Business Architecture Practice and Governance Flashcards
Is the goal to leverage business architecture to facilitate strategic planning, address executive priorities, deliver customer value, leverage investments in major initiatives, and deploy horizontal solutions across business units?
Determine Business Architecture Objectives (Fundamental Question)
Is the goal to use business architecture as away to address tactical business requirements?
Determine Business Architecture Objectives (Fundamental Question)
Addressing merger, acquisition, divestiture, or similar organizational streamlining or consolidation
Determine Business Architecture Objectives (strategies, issues, and challenges)
Managing holistic views of product and service delivery across business partners
Determine Business Architecture Objectives (strategies, issues, and challenges)
Streamlining policy management across disparate or partially autonomous division
Determine Business Architecture Objectives (strategies, issues, and challenges)
Comparing and evaluating core capabilities against competitors
Determine Business Architecture Objectives (strategies, issues, and challenges)
Creating a common, highly transparent view of customers and other stakeholders
Determine Business Architecture Objectives (strategies, issues, and challenges)
Increasing the consistency and integrity of operational and executive information
Determine Business Architecture Objectives (strategies, issues, and challenges)
Determining the impact of regulatory or related compliance across business units
Determine Business Architecture Objectives (strategies, issues, and challenges)
Recognizing, harvesting, and delivering improved innovation to customer
Determine Business Architecture Objectives (strategies, issues, and challenges)
Executive issues not getting addressed due to inability to communicate requirements to solution teams
Communicate Business Value (salient issues)
Stakeholder/customer issues related to misalignment of concepts or terminology
Communicate Business Value (salient issues)
Multiple business units delivering conflicting information
Communicate Business Value (salient issues)
Inability to synchronize information due to conflicting vocabulary
Communicate Business Value (salient issues)
Issues related to multiple teams working at cross-purposes and delivering poorly synchronized results
Communicate Business Value (salient issues)
Failures related to miscommunication or inarticulate requirements
Communicate Business Value (salient issues)
Cost of developing business requirements that are not delivering results
Communicate Business Value (salient issues)
Issues related to executive reporting or synchronization of financial information
Communicate Business Value (salient issues)
Focus on high payback areas where costs or uncontrolled growth are spiraling
Communicate Business Value (Executive focus area)
Identify one or more customer related opportunities that are high on the priority list
Communicate Business Value (Executive focus area)
Review governance issues impacting how well the organization performs
Communicate Business Value (Executive focus area)
Empower teams to seek cross-disciplinary solutions where required to address issues
Communicate Business Value (Executive focus area)
Investment and initiative planning that leverages value streams and capabilities as a way to clarify scope and focus
Assess Opportunities to Leverage Business Architecture (step to achieving early value)
Analysis of business value for projects based on capability and value related improvements driven by business strategy
Assess Opportunities to Leverage Business Architecture (step to achieving early value)
Positioning and communicating business priorities using business architecture terminology and concepts
Assess Opportunities to Leverage Business Architecture (step to achieving early value)
Globalization efforts to realign the regionally focused enterprise
Assess Opportunities to Leverage Business Architecture (high visibility initiatives)
Shifting to a customer focused, versus product line or regionally focused, business model
Assess Opportunities to Leverage Business Architecture (high visibility initiatives)
Business unit consolidation and realignment
Assess Opportunities to Leverage Business Architecture (high visibility initiatives)
Establishment of a joint venture or business capability outsourcing
Assess Opportunities to Leverage Business Architecture (high visibility initiatives)
Should be put in place early, but must be based on the premise of business ownership, business sponsorship, and representation from essential business areas
Establish Business Architecture Governance Structure
Should be established prior to moving too quickly in subsequent stages of deployment
Establish Business Architecture Governance Structure
The capability map is the one foundational aspect of business architecture that readily maps to each of the other foundational aspects: organization, value, and information
Establish Business Architecture Baseline (capability map as a foundation)
Capability maps establish a common vocabulary upon which to base information maps
Establish Business Architecture Baseline (capability map as a foundation)
Capability maps take the most time to establish yet provide the most comprehensive view of what a business does at its core
Establish Business Architecture Baseline (capability map as a foundation)
Capabilities offer the most flexible mapping to the extended business architecture as well as IT application architecture
Establish Business Architecture Baseline (capability map as a foundation)
Identifying pressing business issues that leverage the business architecture
Leverage Business Architecture in Initiative Planning (activities)
Using the business architecture to establish the project scope for each of these initiatives
Leverage Business Architecture in Initiative Planning (activities)
Using the business architecture to establish the project scope for each of these initiatives
Leverage Business Architecture in Initiative Planning (activities)
Updating capability and value stream stage heat map ratings
Expand Business Architecture (activities)
Adding increasingly detailed views to various maps
Expand Business Architecture (activities)
Evolving the organization map
Expand Business Architecture (activities)
Incorporating new information concepts
Expand Business Architecture (activities)
Extending business architecture into other areas as required
Expand Business Architecture (activities)
Refinement of the business architecture to reflect ongoing business transformation and related changes
Refine Business Architecture Governance & Deployment (activities)
More detailed capability mapping based on emerging scenarios and transformation requirements
Refine Business Architecture Governance & Deployment (activities)
Additional and more granular value mapping / capability mapping
Refine Business Architecture Governance & Deployment (activities)
Expanded or more detailed mappings across business architecture and business-to-IT architecture
Refine Business Architecture Governance & Deployment (activities)
Use of business architecture on an increasingly broadening set of business transformation scenarios
Refine Business Architecture Governance & Deployment (activities)
Expanded use of business architecture in strategy and roadmap creation, budgeting and funding, and partner and outsourcing alignment
Refine Business Architecture Governance & Deployment (activities)
Must be in a senior leadership role within the business (not IT).
