1. Implementation Methodology How to Establish, Maintain and Use an Enterprise Architecture Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

2. Introduction Implementing an EA is a project –Often a substantial project requiring project management skills An EA framework suggests what sort of documentation that the project will produce The methodology is the process of how to approach the project Here we look at the methodology Some things mentioned here will later get their own presentation Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

3. Four phases Establishing the Project Select the Framework and Tools Generate the Documentation Maintain and Use These four phases have 20 steps spread across them Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

4. Phase I - Establishment Before any documentation can be made the game plan is set The chief officer in charge of the EA is sometimes known as the executive sponsor –In FEA this is the CIO, but may be anyone from senior management – usually a VP or above This executive must be able to provide resources to the project Typically the project is started by the executive Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

5. Phase I – Step 1 The establishment starts with the executive officer The chief architect is hired or found to lead the program The chief architect then forms a team Team contains other enterprise architects and representatives of the various stakeholders Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

6. Phase I – Step 2 The team agrees upon a methodology This one may be used as is or with modifications There are many others as well These are the ground rules on which the project is based –They need to be agree upon in advance Once agree upon the team needs to hold to the rules Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

7. Phase I – Step 3 Establish EA governance Typically done by the executive officer and the chief architect Connect with other management processes: Workforce planning Capital planning Strategic planning Security Project management This is one reason the executive has to be relatively senior Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

8. Phase I – Step 4 Devise the communication plan and then sell it –The selling is to get all the stakeholders to be informed and thus approve the process –This is easier done if they feel like they are being kept in the loop Propose a schedule for Phase II through IV activities Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

9. Communication Plan A written document that details the implementation plan Should avoid any kind of technical jargon –Must be easily understood by all stakeholders Includes: –Why this EA project is important –How it will positively impact the enterprise Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

10. Audience Participation What is Phase I all about? Who should the executive officer be? –What characteristics should this person have? What sort of duties does the chief architect have? What is the relationship between the officer and architect? Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

11. Phase II The methodology was chosen in Phase I, now we get everything else ready for the building of the architecture –Not yet making the artifacts, but getting ready to do so An artifact is any form that documents an aspect of the EA Text document Diagram Spreadsheet Anything else used to record the enterprise Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

12. Recall EA 3 Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

13. Recall Again Front face is abstractions goals and initiatives at the highest level and network and infrastructure at the lowest Top face illustrates segments which are slices relevant to individual lines of business Right face are the components –Horizontal components are enterprise wide Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

14. Phase II – Step 5 Choose the framework for the documentation Done by the chief architect in consultation with the EA team –Any framework may be used but the textbook recommends EA 3 –Could also be done with choice of methodology in step 2 This and next step are where scoping issues are determined –Choose the range of abstraction Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

15. Phase II – Step 6 Choose which lines of business will be considered These LOBs may be recognized as separate by the enterprise or established by this EA –Businesses are more often organized more by history than by logic The LOBs are also prioritized for completion here Horizontal or cross-cutting components may be done here for future use Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

16. Horizontal Again Horizontal or cross-cutting components should be similar or identical throughout the enterprise –Email is an example component –An enterprise with multiple emails is needing fixing Once this done in one segment it is usually done for all segments –Even those not yet described Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

17. Phase II – Step 7 Choose the rest of the components that are used in this line of business –Those that are not horizontal The intersection of the abstraction level and the line of business level produces potentially unique components that need to be documented –At the top level we record initiatives that affect this LOB –At the bottom level we might have a map of network nodes Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

18. Phase II – Step 8 How are we to document those things chosen in the last two steps? –There are two sub-questions How is the information gathered? –Interviews, referencing existing documents What is the form of the artifact? –Text, diagram, etc. –These need to be accessible and understandable to the stakeholders who will use them Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

19. Phase II – Step 9 Choose tools and software Those who gather the information need tools to create the documents In general the MS Office suite is not adequate –These capabilities are required but many beyond as well Many of these are not just text –If we determine that UML diagram is needed we need a tool that makes it easy to generate and store the diagram Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

20. Phase II – Step 10 Choose the form of the online repository Easy to access by any stakeholder –Perhaps only the team may modify This includes software and a database of sorts There are specialized tools for this but they are not always necessary Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

21. Audience Participation What is Phase II all about? What is an artifact? What risk factors are in this process? Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

22. Phase III The system for recording the information is now established We have determined: –What do document –How to document –Who will do the work What remains is the hard work of gathering and recording this information Unleash the architects! Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

23. Phase III – Step 11 Gather existing documents Each needs to be analyzed Each needs to classified into the framework This is conducting an exhaustive survey of all existing business documentation Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

24. Phase III – Step 12 Create the remaining artifacts After step 11 there will be plenty of holes in the framework –We fill these now This is done with interviews among other ways Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

25. Phase III – Step 13 Consider several future directions that are possible for the enterprise –These deal with external environment Scenarios to consider –Little changes in the current environment: emphasize efficiency –A very good possible future environment: exploit opportunities –A very bad possible environment: survival These scenarios need to be realistic and possible Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

26. Audience participation What kind of things should we try to anticipate in this step? Lets consider higher education What are the candidates for shaking up VCSU? –What technologies? –What economic changes? Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

27. Phase III – Step 14 For each scenario in step 13 consider how this would pressure the enterprise What changes in this environment would be important to the organization? The stakeholders will need to react to these Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

28. Phase III – Step 15 Create a future EA from the scenarios and reactions recorded in last two steps Consider two time frames –1-2 years out –3-5 years out We should have input from both upper and middle to lower management Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

29. Phase III – Step 16 Create a management plan We know where we are We have a guess as to where we want to go How do we get there? Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

30. Audience Participation What is Phase III all about? How do we classify business documents? Is there a possibility that a document exists but is not being acted upon? How do we find out about the business processes? Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

31. Phase IV Maintenance is important If we are to make money in this project, this is where it will happen It would be criminal negligence to spend all this money to create the EA and then only use it for a short time If it is not maintained it will fall out of sync with reality –Become worthless Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

32. Audience Participation It has been said: It is harder to obtain than maintain. What factors make this true? In what areas is this not true? Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

33. Phase IV – Step 17 Use the repository for planning –This is a function not vested in the EA team –Must be throughout the enterprise for which an EA exists The characteristics of the repository are now important –The relevant facts should be immediately available –Such as called up in a meeting Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

34. Audience Participation Why is buy-in crucial? What can be done if the repository is not used? –How would this be detected? Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

35. Phase IV – Step 18 Updating Both the current and future architectures are moving targets They need to be regularly updated so they stay current The enterprise that is not changing has usually ceased operation –Or soon will Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

36. Audience Participation The people interviewed in creating the EA have other things to do. How is the EA kept current without causing the EA team to be a pest? How can the EA be kept up to date? Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

37. Phase IV – Step 19 Maintaining and improving tools Most of the tools will have licenses to be kept current Upgrading the tools to newer versions –Different and better products may also appear These costs need to be part of the annual budget Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

38. Phase IV – Step 20 Annual updates There is a reporting function administered by the chief architect All the stakeholders need to be kept informed by these reports The project needs to be sold –Many managers will see this team as profitless overhead Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill

39. Audience Participation What is Phase IV all about? What are the costs associated with an EA? What characteristics of the executive officer are now visibly important? Copyright © 2013 Curt Hill