Enterprise Architecture supports the business by providing the fundamental technology and process to enable an Information Technology strategy. This in turn makes Information Technology a responsive asset for a successful modern business strategy
Hornford Associates recommends the Open Group's Architecture Framework (TOGAF 8) as the basis of Enterprise Architecture. The key to TOGAF is its Architecture Development Method (ADM) - a reliable, proven method for developing an IT enterprise architecture that meets the needs of your business. ADM is the path to create an Enterprise Architecture.
The three business benefits of Enterprise Architecture are:
- Agility
- Generating Business Value
- Speed of Technology Introduction
Agility and speed are commonly confused. The former refers to business agility the latter to technological agility. Increased business agility is the ability to respond to new business needs market changes, organizational changes, acquisition and divestiture. Speed of technology introduction is the ability to change components of the IT infrastructure to take advantage of new, or simply different, technology to meet existing business needs. To use an example from the aircraft industry:
- business agility would be the ability to meet the surprising growth of air–cargo with an existing aircraft model. Configuration change is required to meet the business need, not a complete redesign.
- Speed of technology introduction would be the introduction of new navigation systems to replace older technology navigation systems. Same function, new technology.
Increasing business value comes primarily from flexibility and efficiency (in essence supporting the top line and squeezing the middle lines). Flexibility has elements of Agility (i.e. faster reaction to business change minimized cost and maximized exploitation of a change), but is primarily delivered by choice. Choice in operational model (outsource/insource), components, and approach (build/buy). Choice delivers the most value when the implications of choice are understood and can be assessed. Efficiency primarily comes from the lower cost to operate and implement a less complex infrastructure. Improvements in Agility enhance, or enable, the top line. Generating business value and speed of technological introduction are focused on squeezing the middle lines. Both paths enhance the bottom line, generating business value.
Solution Architecture is a sub-set of Enterprise Architecture. It focuses on solving, or meeting, a discrete business need. Solution Architecture provides an organization a structured approach that breaks a "solution" into components. These components can be re-used from other parts of the infrastructure, as well as have a solution-independent lifecycle.
Solution functionality is cleanly defined and mapped to both business need and supporting component. This supports design work and operational activity to meet service levels, and provides the basis for future upgrade & enhancement.
The US Department of Commerce has developed an IT Architecture Capability Maturity Model. We recommend using it as a starting point. We expect to have our Enterprise Architecture Maturity Model completed by mid-September. We will forward a copy of our model to everyone who downloads the Department of Commerce Maturity model.
Hornford Association has joined the Open Group Architecture Forum and adopted the Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF 8) for all our architecture work. (Click here for the TOGAF FAQ). The key decision in the selection of TOGAF 8 was the replicable process TOGAF provides in ADM.
See Jaap Schekkerman's Comparative Survey of Enterprise Architecture Frameworks to see where TOGAF fits in. As Jaap mentions the key strength of TOGAF is ADM - the path to create an Enterprise Architecture.