Business Sponsor:
It is very difficult to build a capability map without this role because capability naming, definition development, validation, socialization, and utilization all hit roadblocks
Business Sponsor:
Effort should be led by a business lead or at a minimum a business architect with deep business knowledge.
Business Lead:
The important factor is for someone from the business to be the face of the business architecture effort
Business Lead:
There should always be this role, who can facilitate working sessions, refine the capability mapping, and help socialise the map.
Business Co-Lead:
This person must be from a business unit that represents a mainstream aspect of the business.
Business Co-Lead:
The team will need to have a core set of representatives with knowledge of all major aspects of the business.
Core Subject Matter Experts:
The focus for these individuals is to map out as much of the customer-facing and selected strategic capabilities as possible.
Core Subject Matter Experts:
Well-versed in capability mapping and business architecture in general.
Mentor:
Does not lead working sessions, he or she would participate in these sessions and work behind the scenes to ensure that the team leverages and benefits from best practices.
Mentor:
Specialise in the knowledge, information and wisdom needs of the organisation.
Information Architects
Trained in techniques for modelling business information and linking it to the other viewpoints of the business architecture.
Information Architects
Experts on data modelling and organising enterprise data for a variety of scenarios.
Data Architects
Do not have the business knowledge or access to business professionals required to create the information map from a business perspective.
Data Architects
Live within a subject area typically defined by a common capability.
Data Stewards
May already have completed some of the groundwork required to align terms and definitions across a given area, which is typically defined by a level one capability.
Data Stewards
Are responsible for the quality of the data they represent.
Data Stewards
Act as conduits between business and IT and typically are experienced in the subject area
Data Champions
Have knowledge of who would be engaged to ensure that the all parties have bought into various terms and definitions.
Data Champions
Ensuring the effective delivery of a viable, robust business architecture requires that
Certain roles are filled.
Because business architecture is owned by the business, sponsorship must be established
Within the business.
Building sponsorship is often done incrementally with one business executive
Coming on board and working to “sell” his or her colleagues on the concept.
When __ or __ are under- represented in a multiline organisation, the value of the business architecture is greatly diminished.
Product lines or divisions
A team attempting to build executive support for business architecture could approach ___, ___, or ___.
An executive steering committee, senior portfolio team, or a team of business executives that own the role of strategic planning and transformation.
Creating robust, viable business architecture requires (2)
Business knowledge and business credibility.
A business architecture team should be led by business leaders with
Roots and reporting responsibility in the business.
Business Architecture team leadership in this scenario does not imply that individuals dictate __, __, or __ but rather facilitate, communicate, and motivate.
Direction, content, or approach
Business Architecture team leadership in this scenario does not imply that individuals dictate direction, content, or approach but rather (3)
Facilitate, communicate, and motivate.
Co-leadership addresses practical challenges of (3)
Timing, parallel commitments, and division of labor.
Options are based on team dynamics and should not be dictated by anyone outside the team if possible.
Business Architecture team leadership
This role should be taken into consideration when selecting a team leader.
Executive communication
The business architecture team requires a core team of business professionals with
Knowledge of all major aspects of the business.
Mainstream business units should have representation for all essential aspects of
Major customer facing capabilities and value streams.
