Question

As the Project Architect of an IT firm (Pinewood Technologies) going through internal re-organization, how would you use the EA3 Framework to organize IT resource planning and documentation activities?

Answer 1

Answer:-

EA documentation includes ‘threads’ of common activity that are present in all levels of the framework. These threads include IT-related security, standards, and skill considerations.

• Security. Security is most effective when it is an integral part of the EA management program and documentation methodology. A comprehensive IT Security Program has several focal areas including: information, personnel, operations, and facilities. To be effective, IT security must work across all levels of the EA framework and within all of the EA components. Chapter 11 provides more information on security.
• Standards. One of the most important functions of the EA is that it provides technology-related standards at all levels of the EA framework. The EA should draw on accepted international, national, and industry standards in order to promote the use of non-proprietary solutions in EA components. This in turn enhances the integration of EA components, as well as better supporting the switch-out of components when needed.
• Skills. Perhaps the greatest resource that an enterprise has is people. It is therefore important to ensure that staffing, skill, and training requirements are identified for LOB and support service activities at each level of the EA framework, and appropriate solutions are reflected in the current and future architectures.

Reference Architecture / Segment Architecture

A reference architecture is the part of an EA that provides standards and documentation for a particular type of capability throughout the enterprise – such as mobile services or cloud computing. A segment architecture is somewhat similar, but usually focuses one or more particular business units or functions – such as the finance and accounting group, or how a financial ERP system and all of its modules are going to be implemented (general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, benefits, etc.).

Fitting the Architecture Elements Together

While the basic elements of EA analysis and design provide holistic and detailed descriptions of the current and future architecture in all areas of the underlying framework, it is important to also be able to articulate these relationships in discussions and presentations with executives, managers, support staff, and other EA stakeholders. Being able to understand and relate how the architecture fits together is essential to being able to use the EA in planning and decision-making throughout the enterprise. This communication is supported through two EA program resources: the EA Management Plan and the EA Repository. As was mentioned in the previous section, the EA Management Plan is a living document that is periodically updated so that it remains relevant as the ongoing primary reference for describing where the current and future architectures are at. The EA Repository is the on-line archive for EA information and the documentation artifacts that are described in the EA Management Plan. The EA Repository is described in the next section of this chapter.

The following is an example of how to communicate about EA with stakeholders. In this example, some questions are presented about how to apply an EA framework to an enterprise, which subsequent chapters of the book answer. These are the types of questions that should be answered in the first few sessions of EA program and documentation meetings in order to promote an understanding of how the EA framework and documentation can reflect the enterprise. In the following example of how to talk about EA, the five levels and three vertical threads of the EA3 Cube framework are used for illustration. Notice how the questions build in a way that reflects the hierarchical relationships between the levels of the EA Framework.

Each area of the EA Framework represents a functional area of the enterprise. The EA3 Framework can be used in a top-down, bottomup, or single-component manner. To begin to use the framework in a top down-manner, a series of questions at each level should be asked in order to determine how information about the enterprise will fit within that level of the framework.

The first questions to ask relate to the strategic ’Goals and Initiatives’ level of the framework. The questions are: (1) for what purpose does the enterprise generally exist (usually expressed in the mission statement) and (2) what kind of organization does the enterprise generally intend to be (often given in the vision statement)? What are the primary goals (strategic goals) of the enterprise? What then are the strategic initiatives (ongoing programs or new projects) that will enable the enterprise to achieve those goals? Finally, for this level, when will the enterprise know that it has successfully reached these strategic goals or is making progress toward these goals (outcome measures)?

Second is the business ‘Products and Services’ level of the framework, and it is important to first ask what are the ongoing activity areas (lines of business) that the enterprise must engage in to support and enable the accomplishment of both strategic initiatives and normal ‘maintenance/housekeeping’ functions? What then are the specific activities in each line of business (business services)? What are the products that are delivered in each line of business? How do we measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the line of business processes (input/output measures) as well as their contribution to strategic goals (outcome measures)? Do any of these business services or manufacturing processes need to be reengineered/improved before they are made to be part of the future architecture? What are the workforce, standards, and security issues at this framework level?

Third is the ‘Data and Information’ level of the framework. When the lines of business and specific business service/products have been identified, it is important to ask what are the flows of information that will be required within and between activity areas in order to make them successful? How can these flows of information be harmonized, standardized, and protected to promote sharing that is efficient, accurate, and secure? How will the data underlying the information flows be formatted, generated, shared, and stored? How will the data become useable information and knowledge?

Fourth is the ‘Systems and Applications’ level of the framework and it is important to ask which IT and other business systems and applications will be needed to generate, share, and store the data, information, and knowledge that the business services need? How can multiple types of IT systems, services, applications, databases, and web sites be made to work together where needed? How can configuration management help to create a cost-effective and operationally efficient ‘Common Operating Environment’ for systems and applications? What are the workforce, standards, and security issues at this level?

Fifth is the ‘Network and Infrastructure’ level of the framework and it is important to ask what types of voice, data, and video networks or computing clouds will be required to host the IT systems/applications and to transport associate, data, images, and conversations, as well as what type of infrastructure is needed to support the networks (e.g. buildings, server rooms, other equipment). How can these networks be integrated to create a costeffective and operationally efficient hosting and transport environment? Will these networks and clouds extend beyond the enterprise? What are the workforce, standards, and security issues at this level? What are the physical space and utility support requirements for these infrastructure resources?