A simplified enterprise architecture maturity assessment model based upon a roadmap that migrates from "as-is" to "to-be" environment. Decision making at each step along the way is facilitated by understanding the risks and rewards of the options presented at that step.
The demands on technology are growing and ever more challenging. In part, this has happened because of the following trends in business requirements:
- Mobile workforce: support an anytime, anywhere workforce
- New Business Models: provision 24x7, real time systms and services
- Provide support for distributed systems across geographically dispersed locations and users
- Enable agile and Flexible business capability
- Reduce information technology cycles in line with ever shorter business cycles
The result? An expanding portfolio of ever more complex business information systems built on top of massively complex infrastructure; both requiring real time support. The IT Organization faces a seemingly insurmountable problem of provisioning and governance.
Fortunately, enterprise architecture offers an effective and efficient solution. Organizations, especially larger ones, are increasingly relying on EA to help them manage this challenge - align the moving parts and pieces of the technology ecosystem with both strategic and tactical goals and priorities of the business; maximize return on IT investments by delivering ever more capability at an even lower cost.
The problem? It is hard to quantify enterprise architecture's return on investment. Like any other internal "support" function, EA does not easily lend itself to the typical ROI paradigm. Compounding this problem is the "spend" on enterprise architecture which can be huge for an organization of even a reasonable size. In effect, one is spending large sums of money without any idea if it is having an impact. Or, so it would seem.
When the times are good, there is little challenge to any spending. However, in times of scarcity, challenges emerge and stay long enough to derail even the most robust of EA programs. CIOs can choose to shutter their EA programs which is not a helpful choice. Or, you can justify its cost; a better choice.
In the absence of hard ROI numbers an enterprise architecture maturity assessment can demonstrate both quality and progress.
- How are we doing in our EA program? Is the program meeting objectives?
- Are we making progress?
- Is the program following industry best practices?
- Is EA helping the business meet its goals?
- How does our EA program and its outcomes compare to industry peers?
- Are there opportunities for improvement?
This paper presents an approach to answer these questions. It provides a quick overview of enterprise architecture and its purpose, discusses current EA maturity assessment practices, and presents a best practices based approach to assess the maturity of an enterprise architecture. CIOs can use this approach to create and communicate the value of an enterprise architecture.
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