There are two kinds of business architecture team participants:
“Core” and “virtual”
Are expected to participate in drafting level 1 and 2 capabilities and also expected to be at any meeting that crosses into their subject area.
Core participants
Core participants are expected to participate in
Drafting level 1 and 2 capabilities
Core participants are expected to be at
Any meeting that crosses into their subject area.
Virtual team members are engaged
As required.
One test to see if a business unit should have core versus virtual participation is to determine ___ if these business units are excluded from certain mapping activities.
What type of analysis gaps are created
One test to see if a business unit should have core versus virtual participation is to determine what type of analysis gaps are created ___ if these business units are excluded from certain mapping activities.
For customer facing capabilities and externally focused value streams
Business architecture team leads and subject matter experts should focus their time and energy on establishing a robust business architecture that
Establishes a common business vocabulary that is recognised and leveraged across business units.
Should focus their time and energy on establishing a robust business architecture that establishes a common business vocabulary that is recognised and leveraged across business units.
Business architecture team leads and subject matter experts
The mapping and governance expert assembles and organises
Analysis results into a formal knowledgebase
The mapping and governance expert can develop the formal and ad hoc blueprints required to
Communicate and leverage business architecture with a wide variety of stakeholders.
The person in this role should have expertise in standard capability, value, organization, and information mapping as well as the ability to expand these views so they align to various extended views of business architecture.
Architecture Mapping Expert
The person in this role should have the ability to expand foundational views so they align to various extended views of business architecture.
Architecture Mapping Expert
Many organisations lack in-house expertise in building, communicating, and leveraging business architecture and seek
Outside mentoring advice.
Not inherently natural skill for many in-house individuals who more often than not gravitate to the path of least resistance when identifying capabilities.
Creating a capability map
A capability map that does not actually represent capabilities of a business will ___ creating (2)
Destabilize a business architecture long-term, creating redundancies and inconsistencies
Business leaders and subject matter experts serve as facilitators in order to establish (3)
Business ownership, accountability, and expertise
Provides behind-the-scenes guidance related to team building, governance, mapping and blueprint creation.
The mentor
The mentor provides behind-the-scenes guidance related to __, __, __ and __, and integration into strategies, projects, and related architectures.
Team building, governance, mapping and blueprint creation
The mentor provides behind-the-scenes guidance related to team building, governance, mapping and blueprint creation, and integration into (3)
Strategies, projects, and related architectures.
Understanding and establishing the competencies required for the role of business architect is fundamental to the
Successful, value-driving implementation of business architecture
Provide the fundamental starting point from which a business architecture practice can orient and grow within organisations.
Competencies
Based on a sound understanding of the maturity of the organisation, maturity of business architecture within the organisation, and maturity of the individual practitioners.
Successful selection and optimisation of business architecture team competencies
Successful selection and optimisation of business architecture team competencies is based on a sound understanding of the maturity of (3)
Maturity of the organisation, maturity of business architecture within the organisation, and maturity of the individual practitioners.
Such a team provides the horizontal vision necessary to direct and benefit from business architecture
Strategy and Transformation Team
May be considered the primary customer of the business architecture team.
Strategy and Transformation Team
Provides the team with insight into complex horizontal business challenges and the ability to deliver value to the business.
Executive access
Along with principles, the centre of excellence should also establish a
Clear purpose for business architecture
Often called the “elevator pitch”
Clear purpose for business architecture
Participation in business mapping is appropriate to the breadth of topic areas being mapped.
Sample business architecture team principle
Mapping efforts align by capability, value stream, information, or other views.
Sample business architecture team principle
Mapping participants have firsthand knowledge of the portions of the business being
mapped.
Sample business architecture team principle
Blueprint structure and composition is appropriate to the audience of the blueprint.
Sample business architecture team principle
Overriding driver is cross-business unit / cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Sample business architecture team principle
Scope of the business architecture is defined by the scope of the business.
Sample business architecture team principle
There is open exchange of information and ideas with all areas of the business.
Sample business architecture team principle
Models, ideas, concepts, and plans are open to all participants unless it violates privacy, confidentiality, or security.
Sample business architecture team principle
The first task of a business architecture team should involve establishing a governance structure that enables
The team to meet management’s mandate while further allowing the team to scale up or down as appropriate.
The success of the business architecture effort revolves around ensuring that
The proper degree of representation is involved in build out efforts.
Firsthand knowledge requires
Direct business participation as appropriate to the topics being mapped.
