Enterprise architecture is a key competency for most large organisations of the present day. This Pocket Guide describes the purpose, role and value of architecture in the enterprise, and the makeup and skillsets of the architecture team in different business contexts.
Enterprise architecture makes a vital contribution to the running of a large organisation. It was originally developed in order to manage a rapid growth in the cost and complexity of IT systems, using knowledge gained from software structure and design. For this reason, enterprise architecture is often thought of as a component of IT governance. However, the discipline has evolved and extended its scope. Enterprise architecture is now about structuring business capabilities and processes in order to support your long-term business strategy. Effective application of enterprise architecture will enable you to improve your productivity and performance.
This pocket guide offers you an invaluable introduction to this business-critical subject. It explains the function of enterprise architecture within the organisation, looks at the skills needed within the enterprise architecture team and provides an overview of the most common enterprise architecture frameworks. As the author emphasises, enterprise architecture is not about creating models and designs for their own sake, but about using these structures to serve the needs of the business.
Tom Graves has been an independent consultant in business transformation, enterprise architecture and knowledge management for almost three decades. His clients in Europe, Australia and the US cover a broad range of industries, including banking, utilities, logistics, engineering, media, telecoms, research, defence and government. He has a special interest in architecture for non-IT-centric enterprises, and integration between IT-based and non-IT-based service.