Enterprise Architecture & Economics

TOGAF describes Enterprise Architecture as a process, something to do. It optimizes the legacy of processes into an integrated environment, to support the delivery of the business strategy. It then recommends how to practice enterprise architecture, using the TOGAF framework.

There are many other definitions exist, each in increasing complexity and vagueness. Almost all of these definitions tell you what to do and how to.

In the book Enterprise Architecture As A Strategy, the authors define it as a thought process.

"Our use of the term refers to the high-level logic for business processes and IT capabilities. IT unit will develop far more detailed architectures of applications, data, and technology. Some companies refer to these architectures as the enterprise architecture can be confusing."

Further they go on to discuss four stages of Enterprise Architecture maturity. Interestingly, these stages are characterized by an optimal mix of enterprise and local systems. Even in the most mature stage, the local applications are present, with a decent share.

Taking into consideration the multiple perspectives into Enterprise Architecture, the purpose of today's enterprise architecture is multifold.

First, to organize the logic for business processes and technology capabilities. Second, to arrive at an optimal distribution of technology capabilities across different systems. This is where I find the economic aspect compelling. Enterprise Architects maintain a balanced set of technology capabilities to fulfill business needs. Balance between manual and automated processes, local and enterprise systems, legacy, and modern technologies.

Often, the practice of Enterprise Architecture is compared to town planning. In the context of modern application software development and evolutionary architecture the town planning analogy is debatable. However, from an economic perspective the town planning analogy makes sense at the enterprise level. In urban planning economics is a key aspect, alongside social and environmental aspects.

The third purpose of enterprise architecture is to shape the economic, social, and environmental aspects of business and technology landscape. This expands the scope of enterprise architecture to define a long-term roadmap considering economic consequences & trade-offs, to support sustainable engineering, and to consider developer experience & productivity.

We need enterprise architecture to be more than just following a framework. And pursuing the economic, not just financial, aspects of the business and technology landscape makes enterprise architecture a planning and thought process.