Information Technology Reference
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be the key to wringing out return on investment
from stingy enterprise architecture initiatives.
increments. Enterprise architecture means
to design or architect, so you do not need an
army of builders.
Manage like a well run project:
Apply
project management principles to enterprise
architecture. Devise work breakdown struc-
tures, activity network diagrams, and cost
and resource estimates. Use earned value
management, quality management, and return
on investment track your progress. Do not
treat enterprise architecture like an endless
journey.
Apply top down systems analysis:
Stick to
the business of developing enterprise architec-
ture models. Remember what is in scope and
out of scope. Enterprise architecture assumes
an organization's strategic plan already exists.
Enterprise architecture is about determining
information technology needs, not imple-
menting the infrastructure itself.
Create style guides and standards:
Establish
crystal clear style guides and standards for
enterprise architecture models very early.
Consistency is of the utmost importance in
enterprise architecture, especially on large
projects. The goal is not to produce non-
sensical models, but aesthetically pleasing
models people can actually read, use, and
understand.
Think outside-of-the-box for tools:
Try to
identify a short list of best-in-class tools for
enterprise architecture. It is best to choose a
tool that does a few models really well, rather
than one that does many models very poorly.
Do not discard the notion of using separate
tools for each model, especially for complex
enterprises. There are too many mediocre
tools in use.
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prinCiples For suCCessFul
enterprise arChiteCture
Here are a few tips, tricks, and techniques for suc-
ceeding with enterprise architecture. They apply
to enterprise architecture initiatives of all sizes,
but have special meaning for large ones. The gist
of the matter is to have a clear understanding of
what one is trying to achieve. That is, what ben-
efits does one expect? Some organizations may
be doing enterprise architecture just to comply
with government regulations. These principles
apply whether the organization is trying to gain
a competitive advantage, reign in information
technology, or fulfilling an obligation.
•
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Form a clear vision and stick to it:
It is
important to have a clear vision of how to
approach enterprise architecture. Survey the
field of world class enterprise architecture
initiatives, see the results for yourself, and
use that as a basis to form your vision. The
worst thing you can do is embark on a long
and arduous enterprise architecture initiative
without a clear vision.
Define early measurable objectives:
Deter-
mine highly measurable goals and objectives
before starting enterprise architecture. Set
measurable targets for operating efficiency,
cost reductions, staff reductions, customer sat-
isfaction, computing budgets, and economic
growth. Enterprise architecture without
measurable goals and objectives is a death
march.
Think small, fast, and lean:
Whatever your
scope, size, and objectives, think small, fast,
and lean. Keep your scope well defined, use
small teams of highly experienced experts,
and set out to complete the enterprise ar-
chitecture in small, frequent, and near term
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Encroaching upon the task of strategic plan-
ning or information technology implementation
is a common error. But, all is not well even for
those who stay within the bounds of enterprise
architecture. Oftentimes, the organization's
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