Firsthand knowledge is required to
Establish a business architecture that embodies a true reflection of the business.
The importance of virtual business architects increases in direct proportion to
The size and regional spread of the business.
Large, geographically dispersed organisations will face a
Longer, more challenging road to achieving business architecture maturity
Adherence to basic governance principles become increasingly important in these situations.
Large, geographically dispersed organisations
Ability to look beyond traditional business concepts and drill to the heart of a given concept
Basic skills for the business architect include (1/6):
The drive to introspectively challenge traditional terminology when it does not accurately depict an aspect of the business, is misleading or inconsistent
Basic skills for the business architect include (2/6):
Communication skills to create and socialize the business architecture
Basic skills for the business architect include (3/6):
Business subject area expertise appropriate to the role and areas being mapped
Basic skills for the business architect include (4/6):
Basic understanding of blueprint structures necessary for capability, organization, value, and information mapping
Basic skills for the business architect include (5/6):
Patience to work collaboratively to ensure that the business architecture truly reflects the business
Basic skills for the business architect include (6/6):
Team leaders must have advanced
Mapping skills along with the ability to facilitate working sessions
Team leaders must collaborate with
Other teams and management, and communicate with executives.
Team leaders become the face of the team in many cases and must have
Good overall communication skills.
Business unit business architects must have
even more extensive knowledge of certain subject areas within the business
Business unit business architects must the ability to
Identify and engage with an extended body of subject matter experts within a given business area.
These business unit business architects must be experts in
Subject matters unique to their business units or have direct access to those subject matter experts.
Must have detailed, extensive skills in capability, organisation, value, and information mapping.
The business architecture mapping expert
Must be able to incorporate capabilities, business unit, aspects of value maps, and information concepts into extended and customised blueprints as required by a given business scenario.
The business architecture mapping expert
This role runs along a spectrum with the ability to communicate and collaborate across teams being an overriding skill factor
The business architect
The focus of this is business architect role outcomes, which define the role of business architect.
The Business Architect Competency Model
Provide the necessary link between the activities the business architect has to perform and the specific views of value within the business that are considered essential by executives.
Outcomes
The way to use __ is to first understand the perceptions of value as described by the needs of executives, and then to determine the consequent role outcomes that are required to satisfy these needs.
The Business Architect Competency Model
Business architect role activities are usually quite specific to a given
Business, industry, maturity, and strategic context
Are usually quite specific to a given business, industry, maturity, and strategic context.
Business architect role activities
Will, to a large extent, remain the same.
Role outcomes
The business architect competencies consist of three different categories of skills:
Business knowledge & experience
Emotional intelligence & behavioural skills
Professional skills & qualifications
Contribute to business architect competency
Business knowledge & experience, emotional intelligence & behaviours, and professional skills & qualifications
Is applied to business architect role activities, which drive business architecture role outcomes that deliver business value.
Business architect competency
Drive business architecture role outcomes that deliver business value.
Business architect role activities
Deliver business value.
Business architecture role outcomes
It is easier to communicate the value of a business architect to executives
Advantage of using a Business Architect Competency Model
It is easier for a business architect to understand the expectations placed upon them
Advantage of using a Business Architect Competency Model
It is easier to identify the relevance of training and development with respect to the role.
Advantage of using a Business Architect Competency Model
- Decision Alignment – Executive decisions have to be aligned up and down the decision tree to be effective.
Core outcomes of a Business Architect Competency Model (1/4)
Executive decisions have to be aligned up and down the decision tree to be effective.
- Decision Alignment (Business Architect Competency Model Core outcome)
- Strategic Business Alignment – The business has to be aligned to strategy.
Core outcomes of a Business Architect Competency Model (1/4)
The business has to be aligned to strategy.
- Strategic Business Alignment (Business Architect Competency Model Core outcome)
- Business Transparency – It should be possible to understand the causality within the
business.
Core outcomes of a Business Architect Competency Model (3/4)
It should be possible to understand the causality within the
business.
- Business Transparency (Business Architect Competency Model Core outcome)
- Stakeholder Satisfaction – Stakeholder buy-in needs to be achieved and maintained so that results can be achieved.
Core outcomes of a Business Architect Competency Model (4/4)
Stakeholder buy-in needs to be achieved and maintained so that results can be achieved.
- Stakeholder Satisfaction (Business Architect Competency Model Core outcome)
This model works as a foundation onto which extensions from a business architecture “competencies & skills palette” can be applied.
Business Architect Competency Model
