Distinguishing EA from Enterprise wide SA

John Chi-Zong Wu June 6th, 2014

peaitce@yahoo.com www.liteea.com

Presentation goal

Confusion between EA and SA has jeopardized the evolution of EA.

Identifying the source of confusion Resolving the confusion Defining EA as an engineering and holistic method to

architect enterprises The comparison between EA and SA

EA has not evolved as expected.   EA has not evolved as expected due to the confusion between EA and SA as observed in many articles and surveys, for example:

Scott Ambler, the chief methodologist for Agile and Lean for IBM Rational, in Enterprise Architecture: Reality over Rhetoric,

In 2008, Ian Rowland says in Why Isn’t Enterprise Architecture In The Big Time?

Enterprise Architecture survey results from DDJ state of the IT Union Survey

Confusing EA with SA EA has not evolved as expected due to the confusion between

EA and SA. Many organizations make significant investments of time and resources to architect the enterprise wide solution architecture blueprint which becomes obsolete before the ink dries. The first version of EA evolved from the solution architecture conceptEA community are solution architecture oriented.EA is executed using system architecture tools. Popular EA training and certification is also solution architecture oriented.

The debate about EA and SA continues.

Despite all the concerns, the debate about EA and SA has continued. The inability to distinguish EA and SA has practically kept EA from an emerging paradigm. For example:

Solutions vs. Enterprise Architects: The Great LinkedIn Debate - Association of Enterprise Architects

It is nice to read all the contributions. The debate only leads to further confusion. The problem is that many EA experts are SAs in essence.

How to resolve the confusion? EA must provide unique value to become an emerging

paradigm. It is essential to clarify the confusion between EA and SA.

EA is not an enterprise wide solution architecture blueprint. Establish a distinctive EA model. Requires a generation of EA tools. EA community needs to think outside the box of SA. EA education and training must stop misleading the next generation Recognize EA as an emerging paradigm Solution architects do not automatically become enterprise architects

without making transition.

Think outside the box of SA culture

To distinguish EA from SA, it is essential for the EA community to think outside the box of solution architecture culture.

Most of the arguments between EA and SA are due to thinking inside the box of SA culture.

Senior Solution Architect acting as Enterprise Architect. It is a matter of making the transition from SA to EA culture. But the culture transition outside their comfort zone is very

challenging.

EA is not an enterprise wide SA

Traditional EA has been perceived as enterprise wide solution architect design for an organization to implement in a command and control approach.

It requires significant investment of time and resources to design the enterprise wide solution architecture blueprint.

However, an enterprise is organic, so the enterprise wide solution architecture blueprint becomes obsolete before the ink dries.

EA, as enterprise wide solution architecture, becomes redundant without unique value and is likely to fade and go away.

The proud of Solution Architects

Distinguish SA from EA whilst retaining SA pride. Solution Architects serve a very established value with pride.

An Enterprise Architect is not an advanced Solution Architect. EA is a complementary architecture method to SA rather than

an advanced status of SA. EA is an emerging paradigm with very different discipline. Extensive SA experience can be a burden and barrier to EA

culture transition.

Recognize EA as an emerging paradigm

EA is an emerging paradigm which is complementary to solution architecture but not redundant.It is a holistic architecture approach to overcome the challenge of stovepipe systems.It is not an enterprise wide IT solution architecture blueprint.Solution architecture does not automatically become Enterprise architecture.

To establish a distinctive EA model Traditional EA is based on solution architecture approach.

For example: It is very difficult to distinguish EA from SA in the popular NIST EA model.

It is essential to establish a distinctive EA model to clarify the confusion for example the 3X3 EA model.

