Where should the Chief Enterprise Architect sit within the organization? The two most common places where you will find Enterprise Architecture is either reporting into the CIO or into one of the direct reports to the CIO – like the head of application development. In the data from the Enterprise Architecture Survey with more than […]
What is the right reporting level for Enterprise Architecture? Read More »
The measure of intelligence is the ability to changeAlbert Einstein Our desire to change is one of the most important drivers of human development. It is also an important driver of business success: in order to grow and to improve a company we have to change and we have to transform one thing into another.
Why you have to transform yourself to transform your architecture Read More »
There is a very simple textbook process on how a strategic decision becomes reality: In reality this is what one might get as a high-level strategy definition: Our strategy is to develop new innovative products across all regions so that we excite our customers with new experiences at a low cost point. While this sounds
How to make good decisions in strategy and architecture Read More »
How much time should you spend talking to “management” as an architect? Some would argue that it is a waste of time – others see is as the silver bullet to solve all problems. Let’s take a look at the Enterprise Architects that filled out the EA survey. Around one third of them says that
How much should you talk to your CXO? Read More »
McKinsey developed the ten timeless tests for strategy (Chris Bradley et al., 2011). In the following I will not go into the business-related question as this is very well described in the article above. I will rather focus on the architecture-specific viewpoint and how we can use these tests to challenge a business strategy and
An Enterprise Architecture Checklist to Challenge Business Strategy Read More »
Enterprise Architecture is often about tackling intricate problems. Unfortunately, many people get too excited about potential solutions and rush into implementation without fully understanding the problem itself. The Peril of Premature Solutions: Before diving into solutions like “updating the ERP system,” “implementing blockchain,” or “creating a 360-degree customer view,” it’s crucial to ensure they truly
Are you working on the right problem? Read More »
In the realm of business strategy, the concept of a sales funnel is well-known. To sell a product, you need to guide potential customers through stages of awareness, interest, desire, and ultimately, purchase. Enterprise Architecture (EA) faces a similar challenge. We’re not selling cars, but rather, a vision of a more efficient, resilient, and innovative
The Invisible Architect: Why Enterprise Architecture Struggles to Make an Impact Read More »
In the post from last week I shared some thoughts on business capabilities and why they are important. Let’s discuss about how to use them. Before talking about how to use them here is my definition of a business capability: Business capabilities are atomic elements that in different combinations can deliver all the business processes
Business Capabilities: Office decoration or action plan? Read More »
As this is a topic of much debate in theory and practice I would like to emphasize the rational why something like business capabilities is necessary for most enterprise architecture setting: Grouping In Enterprise Architecture a key decision to make is to group resources together. These resources could be Labeling We need labels that signal
Why you need granular business capabilities despite having business processes Read More »
In the previous post, we explored the idea of increasing the number of architects to improve architectural outcomes. The data suggests that this approach is often counterproductive. Many might then assume that simply throwing more money at the problem is the solution. However, our research indicates that financial incentives, while important, are not the primary
Can You Buy a Good Architect? It’s More Than Just a Salary Read More »