How to Use Enterprise Architecture to help Driving Digital Transformation

Enterprise Architecture Drives Digital Transformation

TOGAF, Zachman, SBSA are some enterprise architecture frameworks at your disposal. Each has its use and advantage. For example, TOGAF is excellent for visualizing the enterprise implementation and governance, and Zachman describes more explicit relationships between management rules in a system with a structured way of viewing. No matter which enterprise framework you choose to use, the EA framework helps us to view and analyze our business domain or segment. You should think of these EA frameworks as thinking tools, guidelines, a way of standardizing the language of the business domain across your enterprise organization. Each framework always has these three components: Content, Process, and Organization. Content includes documents, artifacts, ways of explaining the process that we are interested in. The process describes the interactions and behaviors among business components. The organization helps us to visualize the business component so we can understand the role of each business component better. All organizations are continually adjusting their business strategies and implementations. The EA frameworks are blueprints that help us document the steps to achieve our goals. They are not static but continuously update and analyze by comparing our baseline to target implementation. There always a gap analysis so we can establish a strategy to move forward. There may be an overseeing of strategic migration. As a result, without an EA, it is impossible to keep track of the activities in the enterprise business.

There is a paradox in using the EA because it could get complicated, and the Enterprise Architect could become too obsessed with the architecture design without considering the actual business activities. Another thing that needs to watch for is that we should not blindly follow a specific framework at its rules and phases. We should treat these EA frameworks as guidelines and tools. For example, in the TOGAF framework, there are 10 inter-related architecture development phases in the Architecture Development Method (ADM). We should use the phases that we think it’s applicable, and the scope of each iteration should be tailored to suit the context. The framework should adapt our needs and not the other way around. We should be able to customize the framework that aligns with our unique business. Failed to recognize this problem could lead to other issues like abandon of the use of EA frameworks or misuse of the EA that leads to failed business strategic implementation.

The wave of digital transformation hits every corner of the business landscape, and once again, the Enterprise Architecture becomes relevant again. The TOGAF frameworks are upgraded continuously throughout time to adapt to the ever-changing business landscape. The latest change was in 2018, with a version of 9.2. Regardless of versioning, the EA also describes how people or especially each business unit to work together. In the early days, before the digital transformation age, companies were quite a success in operating in functional and departmental silos because it was a good practice of separation of concerns. However, as we enter the full-blown digital age, the unified and consistency in business activities is crucial in bringing business value because maximizing efficiency has become an undeniable factor to succeed in driving the digital transformation.

Remember that an EA is a dynamic blueprint that allows you to analyze the gap between each phase of construction regularly. It acts as a reference and a plan for the next phase. It also shows how well is your progress on overall transformation. The EA serves as a tangible and visual aid so you can focus on how to bridge the gaps between business units and the changes happening around it, and the people it’s meant to serve. A success transformation requires you to implement changes in distinctive phases, such as bridging the gap in technologies or management, leveraging new solutions and resources, and building an innovation environment. As a result, enterprise architecture is essential to turn your company into one that thrives in a digital landscape.