Architecting for the enterprise scope

Architecture elaborated to master the overall enterprise business are typically:

• Architecture of the enterprise itself. The enterprise is therefore analysed with a systemic approach from the enterprise internal and external stakeholders’ viewpoints. This allows formalising the enterprise processes, roles, information system(s), assets, etc.

• Architectures used by the programmes and the projects of the enterprise in order to deliver the enterprise systems/products required by internal and external contracts.

In both cases these architectures provide directions and guidance for the enterprise programmes and projects in charge of developing and maintaining either the enterprise itself or the enterprise systems/products.

These architectures have to be considered as an input for enterprise governance.

Overview of the Enterprise Architecting activities

Note: For governance activities, it is highly recommended to consider COBIT¹ and ISO 38500² in addition to NAF chapter 2.

Enterprise Architecting activities

Enterprise: Architecture Landscape (AL)

Objectives

• To formalise the organisational context where the enterprise architecture activities take place.
• To identify the stakeholders of the enterprise architectures and their related activities, with their expectations.
• To define the constraining enterprise architecture principles.
• To define the enterprise architecture process with roles, responsibilities, work-products and workflow.
• To define the capabilities for enterprise architecture work.
• To get a commitment on the enterprise architecture process and usage of its outcomes.

Tasks

• Identify the sponsors and the stakeholders for the enterprise Architectures.
• Formalise the architecture principles and process consistently with the enterprise directives and the other enterprise processes.
• Establish the enterprise architecture landscape.
• Define the technical and human capabilities for architecture work: methodologies, tools, skills and competencies, etc.
• Establish enterprise architecture team and organisation.
• Validate architecture principles, process and capabilities with the Stakeholders.

Inputs

• Enterprise strategy, policies, direction and guidance.
• Enterprise motivation model: business principles, business goals, and business, driver, etc.
• Agreement on NAF usage, with possibly some other working references.

Outputs

• Enterprise architecture processes and the associated organisational model for enterprise architecture activities, with definition of workflows and roles.
• Tailored NATO Architecture Framework, including enterprise architecture principles.
• Usable enterprise architecture landscape breakdown structure, including libraries and repositories.
• Rationale for compliance to enterprise motivation data (business principles, business goals, business drivers, etc.).
• Assumption for architecture governance and management.

Recommended views

• NAF v3 formalism:

  • NAV-1 to 2, NAV-3³.

• NAF v4 Grid cells

  • A1 to 7.

Stakeholders

• The expectations related to the enterprise architecture activities are provided by the stakeholders, i.e. any people having concerns about the enterprise architecture related activities.
• The enterprise architecture landscape is proposed by the board of enterprise architects.
• Outputs are agreed by the enterprise architecture governance board.

Enterprise: Architecture Vision (AV)

Objectives

For a particular cycle of architecture activities:

• To review the list of the stakeholders for the architected entity.
• To formalise and update the key-requirements and constraints from the architecture stakeholders.
• To get the updated architecture vision.
• To plan the architecture activities to be performed for the architecting cycle.
• To check the coherency by other enterprise architecture activities on other enterprise architectures and other possible parallel architecture cycles.
• To get approval to the architecture management plans and outcomes.

Tasks

• Identify the stakeholders for this cycle, with their concerns, and key- requirements.
• Confirm or update the enterprise architecture principles.
• Check and update the enterprise business motivation data against these key-requirements.
• Develop and update the architecture vision (key-views) per main stakeholder viewpoints.
• Estimate the impact on the enterprise transformation plan: risks, cost, value and opportunities.
• Develop enterprise architecture management plans and statement of architecture work.
• Review the architecture vision and plans with the stakeholders.

Inputs

• Request for the enterprise architecture evolution.
• Enterprise motivation data.
• Organisational model for enterprise architecture.
• Pre-existing enterprise architecture vision.
• Enterprise architecture landscape.

Outputs

• Updated approved architecture vision.
• Approved plans and statements of work.
• Updated architecture principles.
• Updated enterprise motivation data.

Recommended views

• NAF v3 formalism:
  • NAV-1 to 3.
  • A consistent set of NAV-1, NOV-1, NCV-1, NSV-1 and NSOV-1.
• NAF v4 Grid cells:
  • A3, Ar.
  • C5.
  • Cr, Sr, Lr, Pr.
  • C1, S1, L1, P1, A1.
  • A2 (Architecture Context Diagram (ACD)), L2, C2.

Stakeholders

• The expectations regarding the enterprise architectures are provided by the stakeholders, i.e. any people having concerns about the enterprise architectures.
• The enterprise architecture vision is proposed by the board of enterprise architects.
• Outputs are agreed by the enterprise architecture governance board.

Enterprise: Architecture Description (AD)

Objectives

• To validate the viewpoints with respect to their concerns of the stakeholders.
• To provide one or several alternatives of description for an enterprise architecture through these viewpoints.
• To get an agreement of the alternatives of enterprise architectures.

