A Day in the Life of an Enterprise Architect

Daljit Roy Banger MSc FBCS

14th Nov 2016

Role Play Exercise

Part I

Context (10-15 Mins ) Architecture Roles / Responsibility

– Enterprise– Solution – Technical

Services Touch Points / Enterprise Architecture Control, Inform & Direct Engagement Model (Projects/Programmes) Interactions

Part II

The Role Play (45 Mins ) Setting the Scene The Task… ARB Discussion

Agenda

Part I - Context

Roles & Responsibility (EA)

• Strategic input into the technology roadmaps of the organisation – shape, form and stabilise

• Influence decision makers on technology investment – current & future• Provide systems consultancy, guidance and assurance to large Programmes• Review and assure Solution Designs produced both internally and by 3rd party

suppliers• Ensure that governance mechanisms such as review boards, principles, etc. are

maintained and supported• Police the standards through Project and Programme engagement• Represent the organisation with 3rd parties, for example Systems Integrators

and Standards bodies• Understand the impact of the introduction of new technology into the

technology landscape of the organisation.

Enterprise Architects maintain the organisational abstract view, with a primary objective to ensure that the technology landscape is aligned to the strategic, operational and tactical goals of the organisation.

Roles & Responsibility (SA&TA)Solution Architects work with/in Projects and Programmes to provide systems consultancy services, impact assessments, end-to-end designs, cost models..

Solution Architects work within the Projects and Programmes to deliver the following architectural services:

• Manage the ‘cradle to grave’ – from conception through to delivery into production of solution architectures

• Design both the physical and logical components of solution architectures that will deliver a positive business outcome

• Work with Project Managers to provide provisional costs for the components of the architecture

• Technical Analysis and Design capabilities• Business and technical requirements capture, when

required• Facilitate design workshops• Validate designs / costs produced by 3rd parties

wishing to sell systems to the organisation.

Technical Architects deliver the lower level of technical design, based on high-level component solution designs and costs provided by the Solution Architects.

Technical Architect work with projects and the BAU organisation to provide some of the following ;

•Delivering technical designs and standards and the associated approvals from the formal governance channels.•Understanding the technology estate and the encapsulated technology components of the organisation•Providing technical recommendations and options based on solution designs which can cost-effectively be realised in the production environment•Mitigating any technical risks that could occur through the introduction of new technology into the landscape of the organisation•Providing input into the appropriate innovation funnels for the analysis of new technology•Keeping abreast of technology trends, attending industry events to ensure product roadmaps are understood by the Solution and Enterprise Architects.•Ensuring that production acceptance for projects is delivered and managed.

• Enterprise Architects maintain a macro abstract organisational view, together with the understanding of the key business drivers and potential drivers for change and the effect that these drivers may have on the technology landscape of the organisation.

• Solution Architects maintain a macro project view and deliver an end-to-end architecture in which they outline the key components (physical and logical) necessary to design a solution that meets requirements.

• Technical Architects maintain a micro view of the technical components that will be deployed to realise the solution design and often act as the true ‘guardians’ of the technology estate.

Architectural Mindset

Services/Touchpoints of Enterprise Architecture

Part II - Role Play

– Our Business o We are a Swiss owned multi-national engine manufacturing company with plants in the US, Europe, China and

the Middle East. o Market entry into our core has high barriers to entry, however due to economies of scale and strong localised

brand we remain competitiveo We are asset rich, cash flow is affected by currency volatility.o We have a flat management structure in Middle East and China.o We have a large retail / distribution / sales(parts) networko We have a wide range of sales channels – Call Centres in Malaysia, India and Poland.o We have several contracts with the Large Integrators and providers o TCO of our Technology is 20% above the industry Average

– Our Technology • We operate a multitude of MES systems in the regions • We have centralised on ERP systems• In US and Europe our systems are Mainframe based System.• We have a global interconnected MPLS network • We currently host all of our own systems• System Lifecycle is in years not months

– Our People • Ageing IT Population Based in Europe / US• Outsourced Application Maintenance to Off shore (India/Malaysian) companies • Systems Poorly Documented • Skilled workforce in China / Middle East.

– Our Architectural Community • Geographically Dispersed Culturally diverse Community• No reference Architectures per domain• Solution Architects / Projects / technical Community Have the power• Agile methods adopted in Europe / China / US

Setting the Scene

The Issue…

The EA Team have set a direction for a new Oracle ERP (Linux) System across the globe which will be funded by the individual regions, if everyone is in agreement.

The non European Businesses feel that this cost will impact their trading figures for years and have asked the Solution Architects to propose an alternative , who have proposed an upgrade to the existing SAP Mainframe / Windows Systems

The Technical Architects have proposed a tactical switch i.e. moving the SAP Systems off host onto a Linux Platform as they feel the platform is more superior .

The Business Stakeholder wants to do nothing and ‘sweat the assets’

However a member of the Swiss Board has an associate who has offered to outsource everything (Platform as a Service) to China and manage everything up to the O/S except the applications, connections, security and operations.

Source : Unknown

Architectural Mindset Contd..

We will now Break into 4 Groups. These are ; Architectural Review Board Enterprise Architect Solution Architect Technical Architect

We will also have a Business Stakeholder (nominated individual)

The Task…

Each Group will spend 10 mins to decide on key points (from their viewpoint) that they wish to address with the other groups ( strengths / weaknesses) and then bring these to the ARB.

The ARB Group will spend the 10 mins to consider the ‘criteria for evaluation’

All parties will present to the ARB. At the end of the presentation – we will discuss/evaluate the role that a EA must play in his/her daily life to ensure that certain situations are avoided …(Political, Technical , Funding)

Bespoke notes for the ARB Group

Enterprise View

Project / SolutionView

Technical View

3 conflicting view points presented to the board

Architectural ReviewBoard

Architectural ReviewBoard

Single ‘Agreed’ unified view point presented

Business Case tech debt management ?

ReuseInnovation

Project impact

do ability

Exercise Expected Outcome……

Website : www.s-ea-t.com (Tools, Papers Downloads)Blog : https://dalbanger.wordpress.com/ Email : dal@s-ea-t.com

Thank You