The Kingdom of Enterprise: Building a Unified Future with Reference Model

Once upon a time, in a bustling kingdom known as EnterpriseLand, there was a grand castle called Architecture Castle. This castle was not like any ordinary building; it was an intricate maze of rooms, each filled with valuable knowledge, and it held the key to the kingdom’s prosperity. However, the kingdom had a problem. The kingdom's various factions—Business, Data, Technology, and Applications—each worked in separate silos, creating confusion, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities. The lack of communication between these factions was like an invisible wall, preventing the kingdom from reaching its true potential.

One day, the wise Architect of the Kingdom, an old and seasoned advisor named Argo, realized that the only way to break down this wall was by creating a system of models. These models, when used together, could provide a roadmap for the kingdom to align its many parts, enabling a smooth and harmonious operation.

Argo gathered the brightest minds from all corners of the kingdom: business leaders, data experts, technology specialists, and application designers. Together, they developed five magical models that would become the foundation of their new way of working:

1. Business Capability Model (BCM): The first model was like a map of the kingdom’s business strengths and goals. It laid out what the kingdom needed to achieve—whether it was better customer engagement, improved services, or growing revenue. The BCM helped the kingdom’s leaders understand which capabilities were most essential for success.
2. Data Reference Model (DRM): The second model was a vast library that organized all the kingdom's knowledge. It cataloged the data flowing through the kingdom, ensuring that important information could be found quickly and used to support decisions. The DRM made sure that no valuable insight was lost or siloed away.
3. Technology Reference Model (TRM): The third model was like the kingdom’s engine room, detailing the technology infrastructure needed to make everything run smoothly. The TRM outlined various technology domains, such as compute, storage, and networking, and broke them down into smaller, manageable groups. This allowed the kingdom to leverage the best tools for every task.
4. Application Reference Model (ARM): The fourth model was a blueprint for how the kingdom’s many applications worked together. It described how different software systems interacted, from CRM platforms to data warehouses, ensuring that all applications were properly aligned with the kingdom's objectives.
5. Performance Reference Model (PRM): Finally, the PRM was a magical mirror that reflected the kingdom's performance. It allowed the leaders to see how well they were achieving their goals, track progress, and identify areas for improvement. The PRM ensured that the kingdom stayed on course and could adapt as needed.

Argo’s great insight was that these models needed to work together, not in isolation. He saw that the kingdom could only truly prosper if these models were connected, creating a web of alignment across all factions.

For example, if the kingdom decided to build a new CRM system (an application), it was crucial that this application was aligned with the kingdom’s business capabilities (like improving customer engagement). The CRM also needed to flow seamlessly with the kingdom’s data domains, such as customer data, ensuring that valuable insights were shared across departments. The underlying technology—whether it was cloud infrastructure or servers—had to support this application’s scalability, and performance metrics would need to be in place to measure its success.

Argo explained that this integration would allow the kingdom’s leaders to trace every decision and action back to the larger goals, creating a cohesive and efficient operation. No longer would the technology, business, data, or application teams work in silos. Instead, they would function as one united force.

As the models were rolled out across the kingdom, something remarkable happened. Teams began to collaborate more effectively. They no longer duplicated efforts or worked on technologies that didn’t align with business goals. Data became a powerful enabler of decision-making, and technology was rationalized to avoid wasteful spending. The kingdom’s leaders could now trace every initiative back to their strategic objectives, allowing them to make better, more informed decisions.

The kingdom of EnterpriseLand thrived like never before, and its people saw the fruits of their labor. The economy grew, customer satisfaction improved, and innovation flourished. The kingdom’s leaders knew that their success was due to the powerful integration of their reference models.

In the end, the kingdom learned an important lesson: When business, data, technology, and applications are aligned, there are no limits to what can be achieved. And with Argo’s vision, EnterpriseLand became a shining example of how reference models, working together as one, could lead to true enterprise agility and success.

And so, the kingdom lived harmoniously ever after, forever thriving under the guidance of their integrated models.

The end.

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Note: See it in action https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/importance-reference-models-creating-connected-enterprise-ahmad-qzt7e/