Tasks

• Analyse the description objectives from the enterprise architecture vision.
• Refine the list of stakeholders and their concerns with regards to the enterprise motivation data.
• Provide rationale for each choice of alternatives.
• Refine the architecture viewpoints from the architecture vision for the alternatives.
• Perform gap analysis between the enterprise architecture vision and the enterprise architecture description.
• Check the enterprise architecture landscape for the architecture description.
• Select, describe or update the relevant architecture views according to the viewpoint and concerns.
• Trace the architecture views against the enterprise motivation data elements.
• Finalise and review the enterprise architectures with the stakeholders.
• Create architecture definition document for this iteration.

Inputs

• Request for architecture work with a statement of work.
• Enterprise architecture vision (list of stakeholders, concerns, viewpoints, Architecture overview).
• Enterprise motivation data.
• Architecture principles.
• Pre-existing enterprise architecture description in the enterprise architecture repositories.
• Enterprise architecture landscape.

Outputs

• Reviewed described alternatives for the enterprise architectures.
• Traceability between the enterprise architecture views and enterprise motivation data elements.
• Architecture definition document.
• Gaps with regards to enterprise architecture vision (and proposed evolutions).

Recommended views

• NAF v3 formalism:
  • NCV-1 to 7, NOV-1 to 7.
  • NSV-1 to 12, NSOV-1 to 5, NTV1 to 3.
• NAF v4 Grid cells:
  • C1 to 8, Cr, S1 to 8, Sr, L1 to 8,Lr, P1 to 8, Pr.
  • A1, A2 (ACD), A8.

Stakeholders

• The concerns related to subjects covered by enterprise architectures are provided by the stakeholders, i.e. any people having concerns about the targets and impacts of enterprise architectures.
• The enterprise architecture description is proposed by the board of enterprise architects.
• Outputs are agreed by the enterprise architecture governance board.

Enterprise: Architecture Evaluation (AE)

Objectives

• To formalise the evaluation criteria according to the concerns of the stakeholders.
• To evaluate each candidate enterprise architecture.
• To evaluate the risk, cost, value and opportunities for each enterprise architecture.
• To select the enterprise architectures for application.

Tasks

• Define the evaluation objectives from the enterprise architecture vision.
• Refine the list of stakeholders, their concerns and questions with regards to the enterprise motivation data.
• Define the evaluation criteria from the concerns of the stakeholders, with their relative importance (priorities, weights, etc.).
• Determine techniques, methods and tools for performing the evaluation.
• Evaluate each architecture alternative with collection and understanding of required information (metrics).
• Formulate the findings per architecture alternative.
• Perform trade-off analysis with estimate of risk, cost, value and opportunities.
• Choose the best alternatives of enterprise architectures with rationale against the enterprise motivation data.
• Perform gap analysis between the evaluation objectives and the achieved architecture evaluation.
• Finalise and review the enterprise architecture evaluation results.
• Request for change of the alternatives of architectures as necessary.
• Create architecture evaluation document for this iteration.

Inputs

• Request for architecture work with a statement of work.
• Enterprise architecture vision (list of stakeholders, concerns and questions).
• Enterprise motivation data.
• Architecture principles.
• Pre-existing enterprise architecture. evaluation elements in the enterprise architecture repositories.
• Enterprise architecture landscape.
• Enterprise architectures descriptions.

Outputs

• Reviewed selection of enterprise architectures with assessment of risk, cost, value and opportunities.
• Architecture evaluation document including objectives, criteria, evaluation results and selection.
• Gaps with regards to enterprise architecture vision (gaps with the evaluation objectives).
• Requests for changes of the alternatives of architectures.

Recommended views

Same as Enterprise: Architectures Description (AD)

Stakeholders

• The evaluation criteria related to subjects covered by enterprise architecture are provided by the Stakeholders, i.e. any people having concerns about the targets and impacts of enterprise architectures.
• The evaluation report is proposed by the board of enterprise architects.
• Outputs are agreed by the enterprise architecture governance board.

Enterprise: Plan Migration (PM)

Objectives

• To get updated a roadmap for enterprise projects which progressively apply the enterprise architectures.
• To demonstrate that enterprise transformation satisfies the enterprise motivation data.
• To provide a governance model for application of the enterprise architectures.

Tasks

• Analyse the transformation objectives from the enterprise architecture vision.
• Identify individual projects, with work-products, timing, effort and resources.
• Prioritise the migration projects through the conduct of the enterprise business model validation.
• Build an enterprise transformation roadmap showing how projects implement enterprise architecture through phases and increments.
• Assess the roadmap with cost, benefits, risks and opportunities.
• Create the enterprise transformation plan and review it with the stakeholders.
• State on the evolution of the enterprise architectures.

Inputs

• Request for architecture work with a statement of work.
• Enterprise architecture vision (list of stakeholders and concerns, transformation outline).
• Enterprise motivation data (including policies and rules for transformation).
• Architecture principles.
• Pre-existing enterprise transformation actions.
• Enterprise architecture landscape.

