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Redefining Enterprise Architecture: Responding to Tech Demands

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

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.

 
 

API Development for Small Businesses: A Key to Digital Transformation & Growth

Businesses of all sizes are constantly looking for ways to dominate today's digital markets. This has led to the emergence of various technologies that assist in doing so. In this article, we’re going to focus on one of the biggest developments.

APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) have become a very valuable tool for businesses across various industries. These industries include healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and finance, which all use APIs as a means to connect with customers, partners, and other businesses. 

The use of API development has triggered a push for digital transformation in these industries as a means to stay competitive. As you can likely tell, it puts an emphasis on growth which has made API development a popular choice for small to mid-size companies looking to expand their operation. 

Take an E-Commerce store, for example. They might use APIs to manage orders, and store information on pricing and user data, as well as to catalogue content, all of which would contribute to building a better foundation for that store to scale. 

There are many ways an API works to enhance the performance of an organization but in this article, we’re going to go over just a few of the most notable:

Expanded Reach 

In previous posts, we’ve outlined that an API essentially operates through a set of guidelines and protocols in which software applications communicate with each other to perform various actions. 

What this means for small to mid-size organizations is that developing an API can allow them to easily connect with other online marketplaces (social media, E-Commerce, etc). When effectively implemented, this can drive engagement for businesses by reaching new audiences without the need to invest in a big marketing campaign.

Scalability

In addition to building and expanding the foundation of a business, API development can enhance workflows by automating and simplifying procedures. For example, when connecting different systems and software via APIs, tasks such as managing inventory, customer service, and even virtual transactions (just examples) can be automated.

In addition to the productivity boost, these improvements often allow organizations to focus more of their energy on growth and expansion. When a business uses a system that doesn't perform well, you can expect the exact opposite. 

New Revenue Potential

Now, let’s get into the best part: how you can bring in some new revenue using API development. By allowing others to access your data and services through an API, you can charge a fee for usage or simply sell access to your services to other companies. In addition to the value your business brings with the help of an API, this added revenue can potentially help to offset some of the development costs.

UI/UX (User Interface and User Experience)

Small businesses often combine API development and UI/UX design to create a custom solution that can be used as an extension of the business to access the digital marketplace. Just as we were using the example of E-Commerce stores, a brick-and-mortar retailer might use this concept to create an online store that will expand their exposure. 

Designing a powerful UI/UX landscape could create a digital space where users enjoy shopping and, most importantly, can navigate easily through the custom layouts and interactions. The API would then assist the design on the backend by retrieving data, creating interactive components, and personalizing the experience for users. 

It’s important to remember that every technology has its risks. APIs are no exception, especially when they’ve been misused or poorly developed and implemented. When it comes to a small business utilizing an API, it’s important to ensure that a secure foundation is in place first and foremost. 

When there is a lack of solid infrastructure, you can expect to see the following:

  • Third-party dependency: Some small businesses may rely on a third party to function. This can lead to complications when an API faces changes or goes down. 

  • Security breaches: APIs often protect sensitive information which puts a target on their back for hackers. 

  • No ability to scale: If an API is poorly developed for the specific needs of the organization, the growth potential becomes limited.

  • Lack of support: When a small business doesn’t have sufficient support for the API, issues can become a lot bigger. 

The key point here is that when developing an API, ensure that the necessary precautions are taken and that nothing is being left to chance.

The Takeaway

APIs represent a great opportunity for small and medium-sized businesses that are data-driven, lean, and want to improve their efficiency. With the help of APIs, companies can automate various aspects of their workflows that they may have never even thought were possible. In addition, they can create smooth interactions between all their cloud services as well as generate automated reports and dashboards. 

Nowadays, APIs are not only useful for developers, businesses that want to leverage their data and gain a competitive advantage are taking this technology and running with it. How are you going to use this opportunity to improve your business?

Written By Ben Brown

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.

 
 

The Importance of Adaptability: What Allows Startups to Succeed

It is widely renowned that a successful business is typically established on 5 pillars: the business model, the concept, the people in the organization, profitability, and timing. With these well-established, any business can successfully take off and change the world right? This is a common misconception that many businesses run on and sometimes are brutally awoken by reality. The missing ingredient here is adaptability to consumer interests. 

Start-ups have to realize that trends change and sticking to the same model can narrow their window of opportunities. It is common for companies to focus on the purpose they’ve served to earn their success. However, as history has shown us, companies unable to remain purposeful in years of change become irrelevant. Some examples of this can be seen by Blockbuster, Myspace, Toys R Us, Nokia, and the list goes on.

Researchers found that 65% of companies fail within their first 10 years in business. Why do they fail? It is often because they lack a plan for the future of the industry they’re in or simply cannot keep up.

A company can be incredibly profitable yet in a matter of months, its profitability can quickly fade if unable to adapt to the ever-changing markets. For this reason, companies must spend time analyzing consumer trends and preparing to adapt to the new trends. Now the question is what are trends companies should look for to be prepared?

Let’s look at what to consider:

Who Is Your Audience?

In recent years, millennials (born from 1980 to 2000) have dictated consumer trends immensely. The average yearly spending of a millennial is nearly $60,000 and 91% of them prefer to shop online. What does this mean for retail workers? If only 9% of the largest consumer base prefers to shop in a store, could stores become obsolete in the future? Generations come and go, and so does their influence on the economy.

Millennials are the largest consumer age demographic in the United States (the country with the largest consumer market). Companies should frequently review the trends of the audience they’re targeting, chances are millennials will be involved in this audience. Marketing teams must meet to discuss strategies in appealing to the audience, also to decipher where they can best reach them. 

Sales Process Involvement

As an entrepreneur, you delegate tasks to individuals throughout the organization which is the right thing to do. However, the one area a business leader must not detach themselves from is the sales relationship with consumers. Actively engaging with your customers provides the highest level of insight into changing consumer trends and values. This is especially useful for smaller companies. As the leader of the organization, maintaining a direct and positive relationship can lead to repeat business. 

You Never Know Enough

It doesn’t matter how successful you or your company are, you never know everything and should never have an attitude that demonstrates that you think you do. “Much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on” - Steve Jobs. Always being open to new ideas, trends, discussions, and changes is a tool that will carry businesses through even the toughest of storms. Leaders should make it a priority to never become complacent and always look for new ways to inspire.

Conclusion

Success can have its downsides if handled improperly, specifically if the success is viewed as the end goal. No matter what anyone has achieved, it is impossible to achieve the highest level of perfection. Organizations and leaders should aim to set the bar higher, look for new ways to provide value, and never fall into the trap of comfort.  

Written By Ben Brown

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.