Stop SA based EA tools

EA tools have contributed to the confusion between EA and SA. Most of the initial EA tools are based on existing system architecture tool by repacking the products with the EA title. The confusion between EA and SA becomes exponential with the automation of the disguised EA tool. Organizations made significant investment on the SA oriented EA tools with minimum return.

e

Stop misleading education and training

EA education and training needs to stop misleading the new generation of enterprise architectsThe new generation of Enterprise Architect, without the burden of SA culture, should be the future of EA. However, EA education, training and certification industry have been systematically misleading the new generation and confused their understanding of EA and SA.

What is EA?

EA is an engineering + holistic approach

EA is an Engineering + Holistic approach EA integrate engineering and holistic paradigm. Enable every one to see the whole and know the parts. Minimize stove pipes, silo systems and islands of information. Enable agility in adapting to change via learning experience of

the other, looking for common ground, reuse and interoperability..

Facilitate enterprise collaborative culture Integrate the power of Left/Right Brain Close gaps between strategy and execution

Architect organic enterprise with EA approach

EA is an engineering and holistic approach to architect the organic enterprise :An Enterprise is a living thing.Solution Architecture is an engineering approach which does not serve well to architect the organic Enterprise.EA community needs to take holistic considerations to architect the enterprise.

Architect Enterprise in all fronts

SA Method EA MethodBusiness capability Capabilities Engineering Capability EA

Processes Processes Engineering Processes EA

Organization Organization Engineering

Organization EA

Location Location Engineering Location EA

Human Resources HR Engineering HR EA

Budget, Finance Financial Engineering Finance EA

Information Technologies

IT Engineering IT EA

Security Security Engineering Security EA

EA is an engineering and holistic architecture approach to architect the enterprise in every front as shown in the following table.

Industry adapted engineering in business

Industry have adapted solution architecture principles beyond Information Technologies.

Business capability engineering Business process engineering. Business consolidation. Business reorganization. Human Resources Engineering Financing engineering Security engineering.

Each area has also encountered the challenge of redundant effort.

EA for every role in enterprise EA is a method to reuse and enable agility in adapting to

change. Every role benefits from the EA approach to minimize

redundant effort and enable agility in adopting to change.

Business capability EA Business process EA. Business consolidation EA Business reorganization EA Human Resources EA Financing engineering EA Security engineering EA

The comparison of EA and SA

Distinguish EA from SA

The following table distinguishes EA and SA from the aspects of purpose, paradigm, theory, relation, capability in adopting to change and the role of architects.

Simple system and complex system

The Cynefin framework (as shown) classifies systems into simple systems, complicated systems, complex systems and chaotic systems.

Solution architecture supports simple systems.

Enterprise Architecture is able to support complex adaptive systems.

EA is a method complementary to SA

EA is a method which is complementary to solution architecture: Solution architecture aims to create unique solutions for specific purpose. It also contributes stovepipe solution.EA approach aims to minimize redundant effort in Business capability engineering.

minimize redundant effort and learning experiences of the others enable agility in adapting to change

EA in vertical, horizontal and circular theory

Solution Architecture operates in vertical direction through a top down approach. Enterprise Architecture takes multiple architecture direction.

The vertical alignment architecture. The Horizontal service oriented architecture. Thee circular coherence architecture.

EA adapting to change

Enterprises are living things which change constantly with ticking time. EA enables Enterprise Agility via sharing and reuse in adapting to the constant change.

EA is the “Glue” not the “Guru”

Enterprise Architect is the “Glue” not the “Guru”Solution architects are the “Guru” to support special requirements which are unique systemsEnterprise Architects are the “Glue” to close the gaps between

Engineering and Holistic, Business and IT, Strategy and Execution and facilitate collaboration.

EA needs to provide unique value to become an emerging paradigm.

EA will fade and go away as an enterprise wide solution architecture.

EA community needs to pass this hurdle. Current EA definition does not serve well to distinguish

from SA. Improve the current EA definition, model, framework,

tools and trainings to distinguish EA from SA. The endless debate of EA and SA does not help to

distinguish EA and SA. It only consuming the energy for EA to become a

emerging paradigm.

Conclusion