Outputs

• Enterprise transformation plan.
• Portfolio of enterprise projects.
• Architecture contract per project or programme.
• Change requests for enterprise architectures.

Recommended views

• NAF v3 formalism:
  • NPV-1 to 2, (NCV-3, NSV-8, NSV-9), NTV-2
• NAF v4 Grid cells:
  • Cr, Sr, Lr, Pr, Ar.
  • C8, S8, L8, P8, A8.
  • C3
  • Mapping of Lr over Cr (NPV-2)

Stakeholders

• The Enterprise transformation plan is proposed by the board of enterprise architects
• Outputs are agreed by the enterprise architecture governance board

Enterprise: Architecture Governance (AG)

Objectives

• To ensure correct application of the enterprise architectures in the enterprise transformation.
• To provide recommendation towards the governance authority of the enterprise transformation.

Tasks

• Establish directives and guidance for governance of the application of the enterprise architectures.
• Monitor the application of enterprise transformation through reviews of the enterprise projects, organised the governance authority of the enterprise transformation.
• Evaluate the gaps of application with regards to the enterprise transformation plan.
• Direct the application by corrective recommendation given to the governance authority of the enterprise transformation.
• State on the evolution of the enterprise architectures.

Inputs

• Request for architecture work with a statement of work.
• Enterprise architecture vision (governance outline).
• Enterprise motivation data (including policies and rules for transformation).
• Enterprise transformation plan.
• Portfolio of enterprise projects.
• Architecture contract per project or programme.

Outputs

• Governance model (directive and guidance) for application of the enterprise architectures.
• Corrective recommendation for applications of the enterprise architectures.
• Change requests for enterprise architectures.

Recommended views

• NAF v3 formalism:
  • NAV-1, NOV-1, NCV-1, NSV-1, NPV-1 to 2
• NAF v4 Grid cells:
  • A1 to 8, Ar
  • C1 to 2, S1 to 2, L1 to 2, P1 to 2

Tasks

• The governance model is proposed by the board of enterprise architects.
• Outputs are agreed by the enterprise architecture governance board.

Enterprise: Architecture Changes (AC)

Objectives

• To transform the requests for changes into decisions for changes in the enterprise architecture landscape, enterprise architectures, architecture principles and enterprise motivation data.
• To decide on the level of applicability of the enterprise architectures.
• To decide on the need to iterate for one or several enterprise architectures (stop criteria).

Tasks

• Analyse the requests for changes with regards to the current enterprise architecture vision and enterprise motivation data.
• Perform impact analysis of the enterprise architecture landscape, enterprise architectures, architecture principles and enterprise motivation data.
• Define needs for update architecture principles and the enterprise motivation data.
• Define needs for evolution of enterprise architecture landscape.
• Define needs for a new iteration for evolution of one or several enterprise architectures.

Inputs

• Change requests for enterprise architectures.
• Enterprise motivation data.
• Organisation model for enterprise architecture.
• Enterprise architecture vision.
• Enterprise architecture landscape.

Outputs

• Needs for evolution of enterprise architecture landscape.
• Needs for evolution of one or several enterprise architectures.
• Needs for updated architecture principles and change request for the enterprise motivation data evolution.

Recommended views

• NAF v3 formalism:
  • (Inputs) All read-only architecture views
  • (outputs) NAV-1 (decisions)
• NAF v4 Grid cells:
  • A5, A6, A7

Stakeholders

• The needs for evolution are proposed by the board of enterprise architects.
• Outputs are agreed by the enterprise architecture governance board.

Enterprise: Motivation & Dashboard (MD)

Objectives

• To manage a consistent access to the enterprise motivation data.
• To provide consistent architecture dashboard related to activities, enterprise architecture landscape (including enterprise architectures in repositories) and enterprise resources.

Tasks

• Manage updates of the enterprise motivation data asked by the enterprise architecture governance board and those coming from the enterprise architecture stages.
• Analyse enterprise external and internal architectures and architecture elements able to enrich the enterprise Architecture repositories. Update the repositories as necessary.
• Analyse enterprise external and internal references able to enrich enterprise reference libraries. Update the libraries as necessary.
• Monitor the performance of architecture related activities with regards to inputs and output dependencies, work requests, usage of human and technical resources and enterprise architecture landscape.
• Manage a consistent access to enterprise motivation data.
• Report to the enterprise architecture governance board.

Inputs

• Enterprise request for update of the enterprise motivation data.
• Enterprise external and internal architectures and architecture elements.
• Enterprise external and internal references.
• Organisational model for enterprise architecture.
• Enterprise architecture landscape.

Outputs

• Request for update of enterprise architecture landscape.
• Updated enterprise motivation data.
• Report to the enterprise

Recommended views

• NAF v3 formalism
  • NAV-1.
• NAF v4 Grid cells:
  • A1 (meta-description), A7 (meta-description), A5 (content).

Stakeholders

• The enterprise motivation data are proposed by the board of enterprise architects.
• Outputs are agreed by the enterprise architecture governance board.