When you think about major corporations and their approach to sustaining their business model and brand long-term, how often is information technology the first thing you think about? For most people it’s staying relevant through crafty marketing and branding initiatives, or big partnerships, all of which are important factors but none of which solely can sustain a business today. 

As we know, technology permeates every aspect of business operations. Digital transformation starts with a solid architecture, one that leverages various technological components, such as infrastructure, networks, databases, software applications, and security measures. To be clear, the exact definition for “enterprise architecture” according to Gartner is “a discipline for proactively and holistically leading enterprise responses to disruptive forces by identifying and analyzing the execution of change toward desired business vision and outcomes”. 

Embracing a Proactive Approach

The key takeaway here is that technology is not a reactive measure; it’s something that needs to be a proactive and integral part of an organization's approach to long-term sustainability. The key term is “proactive” because the last thing an enterprise can afford is to, again, be reactive in situations where they’re caught off guard by advancements and disruptions. 

The world lucked out with AI in the sense that there’s been time for companies to explore its potential and experiment with its capabilities. AI offers transformative opportunities for corporations today who can now redefine their business models and align with the demands of the digital era.

How We’ve Always Known Enterprise Architecture (EA)

EAs have been that guidance that creates, integrates, and manages data and technology to align IT capabilities with the business's goals. The focus for enterprises is now on the tech aspect more so than project delivery or strategizing because that stuff is less comprehensive than the role technology plays in the business landscape today. What we’re outlining in this section is the elimination of the need to balance competing priorities and resources within EA.

The Key Technologies and Business Functions That EA Teams Focus on Today

In 2020, a report from Gartner estimated that 60% of organizations in 2023 would rely on EA to lead their approach to digital innovation. While we don’t have exact figures for that to compare against today, we do have an understanding of the technological and business functions that are a focus for EA teams which include:

1. Application Architecture

2. Data recovery

3. Governance, risk, and compliance

4. Cloud management

5. Mobile device management

6. Intelligent automation

7. Cybersecurity 

Think about two manufacturing companies:

One relies heavily on innovation and strategic thinking, so they establish the following:

• Dedicated space for R&D: They allocate a specific area or facility to experiment, prototype, and test concepts before integrating them into the EA.

• Agile methodologies: This could involve methodologies such as Scrum or Kanban, to promote flexibility in their development process. This is what’s going to be key for them to respond quickly to market changes and customer demands.

• Collaborate with other companies: Typically for IT operations, data governance, and business strategy. This is going to leverage expertise and resources that will contribute to innovation and consistently meet objectives. 

• Investments in new technologies: This includes exploring emerging technologies relevant to the industry and leveraging them to enhance their manufacturing processes, product development, and overall operational efficiency.

• Data-driven Decision Making: They prioritize the collection, analysis, and utilization of data in their decision-making processes. This helps them identify opportunities and inefficiencies which further contributes to consistently meeting goals. 

The other company is very project-driven so their focus is on the following: 

• Project management: This company will emphasize strong project management, with dedicated teams and resources for each project. They have well-defined plans, timelines, and milestones to ensure execution is efficient.

• Resource allocation: They prioritize allocating resources based on the specific requirements of each project. This includes assigning personnel, budgeting, and managing project dependencies.

• Stakeholder collaboration: The company emphasizes collaboration and communication with stakeholders, both internal and external, to ensure alignment on project goals, requirements, and expectations.

• Risk management: This company would likely have robust risk management processes in place to identify, assess, and mitigate potential risks and issues that could impact the success of the project.

The whole point of this comparison is for companies to understand the importance of their EA team focusing on one aspect of projects and strategy either on the side of the business or technology. The best EA teams maximize one area before moving to the next and they never skip steps. 

Actionable Recommendations

Closely align your priorities with your business's goals when defining your focus. Gain as much expertise and capabilities as possible in that area, collaborate with stakeholders, and consistently monitor how much you progress. 

You always want to make the value of your EA known to decision-makers by demonstrating how it helps meet objectives. Showcase tangible outcomes and demonstrate the ROI of EA initiatives.

Written By Ben Brown

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ISU Corp is an award-winning software development company, with over 17 years of experience in multiple industries, providing cost-effective custom software development, technology management, and IT outsourcing.

Our unique owners’ mindset reduces development costs and fast-tracks timelines. We help craft the specifications of your project based on your company's needs, to produce the best ROI. Find out why startups, all the way to Fortune 500 companies like General Electric, Heinz, and many others have trusted us with their projects. Contact us here.