Do I need a Business Architect?

This is a question I'm frequently asked. But most people that ask, really want to know:

How would I determine whether I'd benefit from investing in the services of a Business Architect?

They don't want to be told/sold an answer, they want to know how to work out the answer for themselves. So here's how I'd suggest one might answer the question: by asking six ...

Q1/. Am I primarily responsible for the future performance of a trading organisation or enterprise: a company, partnership, group, business unit, division, profit centre, joint venture, or similar?

Q2/. Do I understand the multifarious, end-to-end demand and supply chains that my organisation is a component of, and that define its business?

Q3/. Do I have a clear vision of the organisation's future business: who (which customers, suppliers, regulators) it will benefit or satisfy and how it will do it? Or, put another way; can I describe the market(s) it will operate in; what value it adds to that (those) market(s); and what products* will deliver that value?

Q4/. Can I describe the differences between the organisation's current position and my vision of its future? And can I effectively, efficiently communicate my vision, the current position, and the differences to everyone that will help design and realise my vision?

Q5/. Do I have the capabilities* and capacity* to govern the conception, design, implementation, delivery and maintenance of the propositions* and products* that will underpin my future business?

* In my ontology, products include goods, services and information. A proposition is something you promise - the product is what you deliver. A service is a scope of work that benefits or satisfies another party - usually subject to a commercial agreement with that party. A capability is 'how well' an individual or organisation 'can do something'; and capacity is the availability and control of resources required to deliver a capability.

If you can answer 'yes' to all five questions, you don't need a Business Architect.

But before you rush out and hire one, maybe double check that they will be willing and able to do all of these things for you. Many Business Architects see the role and its responsibilities differently. And that's fine, just as long as you know what you will and won't get from them...

Q6/. Will my Business Architect do all of these things for me, to my satisfaction?

Like any profession; styles, methods, language, standards and tools vary; and some clients have a preference on these matters. This is a good thing! The more clients that express a preference, the more the profession will refine, optimise and convergence on those styles, methods, language, standards and tools that deliver most value to the market.

Business Architecture (i.e. that what is practised by Business Architects) must be led by senior business executives on behalf of their shareholders - not pushed by snake-oil salesmen or ivory tower theorists far removed from business operations. Business Architects have to earn their keep. They must avoid creating propositions with limited tangible value; refrain from spuriously using words and terms that are poorly defined or understood; better integrate with other, more established roles; and modestly promote the value they add.

Try the toughest test in the interviewer's handbook: ask your candidate Business Architect to explain what they do to an inquisitive 12 year old child [a real one works best]. And if the child confidently reports that a Business Architect governs the scoping, design and realisation of how an organisation 'does business' or 'creates and transfers value through the market' then I'd suggest hiring them both!

But Business Architects (and those who feel they speak on their behalf) still have a long way to go to achieve broad consensus on many, many topics. Thousands of debates are currently being had across numerous online communities of practitioners. And whilst healthy, constructive debates are good for the ongoing development of the profession, not all appear to be particularly productive and there's a risk that many debates just distract from people doing their day job.

For the good of their profession - and the longevity of their employment - practising Business Architects should avoid washing dirty laundry at work ... at least not in front of their paymasters!

There is also the risk that lengthy, circular, incoherent or fundamental debate on the nature of the role undermines or diminishes the value of Business Architecture in the eyes of potential clients. And until such time that the profession can effectively regulate its practitioners, potential clients will need to separate the wheat from the chaff. Buyer beware!

For the good of their investment, hiring managers/executives should set clear goals, expectations and preferences for Business Architects. And for the good of their reputation, Business Architects should set out clearly what they can, will and won't do for potential bosses/clients.

This advice especially applies in circumstances where two or more Business Architects work in the same organisation; where issues can compound; and hiring managers/executives must ensure consensus and alignment. Business Architects - especially those that use the prefix 'Senior' or 'Chief' or similar - are renowned for holding strong views on the definition, authority and responsibilities of their role and those of other architects ... especially Enterprise Architects.

Q/. Do I need an Enterprise Architect too/instead?
A/. Possibly. Read my next blog-post here.

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Ben writes for Guild Consulting - creators of simple, scalable systems for small businesses. They help remove unnecessary complexity, anxiety, frustration and spreadsheets from business operations. They help make small businesses run like clockwork.

You can read his other posts here, including: 'Why beehives aren't the size of sheds' and 'Your goal isn't to make money'.