Counterintuitive Enterprise Architecture

If you have spoken to any Chief Architect or a student of Enterprise Architecture, most would advise you to begin your Enterprise Architecture program with the Business Architecture, which is sound advice. The business needs of the organization should drive technical solutions. How could you possibly know what your Technical Architecture should be if you don't know what Business functions it should support? In other words, your Business Architecture should drive your Technical Architecture.

Here's a taste of reality. Most Enterprise Architecture Programs organizationally reside in the IT department. Many IT executives don't understand Enterprise Architecture, or if they do consider it to be purely Technical Architecture.

So how do you create and an adaptive Enterprise Architecture program driven by the business with these constraints? Start with your Technical Architecture!

I know, I know, believe me it hurt me to say it. However, if you want your EA program to survive and eventually provide value to the organization, you need it to be around long enough to do so. I recommend building credibility by first dealing with your Technical Architecture governance, lifecycle, processes, artifacts, etc. By building credibility and documenting your wins with your Technical Architecture, you'll have the breathing room you need to tackle your Business Architecture.