What is an enterprise architecture planning?

Enterprise architecture planning (EAP) is how businesses establish how information technology and information systems will be employed to achieve their objectives. It is a hierarchical process that begins with an evaluation of the methods that the organization currently uses, how things could operate in the future, and the measures that you must take to put the changes in place that are necessary.

The Importance Of Enterprise Architecture Planning

This blueprint can assist a company to build a clear framework for the technology solutions, rules, and standards it will employ to align IT projects with its business objectives, according to the professional association Enterprise Architecture Center of Excellence (EACOE).

 The Pros And Cons of using Enterprise Architecture Planning

Enterprise architecture planning aims to improve the interaction between information, technology, and business objectives. It can translate abstract company strategy and goals into concrete processes and systems, resulting in several advantages.

Easier access to information

Today, every job needs access to some form of data to function correctly. Staff can access information when they need it, where they need it, and in the format, they need to execute their jobs well if their information architecture is adequate. This boosts productivity and the return on investment (ROI) of information technology expenditures.

Improved flexibility to respond to changing business requirements

Executives and managers cannot make timely, data-driven decisions if they do not have access to reliable information on a timely basis. Key decision-makers may swiftly assess the current status of the business and make strategic changes in response to challenges and opportunities as a result of the use of enterprise resource planning.

Increased productivity in the workplace

The development of an enterprise architecture clarifies how all information technology components inside a firm interact with one another.

This provides several efficiency advantages, including the following:

●     The ability to eliminate or replace inefficient solutions decreases costs and boosts productivity.

●     Allowing for the prioritization of vital or profitable systems for continued development, hence minimizing risk and improving revenues

However, despite its numerous advantages, business architecture planning can be a time-consuming and challenging process. Only 5 percent of EAP initiatives are successful, according to the book “Enterprise Architecture As Strategy.”

The following are the most frequently encountered difficulties:

 

It has been challenging to implement change because of a lack of organizational commitment and ownership.

A scarcity of human resources, hardware, software, and consulting services. An inflexible bureaucracy actively obstructs (rather than simply delays) the necessary improvements.

Communication breakdown

Communication breakdown between essential players within the company

Putting excessive emphasis on process rather than results might also provide difficulties. “Unfortunately, the contemporary practice of enterprise system architecture appears to be concerned with box-ticking implementations of best practice frameworks, processes, and toolsets,” argues Pallab Saha in the Handbook of Enterprise System Architecture in Practice.

It is far too familiar for enterprise architects to be more concerned with developing infinite documentation than they are with advancing the architecture.”

How To Use Enterprise Architecture Planning

The use of established procedures implements EAP. Some identified three leading methodologies for undertaking enterprise architectural planning, each described here.

The open group architecture framework is a framework for organizing available groups of people (TOGAF). This high-level framework for information technology management seeks to connect IT goals with business objectives. Its key objectives are as follows:

Creating a standard vocabulary for discussing technology is essential.

When it comes to preventing login, open standards are preferred over proprietary solutions.

Using resources efficiently allows you to save both time and money.

As a company manager, you should measure return on investment accurately and demonstrably.

Example for Enterprise Architecture Planning frameworks

The Zachman framework

The Zachman framework for enterprise architecture is a set of guidelines for designing enterprise architecture.

The easiest way to understand the Zachman framework is to compare it to an alternate framework. Unlike traditional systems development, which is organized around a series of steps, the Zachman framework is organized around six different points of view: the planner’s perspective (scope context): this describes the purpose of the business and the overall strategy at a high level; the planner’s perspective (scope context): this describes the purpose of the company and the comprehensive system at a high level; the planner’s perspective (scope context): this describes the purpose of the company and the overall system at a high level; the planner.’

The owner’s perspective (business concepts)

The designer’s perspective (system logic) is concerned with how the system will meet the organization’s information needs.

The implementers’ point of view (technology physics) is concerned with how a manager will build the system and what restrictions will be encountered.

Sub-view constructor

The sub-view constructor (also known as the component assembler’s view) depicts the implementation details of various system components.

The user’s view (operations classes) represents the system currently operating in its operational environment.

Each point of view is asked who, what, when, where, why, and how, resulting in a matrix of 36 categories. This method will reveal gaps, overlaps, and redundancies, which the framework seeks to eliminate.

The Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework (FEAF) is a framework developed by the United States government to assess the effectiveness of information technology in federal agencies and departments.

Standardizing the EAP method across government agencies allows them to evaluate resource utilization, uncover efficiency savings, and improve their services to their constituents and customers.

FEAF

FEAF is organized around six models that are interconnected:

In this case, the application reference model reveals standard solutions that a manager can share throughout agencies to benefit from economies of scale.

Business reference model: This model focuses on the goals of the company and the participation of the many agencies.

The data reference model examines what data is currently stored, how you can access it, and how you may use it most effectively.

The infrastructure reference model focuses on the network technology (such as servers) necessary to deliver systems to customers.

Performance reference model: This model assesses the influence of systems on achieving objectives.

 

Model for information security: A famous federal vocabulary for describing the security of a solution is “solution security.”

Even though these are the three most frequent strategies, others are targeted at specific sectors or products. Consider the European Space Agency (ESA), an architectural framework known as the European Space Agency Architectural Framework (ESAAF), and SAP, which uses the enterprise architecture framework.

Conclusion

Establishing a process for evaluating and procuring new technologies enables the organization to adopt new technologies (such as the cloud, IoT, machine learning, and artificial intelligence) before competitors, resulting in a competitive advantage.