approach to it strategy and architecture
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Approach to IT Strategy and Architecture
Alan McSweeney
April 9, 2023 2
The Adaptive Enterprise
Business and IT synchronised to capitalise on change
Business
Information Technology
Business benefits: simplicity, agility, value
April 9, 2023 3
Learn to love what you’ve been taught to fear…
Change is constant• Everyday events send ripples throughout
the organisation, and the IT that supports it.
Change is unexpected• A merger, new market opportunity, sudden
shift in competitive landscape, new partner.
Change is disruptive• The goal is to minimise the impact of
disruptions with an IT environment that is synchronised with the business.
Change presents opportunities• The ability to adapt to change is a key
advantage in business. To survive, compete and win, enterprises must adapt.
April 9, 2023 4
Darwin Reference Architecture
Business strategy
Business processes
Applications
Management
Infrastructure
• Brings standardisation to the entire IT environment
• Eliminates vertical islands
• Embraces heterogeneity and legacy IT environments
• Uses automation to scale and reduce complexity
• Virtualises all IT assets
• Helps convert fixed costs to variable costs
April 9, 2023 5
Integration
Simplification
Standardisation
Modularity
+
+
+
Applied consistently across:• Business
processes
• Applications
• Infrastructure
Adaptive Enterprise Design Principles
• Reduce number of elements• Eliminate customisation• Automate change
• Use standard technologies and interfaces• Adopt common architectures• Implement standard processes
• Break down monolithic structures
• Create reusable components • Implement logical architectures
• Link business and IT • Connect applications and business
processes within & outside the enterprise
April 9, 2023 6
How Do We Define Solution Architecture?
• Benefits−Aligns business and information contexts with
architectural decisions−Ensures the solution that is built matches requirements,
and will evolve with changing business needs−Provides a complete, clearly-scoped solution
Solution architecture is the essential, unifying concept of an information system
and its effective deployment into an operational environment to solve a key business problem.
April 9, 2023 7
CIO Balancing Act
Mitigate risk:• Ensure security and
continuity of internal business operations, while minimising exposure to external risk factors
Maximise return:• Improve business results;
grow revenue and earnings, cash flow, and reduced cost of operations
Improve performance:• Improve business
operations performance end-to-end across the enterprise
• Increase customer and employee satisfaction
Increase agility:• Enable the business
organisation and operations to adapt to changing business needs
April 9, 2023 8
Solution Architecture
Solution Architecture Bridges the Business and IT Gap
Business Problem IT Solution
Business/IT Alignment
April 9, 2023 9
Architecture Scope
Building architecture
Information system
architecture
Discrete (project)
Examples: e-procurement,
Initiative(program)
Examples: CRM, KM
Enterprise
Example:extended
value chain
April 9, 2023 10
Solution Architecture is Not Just…
• A detailed implementation plan
• A set of product standards
• For infrastructure
• Concerned only with technology
• An end in and of itself
These are parts of an architecture, but they are not an architecture by themselves.
April 9, 2023 11
Approach
• Approach is a mature, fully supported suite of methodologies that enable the delivery of offerings and services that provides: −A set of best-in-class methodologies to support for
the management and delivery of business −One-stop shop for methods, tools, and techniques −Guides and templates
April 9, 2023 12
Approach to ITSA
− Based on stakeholder participation−Organised as a set of four fundamental views
Technicalview
Functionalview
Businessview
Implementationview
Stakeholders
April 9, 2023 13
The Four ITSA Views – Building a House Analogy
Business viewBusiness view
Implementation viewImplementation view
Why do I want a new house?• residence,
entertainment,business
• affordability• location• independence• image
Functional viewFunctional viewWhat should the new house give me?• uses / room layouts• peace & quiet, security• garden, trees• garage, pet needs
Technical viewTechnical viewHow will it be built?• foundation, framing,
heat/ac, plumbing, ...• utilities:
- electric, water, comms, roads
• security systems• controls• materials
With what will it be built?• sourcing
- suppliers- specific models
• financing• phasing• moving
April 9, 2023 14
Business View
• Key questions:−What are the internal and external drivers?−What are the business models and processes?−Who participates in the business processes?−What are the project goals?−How will the success of the solution be
measured?
