Navigating the Detours

In a recent seminar, I presented to a room of IT leaders on emerging technologies and enterprise architecture.? One of the leaders used a term that I have used often in the past but had not heard it in a while, “The Shiny Object!”? The “shiny objects” phenomena are surfacing more often with the expansion of Software as a Service (SaaS.) ?Innovative enterprise cultures empower people to find better ways of working.? Unfortunately, these revolutionary ideas can sometimes disrupt the momentum of your strategic roadmap and take you on a detour.??

In case this is a new term for you, a “shiny object” is an enticing new tool, solution, or trend that promises a quick win and immediate benefits often with minimal investment of resources. ?The sales pitch often seems too good to be true, and in my experience, it usually is too good to be true.? There are?many great solutions available today but why do they tend to creep in from the sidelines and how can Enterprise Architecture help avoid them from creating risk in your strategic program? ???

The remainder of this article will assume that as part of your EA strategy you have a blueprint, roadmap(s), modernization projects underway, and you have some degree of architecture oversight or governance boards in place. I chose 3 types of detours I have experienced along with my recommendation on how to manage the disruption when, not if, they happen.

Detour 1 – “FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)”

Strategic programs take years to complete.? Some business leaders get restless waiting for the new capabilities promised by the strategic roadmap. The fear of falling behind in the race for digital transformation can lead to hasty decisions or changes in course. The desire to keep up with competitors can cloud judgment and push you toward detours.??It is possible that GenerativeAI is the shiniest new tool in a while, and it is stirring up questions about strategic investments you already have in motion due to the massive hype and promises.

Detour 2 – “Digital Voodoo”

Vendor marketing pitches can be convincing, and sometimes key stakeholders do not fully understand the details before they buy-in to the allure.? I have seen presentations where a vendor or a service provider promises the new solution can be fully functional in a just a few weeks.? Hmmm.? Yes, that assumes the perfect situation where there are limited users, no integration of tools or process, and no data migrations.??You will agree that if you are undergoing a transformation there is technical debt, complexity, and other nuances that will make the installation plan much more difficult than an external party can appreciate.

Detour 3 – “Credibility Debt”

How is the reputation of the I.T. organization in your company? ?Do stakeholders lack confidence in IT's ability to deliver transformative solutions, pushing them to seek external experts?? If there have been prior attempts to launch an ERP or projects chronically overrun, do not expect your business stakeholders to blindly trust you on a new vision or blueprint.? What is going to be different this time?? It will take time to rebuild trust, so be patient.? The reputational debt can be even greater to overcome when “Enterprise Architecture” had become more of an ivory tower think-tank.

Recommendations:

1)???Responding to these challenges can be more art than science so you need to customize and fit your situation.? It is vital for the Enterprise Architect to have a seat at the strategic planning table, remain visible, and portray a confident commitment to the long-term vision outlined in the transformation journey.? Consider these specific action items:

• Before socializing any long-term plans, enterprise architects should secure unanimous C-level endorsement of your blueprint and roadmap to instill confidence and clarity among all your stakeholders at all levels.? Create your strategic plan with clearly defined milestones to continually emphasize that you are making progress towards strategic outcomes.
• Have quarterly routines to review progress with the C-suite and other executive sponsors and allow for the introduction of current ideas.? This creates a manageable intake of "shiny objects" and keeps the conversations about a detour at the top of the organization.
• In your change management and communication strategy, emphasize telling the story (again and again and again) and the critical importance of adhering to the established roadmap for sustainable success until all key leaders see and can describe “what’s in it for them" and the greater good of the enterprise.? Control the narrative!

?2)???There “will” be new hype and technologies emerge so ensure your EA principles acknowledge that you encourage new ideas but with the following constraints:

• A robust vendor assessment process that thoroughly evaluates alignment with your existing architecture and contributions to transformation goals.? Demand a proof of concept (POC) funded by the software vendor to validate compatibility with your EA puzzle.
• Speak with reference accounts that includes business stakeholders (not just IT leaders) and when possible, invite your business stakeholders so they can ask questions.
• Cultivate an environment of skepticism and due diligence when evaluating external solutions, keeping a keen eye on the intricacies of your specific architecture.

?3)???Build and reinforce trust between IT and business stakeholders by delivering value early and routinely directly from the roadmap.? Consider the following:

• Be Humble and Diplomatic.? Acknowledge mistakes but remain convicted in the strategic plan.? Maintain transparent and open lines of communication to address concerns.? Collaborate closely with business units to align technology solutions with their strategic objectives.
• Publicly encourage innovation and creativity since you now have a method to manage the funnel of disruption.? Replace white papers with short memos/blogs about the EA “Point of View” on emerging topics. This will keep EA seen as the authoritative opinion on popular hype and trends.
• Highlight the key differences and learnings from past mistakes to gain confidence and then be patient for trust to gradually rebuild over time.

?

Conclusion

At one point in my career the enterprise architect was a gifted intellectual with mastery in a breath of technologies also adept in authoring white papers on trending topics.? Since there is never a cease in emerging trends, the EA often became the ivory tower persona.

To be effective and remain relevant going forward, enterprise architects must remain aware of emerging trends but more so need to be active, vocal, visible, and engaged in the day-to-day projects to help steer the ship away from architectural detours caused from the inevitable “shiny object.”?