What does an enterprise architect do?

In my opinion this will depend on the organization's context. At a place where the EA discipline is fairly new, focus will traditionally be within the technology, application and data domains. Where EA is more mature, and the discipline has achieved success within the technology related domains, there will be more focus on Business Architecture (rightly so in my opinion). Where Business Architecture is well integrated into the EA discipline, I find there to be more chances of coherent decision making and governance.

There are more than four domains. I believe security needs to have its own domain. I think the model they are talking about assumes that security is built into each of the listed domains, but security needs to upfront and evaluated across the enterprise. Standards need to be in place and risks need to be assessed across the enterprise to keep an organization safe from cyber attacks and other security risks.

From my experience as a niche architecture recruiter is that EA is often not valued as much as it should be. Its essential for ensuring standards and principles across different streams are maintained and ensures the vision of the organization is adhered to across the business. It is one of my favorite sub-niches within architecture recruitment to recruit for.

Arquitetura corporativa pode ser explicada em 3 dimens?es: processos, pessoas e tecnologia. A habilidade do arquiteto reside em propor o melhor desenho possível destas 3 camadas para que o modelo de negócio da companhia pare de pé. Para isso é essencial que o business model e a estratégia da empresa estejam definidas para que o arquiteto tenha direcionares para desenhar a arquitetura.

Enterprise Architects are responsible for Architecture Governance in an organization. They identify the relevant Principles, Standards and Guidelines at organizational level and at domain level with the help of Domain level experts. They also are the custodian of Reference Architecture for each domain. They are also responsible for conducting Architecture Review Boards and ensuring the projects adhere to the standards and guidelines and identify and audit any exceptions or technical debts. They are also responsible for controlling the diversity of technology stack.

An Enterprise Architect has a deep understanding of the business and industry. The EA brings that knowledge and partnership with Business Architects, team leasders, etc. within the organization to create understanding of the systems, people, and process that runs the business. This puts the EA in a prime stakeholder position when discussing topics from Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, and change control policies and process through to technology specific domains and solutions involving Security, Data, and platforms.

Enterprise architects are responsible for envisioning, communicating, and evolving an organization’s enterprise architecture. An enterprise architect is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of an organization’s IT networks and services. Architectural leadership in the resolutions of inter-program and inter-project issues.

I miss responsibilities like driving large-scale modernization and restructuring / consolidation of IT systems and technology. These changes are usually too big to naturally emerge from within teams/projects themselves, so they need a powerful driver and arbiter.

1) Solve business problems aligning business goals with IT strategy 2) Maintain Gaps in Org strategy and drive technology change 3) Enterprise strategy on Digital IT and cutting edge technology induction to support business needs. Achieve this through business value analysis and process optimization, gaps and associated fixes.

Following decades of IT systems rationalization that were mainly focus on inner transformation needs (cost cutting, complexity management, technology upgrades), a lot of actors now needs to transform because of external transformation triggers (shift of the industry, new game changing actors, uberization of activities...). This is where enterprise architecture offers a framework analyzing both the environment of an enterprise (what urges the enterprise to transform itself) and what is inside (goal/purpose, organization, process, IT systems). It helps defining & describing stable states of the transformation with its related business capabilities increments.

Enterprise architecture provides a common language and framework for businesses discussing IT initiatives. One of the key benefits of enterprise architecture is that it aligns each item in your tech stack with your business capabilities

One that about enterprise Architecture is that it enables synergy between business and IT. The benefits though are highly dependent on the implementation approach used by an organization.

Enterprise Architecture is a framework that can be applied at any level within an organisation. One must comprehensively understand the organisational/industry architectural context, interdependencies, change drivers, and objectives to succeed in this role. They must also be able to analyse the impact on business, data, technology, and processes and lead decision-making by bringing together various stakeholders.

Enterprise architects require more than just a grasp of architectural principles and frameworks; they must also possess a diverse skill set encompassing agility, effective communication, collaboration, and proficiency in change management. Their ability to engage with business stakeholders is paramount, as it enables them to showcase their value and cultivate trust through collaborative efforts. Typically reporting to the Chief Information Officer (CIO), enterprise architects are often perceived as disconnected from the fundamental operations of the business. To address this issue, enterprise architects should take proactive steps to participate in projects directly linked to tangible business outcomes.

I have found that leadership, communication, and storytelling skills are incredibly important. Empathy is also a valuable trait to possess. However, nothing is as crucial as self-awareness and the ability to adapt to a changing environment. Technical know-how at this level is important, but crucial is the know-how on strategy development, program and portfolio management and business architecture.

Similar to how metadata provides info about data, enterprise architecture delves into the structural composition of organisations. To become an enterprise architect, individuals must possess a comprehensive understanding of various types of organisational structures and their influence on processes and human behavior. Unlike many other professions, aspiring enterprise architects typically embark on a career path starting as business, process, or systems analysts to gain holistic insights into organisational dynamics. Only with this foundational knowledge can individuals effectively transition into the role of an EA, as attempting otherwise may equate to a less experienced consultant advising veterans with decades of experience

Reminds me of the joke where a young musician asks the old musician "How to get to Carnegie Hall?". Response: "Practice, practice, practice".

An enterprise architect aligns an organization's strategy with its technology. Key responsibilities include: 1. **Strategy Development**: Aligning IT strategy and planning with business objectives. 2. **Technology Planning**: Analyzing and improving technology environments, and creating a tech development roadmap. 3. **Governance and Policy**: Establishing IT governance frameworks, policies, standards, and procedures. 4. **System Integration**: Ensuring IT systems and applications support business processes effectively. The role is crucial for ensuring technology strategy and architecture are in sync with business goals, enabling efficient and effective goal achievement.

There may be strategic #transformation experts who help stand up the #enterprisearchitecture capability within the organization. Do not confuse them with being the enterprise architect or domain-specific architects. They are just there to help facilitate and orchestrate the establishment of the capability. An actual cross-domain Enterprise Architect and other domain-specific architects need to assume responsibility for leading and governing their respective areas of expertise as the capability matures. Also important to the mix are an appropriate placement of the EA function in the organization, a reputable and user friendly EA tool and admin, a strong project manager, executive leadership support and advocacy, and a solid, agreed to plan.