Enterprise Architecture – The Digital Makeover

When the organizations are ready for a transformation journey or plan to go through a total makeover to accommodate and adopt modern age offerings in all dimensions, they have to consider a few aspects with utmost diligence. We are talking about repositioning the founding architecture’s building blocks to enable the organization to meet the market’s pace. Many technologies and trends are shaping the current industry, even before their formal introduction. 

The majority of companies were operating in functional and departmental silos. Previously Enterprise Architecture was referred to as IT Architecture by default, and I would like to believe this is true to an extent in the present world. The entire global business ecosystem is built on five tectonic plates—business process – Information – Information systems (Application) – Data – Technology. If we relate to the context of the tectonic plates that hold the entire earth, any shift or activity in one of these plates causes a cataclysmic (I am using this word in a positive context) affect that changes the world for once in all dimensions – like we are being startled every minute these days with new introductions. 

These five components of any and every business ecosystem have been operating within self-imposed boundaries. These corresponding architects build the organization and are key to realize the value and the organization’s objectives. These are logically related, and we have compartmentalized them, but now we are compelled to change the perspective.

These are the active components of Enterprise Architecture as there are more inclusions after the technology outburst and new stars are born.

Now the primary components of EA have become the sub-components of the Digital architecture.

 Business Unit (Process) Architecture: The past business processes were the only means of letting the customer transact with your organization and following the definite mode. This has elevated to a different level in the current world and focuses on the E2E experience (ease of transaction and methods of the transaction, security of transaction). Business processes have opened up with infinite channels of processing transactions. Technology connects multiple systems and assets to create a mutual experience, increase productivity, improve accuracy, and enhance profitability. RPA, AI, Analytics, and IoT are changing the way traditional processes have been operating and capturing data points from numerous angles re-engineering the entire business process.

Information Architecture: Previously, the focus was on the transaction and not the knowledge generated during this transaction, which has more value than the transaction itself, which can describe and prescribe many points. Every system generates information that adds more relevance and value to the other bits of information and enhances that bit. When viewed through the right lens, successor and predecessor and related information give unimaginable dimensions to reform – transform and perform. Every pattern, choice, idiosyncrasy is being learned in today’s world, but within the corresponding regulations and guidelines.

 Application Architecture: Earlier, the application interface was very static and unidirectional. It captured the details and stored for many routine activities that were very static and an application of every task – process – function, and unit. However, now they have become the sole source of organization-wide solutions. We have one tailor-made application to fit the organizations and functional and business need to reduce complications. Instant applications and SaaS solutions give a high to the executives where DevOps and Agile methodologies are playing catalysts to shorten the go-live period. Business applications are moving away from a traditional setup and migrating to the cloud, which is platform-independent. API and AR/VR interfaces are slowly challenging the need for an application.

 Data Architecture: There were defined models and technologies that an organization embraces for a lifetime until pushed to the corner by the technology itself to look out for change. Models that could be used by many statistical algorithms and new age computing techniques to build, modify, and try out countless permutations and combinations. Some startups and technologies have come with domain ontology and taxonomy banks that help in creating smart solutions. Data is no more restricted to a certain type or class but every keystroke & click electromagnetic swipe, one step, has become valuable data and equally smart and innovative ways to store – secure – and reproduce them.

 Technology Architecture: Legacy technology models and on-premise solutions that attracted cost-maintenance-and ownership of delivery now are past, and we are exploring Cloud – boundary-less data centers – quantum computing options persistently. The delivery automation is the focus, and AI OPS the path for us to run the new processes. This changing architecture and new technologies are binding and forcing the key elements to co-work/co-exist, demanding discretionary regulations and frameworks to define the interactions and integrated processes. We see that many existing frameworks, methodologies, and best practices are updating their approaches and material with new components that fit the scaling requirements of an enterprise. (Verism, ITIL V4, SCRUM). The intent of all frameworks, best practices, and methodologies is to converge to produce the sum of all benefits.

The new landscape desires an enterprise structure that is nimble to accommodate the fast-paced changes. Digital has become every institutions’ Prima theme. Digital architecture is now being talked about in tandem with enterprise architecture. This will position business processes, Information, application, data, and things to collaborate with the entire ecosystem to the touch. We are talking about a new cross-function domain of “integrated solutions,” which will carry the best in breed capabilities to solve routine and complicated business, support, and management challenges. Now is time to evaluate a technology transformation partner/s and their offerings, keeping the five key components of Enterprise architecture in the center.

 We need to contemplate handling and overseeing the evolving capability, execution, strategy, and governance to handle this rapid change by revisiting the entire enterprise architecture and particularly disruptive technology that dominates every component. Not to forget, this makeover will need your organization to acquire and/or build talent to drive and execute these initiatives successfully. This is the moment to look at the enterprise design and quickly onboard or reposition Frameworks and technologies. It’s okay to fail now and fail fast as we get a chance to rectify and ready for the long run. Approach methodology and design architecture focus on value creation; implementation, fluidity, Future-proofing have to start now – and lay down the foundation.