Understanding Enterprise Wide Architecture Strategy

Source – Public Domain, 1999

CTOs who may remember the comfortable days monolithic computing environments may wish time had stopped with mainframe timesharing. The advent of client/server technology saw an end to the simple world of single platforms and contemporary web-enabled solutions has added an even more frightening set of possibilities and variations. CTOs are now faced with a multitude of systems on different platforms, competing standards, and a savvy end-user community that expects seamless integration. A decade or so ago, a well-planned Technical Architecture document was sufficient, but these days, a sophisticated framework for integrating the technical components within the larger enterprise architecture is required. The Enterprise Wide Architecture Strategy, or EWAS, is one of the popular names for the approach.

Foundation EWAS

At its basic level, an EWAS is a technical specification based upon open systems and standards, client/server technology, interoperability, and re-usable components. It allows critical processes to be re-engineered and the constituent systems still complement each other, maintaining the integrity of the overall architecture. A solid EWAS ensures that a consistent approach is taken throughout the evolution of the enterprise technology and a harmonious environment is perpetuated. For the typical contents of an EWAS-based architecture plan for Client/Server, sample the Technical Architecture template of the Client/Server deliverable set at www.it-project-templates.com.

Evolved EWAS

Contemporary EWAS models take the concept of a basic technology architecture one step further. The technology is viewed as just one of many critical components forming the overall enterprise framework. The other components either interface with, or are supported by the technology component. A good example of an enterprise architecture framework is the Zachman Framework, developed by John A. Zachman, a noted strategist and author on information planning. The Zachman framework defines a grid of roles such as Planner, Owner, Designer, and Builder, which intersect with enterprise entities such as Data, Function, and Network. The constituent components are placed in the grid showing their relationship to other components and to the enterprise as a whole. The Zachman Framework is one of many EWAS models which support a broad ‘landscape’ view of the enterprise assets and how they must integrate. For a representation of the Zachman Framework grid, sample the EWAS Model template of the Client/Server deliverable set at www.it-project-templates.com.

Implementing EWAS

The implementation of a comprehensive EWAS is typically phased in over several years, but results can be obtained quickly. By current industry standards, the implementation strategy is a 3-4 month process, and the initial implementation usually involves a medium to large scale project of about a year’s duration.

Implementing the EWAS involves three major phases:

· Phase 1, Enterprise Business Analysis and Modeling. This involves intensive ‘discovery’ workshops with Business Unit and Executive stakeholders to model the “as is” and “to be” organization and identify mission-critical business processes. Candidates for process re-engineering are identified.

· Phase 2, Architecture Strategy Development. This phase maps the enterprise requirements against emerging trends, standards, and architectures in order to develop the architectural principles and foundations that will take the organization forward.

· Phase 3, Implementation Strategy. This is basically a milestone planning phase and involves working closely with the stakeholders identified in the enterprise framework.

After the EWAS is developed, a path-finder project is initiated to establish a prototype of the re-engineered processes. The path-finder project should be selected based on the confidence level of its sponsors to deliver quick, pragmatic results.