the broader architecture. • Business leaders put the functional business model up on their office walls, and conformance to the model became an on-going criterion for project evaluation. • On the basis of the target architecture business leaders initiated several cost-saving projects, saving $10 M’s in costs. • Full business engagement in the EA initiative ensures that projects will conform to the architectural vision for the organization. • That vision embodies the goals of enterprise architecture, which include eliminating unnecessary complexity and trimming costs. • In this way, business engagement becomes a key enabler of EA benefits. Info-Tech Research Group 9

Overcome obstacles to building business engagement in enterprise architecture Getting the business engaged in enterprise architecture will present challenges, but ultimately allow you to reap rewards for your EA function. Obstacle Underlying cause How to overcome Business leaders view enterprise architecture as redundant Business leadership already has its own strategic planning tools, making the business architecture redundant to the existing business models. • Tie enterprise architecture into the existing business models. • Position EA as a methodology for expanding, not replacing, the existing planning tools. Business leaders see enterprise architecture as an IT initiative The models and methodology of EA are process - and documentation - heavy and seem to come from an IT perspective. • Emphasize the business benefits of enterprise architecture. • Get business leaders to sponsor the initiative. Business leaders balk at the time and cost estimates for EA EA is expensive and timeconsuming. • Share data showing the history of substantial efficiency, effectiveness, and agility benefits for organizations that use enterprise architecture. Info-Tech Research Group 10

Use Info-Tech’s Business Engagement in EA Strategy Tool to identify essential areas of business engagement Decide which of your enterprise architecture processes would experience a net benefit from business engagement. Use Info-Tech’s Business Engagement in EA Strategy Tool to plan your strategy for business engagement at the function approval stage and at three key enterprise architecture processes. • Use the tool at any point: prior to approval of the EA function or prior to entering one of the EA processes. • Follow the guidance for whether the benefit of business engagement justifies the cost for each of the major processes. • If it does, the tool will provide guidance for building engagement in that particular process. Info-Tech Research Group 11

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