What is enterprise architecture? A framework for transformation

What is enterprise architecture?

Enterprise architecture (EA) is the practice of analyzing, designing, planning, and implementing enterprise analysis to successfully execute on business strategies. EA helps organizations structure IT projects and policies to achieve desired business results, stay agile and resilient in the face of rapid change, and stay on top of industry trends and disruptions using architecture principles and practices, a process also known as enterprise architectural planning (EAP).

Modern EA strategies now extend this philosophy to the entire business, not just IT, to ensure the business is aligned with digital transformation strategies and technological growth. EA is especially useful for large businesses going through transformation, because it focuses on bringing legacy processes and applications together to form a more seamless environment.

Goals of enterprise architecture

EA is guided by the organization’s business requirements by helping to lay out how information, business, and technology flow together. This has become a priority for businesses trying to keep up with new technologies such as the cloud, IoT, machine learning, and other emerging trends that will prompt digital transformation.

The process is driven by a “comprehensive picture of an entire enterprise from the perspectives of owner, designer, and builder,” according to the Enterprise Architecture Body of Knowledge (EABOK). Unlike other frameworks, EA doesn’t include a formal documentation structure but is intended to offer a more holistic view of the enterprise.

Another main priority with EA is agility and ensuring your EA strategy has a strong focus on agility and agile adoption. With a solid EA strategy, companies can better weather complex and fast-moving change, and even put your organization in a position to thrive during turbulent times.

In a survey from Bizzdesign of over 500 EA professionals, nearly half of organizations agree that EA programs help support better alignment of capabilities with strategy, and 30% of organizations plan to measure outcomes to demonstrate the direct benefits of enterprise architecture.  

A good EA strategy considers the latest innovations in business processes, organizational structure, agility, information systems, and technologies. It’ll also include standard language and best practices for business processes, including analyzing where processes can be integrated or eliminated throughout the organization. The goal of any good EA strategy is to improve the efficiency, timeliness, and reliability of business information. Of course, to implement any EA strategy, you’ll also need to ensure you have buy-in from other executives and stakeholders.

EA and its goals however, are constantly evolving. According to the Bizzdesign survey, the top priorities to improve the impact of EA this year include improving communication about the value of EA to the business (45%) as well as improving the development and adoption of EA processes (45%). Other priorities include deliver more strategic insights (42%), measure outcomes to demonstrate the value of EA to the business (30%), and invest in additional EA resources, training, and certification (27%).

Benefits of enterprise architecture

There are several benefits to EA, including resiliency and adaptability, managing supply chain disruptions, staff recruitment and retention, improved product and service delivery, and tracking data and APIs. EA can offer support for redesigns and reorganization, especially during major organizational changes, mergers, or acquisitions. It’s also useful for bringing more discipline into the organization by standardizing and consolidating processes for more consistency.

Bizzdesign also asked respondents what outcomes their EA program aims to support, and the top response was sustainability. As organizations adapt to the fast-paced rise of AI, which has increased energy costs and sparked conversations about sustainability as AI puts new demands on IT and architecture teams, EA can help navigate adjustments and plan for increased costs.

After sustainability, the top outcomes included identification of innovation opportunities, faster innovation and time to market, better business agility, and better business continuity. Additionally, EA can support improved business goals around customer experience and retention, IT performance and operational resilience, business insights, collaboration, cost saving, risk and compliance, and investment decisions.

EA is also used in systems development, IT management and decision-making, and IT risk management to eliminate errors, system failures, and security breaches. It can also help businesses navigate complex IT structures or make IT more accessible to other business units.

Enterprise architecture methodologies

EA can appear vague as a framework because it’s meant to address the entire organization instead of individual needs, problems, or business units. Therefore, several more specific frameworks have evolved to help companies effectively implement and track EAP, including the following four leading EA methodologies, according to CompTIA:

• The Open Group Architectural Framework: TOGAF provides principles for designing, planning, implementing, and governing enterprise IT architecture. The TOGAF framework helps businesses create a standardized approach to EA with a common vocabulary, recommended standards, compliance methods, suggested tools and software and a method to define best practices. The TOGAF framework is widely popular as an enterprise architect framework, and according to The Open Group, it’s been adopted by more than 80% of the world’s leading enterprises.
• The Zachman Framework for Enterprise Architecture: This framework is named after one of the original founders of EA and it’s another popular methodology. It’s better understood as a taxonomy, according to CompTIA, and it spans six architectural focal points and six primary stakeholders to help standardize and define the IT architecture components and outputs.
• Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework: FEAF was introduced in 1996 as a response to the Clinger-Cohen act, which brought in mandates for IT effectiveness in federal agencies. It’s designed for the US government, but it can also be applied to private companies that want to use the framework.
• Gartner: After acquiring The Meta Group in 2005, Gartner established best practices for EAP and adapted them into the company’s general consulting practices. While it’s not an individual framework, CompTIA recognizes it as a practical methodology that focuses on business outcomes with few explicit steps or components.

Other EA methodologies include the European Space Agency Architectural Framework (ESA-AF), the Ministry of Defence Architecture Framework (MODAF), and the SAP Enterprise Architecture Framework, among many others. These frameworks specifically steer to individual industries or products, targeting more of a niche market than the more generalized EA methodologies listed above.

Enterprise architect role

Enterprise architects typically report to the CIO or other IT managers. They’re responsible for analyzing business structures and processes to see that they align with business goals effectively and efficiently. As an enterprise architect, you’ll also be responsible to ensure these structures and processes are agile and durable so they can swiftly adapt and withstand major change.

It’s a lucrative role, with a reported average salary of $154,162 per year, and salary range of $108,000 to $224,000 per year, according to data from PayScale. Enterprise architects often go on to work as a CTO, software engineer, development director, or CIO.

To become an enterprise architect, you’ll need an undergraduate degree in computer science, IT, or a related field, and at least 10 years of experience in IT or a related field. You’ll also need hands-on experience working with computer systems, hard drives, mainframes, and other architecture technology. Enterprise architects also need several soft skills to succeed, including communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, leadership, and teamwork.

According to PayScale, the most reported hard skills for an IT enterprise architect include Microsoft SharePoint Server, AI, Microsoft Azure, data warehouse, business intelligence, data modeling, strategy development, enterprise solutions, enterprise application integration, and software architecture.

For more see, 7 traits of successful enterprise architecture.

Enterprise architecture tools and software

Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint are the two most basic tools you’ll use for EAP. However, there are other third-party tools and software suites that can help you create advanced EA strategies for your business.

There are also plenty of ways to integrate EA tools into your organization so they support other systems and processes in the business. In the Bizzdesign survey, respondents were asked which systems and content types were integrated into the company’s EA management tools, and IT service management tools (40%), configuration management database (CMDB) (27%), project and agile management tools (18%), project portfolio management tools (22%), and business process management tools (24%) were among the top five responses.

According to data from Gartner Peer Insights, some of the popular options currently on the market include Orbus Software, SAP LeanIX Enterprise Architecture, Horizzon, Mega Hopex, and Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect.

For a deeper look, see Top enterprise architecture tools.

Enterprise architecture certifications

There are several certifications you can earn to demonstrate your EA skills, including more specific certifications that focus on cloud and security architecture. Certifying your EA skills, knowledge, and abilities demonstrates to organizations that you’re familiar and have experience with EA frameworks, tools, software, and best practices.

Whether you want to focus on cloud, applications, software, or other areas of EA, one or more of these 15 certifications will help strengthen your résumé.