Why are we doing this?
Agility
QoS
CostRisk
April 9, 2023 15
Functional View
Key questions:• What will the completed solution do?
• How will it be used and what services will it provide?
• What information will it provide? To whom?
• What qualities must the solution have?
What should the solution do?
Agility
QoS
CostRisk
April 9, 2023 16
Technical View
Key questions:• How will the system be structured and constructed?
• What are the interfaces and other constraints?
• What applications and data are needed?
• What does the infrastructure look like?
• What standards will apply?
• How will the system qualities be achieved?
How should the solution work?
Agility
QoS
CostRisk
April 9, 2023 17
Implementation View
Key questions:• What specific products and components, from
which vendors, are needed to build the system?
• How will the system be developed and deployed?
• What validation methods will be used?
• How will it be managed?
• What is the source of funding?
With what will the solution be built? A
gility
QoS
CostRisk
April 9, 2023 18
ITSA Framework and Methodologies
Solution Architecture
Concept
SolutionArchitecture
Blueprint
ITSA Methodologies
ITSA Framework
April 9, 2023 19
ITSA Framework
•Business drivers, goals, and metrics (closely associated with the business view
•Principles, models, and standards (associated with each of the four views)
The fundamental architectural elements of the ITSA framework are:
April 9, 2023 20
In Summary
The approach for creating solution architecture is:−Based on stakeholder participation−Organised as a set of four
fundamental views−Motivated by key business
drivers, goals, and metrics−Expressed as a set of principles,
models, and standards− Linked to actions to ensure timely
progress−Supported by an extensible
framework of methods, tools, and techniques
Technicalview
Functionalview
Businessview
Implementationview
April 9, 2023 21
Contrasting Solution Architecture and Project management
Solution Architecture• Defines engagement scope• Articulates the essential
elements of the solution and work to be done
• Defines resources needed to complete the work
• Defines acceptance criteria for solution iterations and phases
• …
What t
o do
Project Management• Keeps engagement within
scope• Ensures the work breakdown
structure covers all the essential elements
• Ensures staffing, funding, and resources are available to support the work
• Defines milestones, and schedule and ensures acceptance criteria are met
• …
How to get i
t
done
April 9, 2023 22
Contrasting Solution Architecture and Traditional Engineering
Traditional Engineering• Finds optimal solutions to
well-understood problems
• More science than art, algorithmic in nature
Focuse
d on
delivery
Solution Architecture• Finds satisfactory system
concepts for ill-defined problems
• More art than science, heuristic in nature
Focuse
d on
client n
eeds
April 9, 2023 23
Solution Architecture Concept
• A rapid review of the key elements of a proposed solution, examining each of the four views−Focus on business drivers/goals, principles, models,
and standards −Determine feasibility of an effective solution based
on obstacles and constraints−Purpose: define solution’s conceptual architecture to
facilitate well-informed, rapid decisions and get shared stakeholder understanding of, and commitment to, the proposed solution
April 9, 2023 24
Solution Architecture Blueprint
• A detailed architectural description of a project, initiative, or enterprise architecture.
• Works with you to:− Establish an agreed-to, sufficient solution concept− Define, design, and document all essential features
of the solution− Analyse the feasibility of the solution− Plan the implementation of the solution
April 9, 2023 25
IT Strategy and Architecture Framework
Actions Actions
implementationprinciples
rationales
implications
obstacles
Implementation view
Business view
Actions
Technical view
obstacles
implications
rationales
technicalprinciples
functionalprinciples
rationales
implications
obstacles
Functional view
Actions
Businessdrivers
Goalsbusinessprinciples
rationales
implications
obstacles
