In the dynamic landscape of digital transformation, establishing a high-impact enterprise architecture (EA) practice is essential for organizations aiming to innovate and excel. However, those who embark on this journey often face several key challenges.
Various industry reports have indicated that two-thirds of EA initiatives have failed in the past, and about 40% of EA programs were shut down within three years. This can be caused by many factors, including misalignment with strategic goals, lack of stakeholder buy-in, and unclear metrics of success. Understanding and addressing these challenges effectively can significantly impact the success of your EA practice.
Identifying the right EA practice type
Beginning a new EA practice can be daunting, especially with no understanding of your organization’s needs and how an EA can support. Before jumping in, it’s important to educate yourself on the different types of EA to determine what makes the most sense. Without this initial clarity, the effectiveness of the EA practice could be compromised. As highlighted by Gartner® in its ‘8 Steps to Start a High-Impact EA Practice’ report, common EA practices include:
- “Traditional EA”: This approach is technology-centric, focusing primarily on solutions and technical architecture. It emphasizes projects, command-and-control governance, and often operates within a more rigid framework. Traditional EA works well for organizations with a strong technical foundation.
- “Business-Outcome-Driven EA (BODEA)”: This model shifts the focus from technology to business outcomes. It prioritizes aligning business and IT by beginning with business architecture, ensuring that the “Why” and “What” of EA are considered before moving to the “How” of solutions and technical architecture. BODEA is ideal for organizations looking to bridge the gap between business strategy and technology execution.
- “EA as Internal Management Consultancy (IMC)”: This stakeholder-centric approach builds on the BODEA model by extending EA services to meet the specific needs of different stakeholders. It professionalizes the EA function by offering tailored advice, working responsively and agilely, and incorporating adaptive governance. IMC is a flexible model suited for organizations that need to be nimble and responsive to evolving business and stakeholder demands.
Choosing the right EA practice type requires a deep understanding of your organization’s current EA capability and strategic objectives. By aligning your EA approach with these factors, you can create a practice that effectively supports your digital transformation goals and drives long-term success.
Engaging stakeholders effectively
Securing stakeholder buy-in is crucial for the success of your EA practice. In fact, organizations with strong stakeholder engagement see up to 72% of their projects successfully meet business goals according to research from PMI. Gartner® outlines key actions to enhance stakeholder buy-in for your EA initiatives, including:
- Conduct a stakeholder analysis by identifying and segmenting key stakeholders across the organization who will benefit from collaborating and working with the EA practice and ways EA might potentially support them.
- Construct a value proposition canvas, value proposition document and value proposition statement.
- Use the value proposition document as input to construct the EA Charter.
By focusing on these actions, you can build stronger relationships and secure the active support needed to sustain a high-impact EA practice.
Establishing relevant metrics and KPIs
As Gartner® highlights, “good EA practice measurement proves that the cost and effort required to run the EA practice are adding value to the enterprise and stakeholders.” It is therefore essential to establish relevant metrics and KPIs that can measure the success and underscore the value of implementing an EA practice.
Gartner provides a comprehensive set of metrics that allow organizations to measure their EA efforts from foundational stages to more mature, strategic outcomes. Below is a summary:
- “Financial performance”: Start with foundational metrics like savings from IT asset optimization and standardized purchasing. As the practice matures, track revenue generated from new IT-enabled business capabilities and the impact of faster time-to-market for new initiatives.
- “Project performance”: Early metrics include compliance with technology standards and assignment of architects to projects. Mature metrics focus on aligning projects with strategic goals and driving innovation through high-risk or transformative initiatives.
- “Operational performance”: Foundational metrics could measure system retirement, application reuse, and reducing complexity. Mature metrics might grow to assess the realization of business capabilities and the standardization of technology across the organization.
- “Talent management”: Start by focusing on tracking EA headcount, contractor ratios, and staff turnover. This may mature to include employee engagement and assessing skill gaps.
- “User satisfaction”: Foundational metrics gauge satisfaction levels among end-users and executives. In more advanced stages, metrics focus on how well IT architectural plans are approved and adopted by the business.
Discover solutions and expert insights
For guidance on how to navigate these challenges and establish a high-impact EA practice, refer to the comprehensive Gartner report, ‘8 Steps to Start a High-Impact EA Practice’. This report provides essential insights, expert recommendations, and practical solutions to help you effectively address the complexities of launching and scaling your EA practice.
Read the full report here
Leveraging the right tools for a future-ready EA practice
To set up and scale a high-impact EA practice, organizations need tools that provide end-to-end visibility and actionable insights. With OrbusInfinity, you gain comprehensive data visibility across your entire organization, enabling a deeper understanding of how technology, people, and processes interact. The platform’s advanced visualization capabilities allow you to map out complex architectures and see the ripple effects of change across the business. By empowering you to make informed decisions and align your EA practice with strategic objectives, OrbusInfinity can help you deliver a valuable EA practice.
Gartner, 8 Steps to Start a High-Impact EA Practice, By Saul Brand, Marcus Blosch, 21 February 2024
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