A Day in the Life of an Enterprise Architect (Role Play Exercise) 2016
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The document outlines the roles and responsibilities of enterprise, solution, and technical architects within an organization, emphasizing their influence on technology investment and governance. It presents a case study of a multinational engine manufacturing company facing decisions on transitioning to a new Oracle ERP system versus upgrading existing systems, highlighting the differing viewpoints of stakeholders and architects. The document concludes with a role-play exercise designed to facilitate discussion on the architects' daily decision-making processes and the importance of collaborative evaluation.
A Day in the Life of an Enterprise Architect (Role Play Exercise) 2016
- 1. A Day in the Life of an Enterprise Architect Daljit Roy Banger MSc FBCS 14th Nov 2016 Role Play Exercise
- 2. Part I Context (10-15 Mins ) Architecture Roles / Responsibility – Enterprise – Solution – Technical Services Touch Points / Enterprise Architecture Control, Inform & Direct Engagement Model (Projects/Programmes) Interactions Part II The Role Play (45 Mins ) Setting the Scene The Task… ARB Discussion Agenda
- 3. Part I - Context
- 4. Roles & Responsibility (EA) • Strategic input into the technology roadmaps of the organisation – shape, form and stabilise • Influence decision makers on technology investment – current & future • Provide systems consultancy, guidance and assurance to large Programmes • Review and assure Solution Designs produced both internally and by 3rd party suppliers • Ensure that governance mechanisms such as review boards, principles, etc. are maintained and supported • Police the standards through Project and Programme engagement • Represent the organisation with 3rd parties, for example Systems Integrators and Standards bodies • Understand the impact of the introduction of new technology into the technology landscape of the organisation. Enterprise Architects maintain the organisational abstract view, with a primary objective to ensure that the technology landscape is aligned to the strategic, operational and tactical goals of the organisation.
- 5. Roles & Responsibility (SA&TA) Solution Architects work with/in Projects and Programmes to provide systems consultancy services, impact assessments, end-to-end designs, cost models.. Solution Architects work within the Projects and Programmes to deliver the following architectural services: • Manage the ‘cradle to grave’ – from conception through to delivery into production of solution architectures • Design both the physical and logical components of solution architectures that will deliver a positive business outcome • Work with Project Managers to provide provisional costs for the components of the architecture • Technical Analysis and Design capabilities • Business and technical requirements capture, when required • Facilitate design workshops • Validate designs / costs produced by 3rd parties wishing to sell systems to the organisation. Technical Architects deliver the lower level of technical design, based on high-level component solution designs and costs provided by the Solution Architects. Technical Architect work with projects and the BAU organisation to provide some of the following ; •Delivering technical designs and standards and the associated approvals from the formal governance channels. •Understanding the technology estate and the encapsulated technology components of the organisation •Providing technical recommendations and options based on solution designs which can cost-effectively be realised in the production environment •Mitigating any technical risks that could occur through the introduction of new technology into the landscape of the organisation •Providing input into the appropriate innovation funnels for the analysis of new technology •Keeping abreast of technology trends, attending industry events to ensure product roadmaps are understood by the Solution and Enterprise Architects. •Ensuring that production acceptance for projects is delivered and managed.
- 6. • Enterprise Architects maintain a macro abstract organisational view, together with the understanding of the key business drivers and potential drivers for change and the effect that these drivers may have on the technology landscape of the organisation. • Solution Architects maintain a macro project view and deliver an end-to-end architecture in which they outline the key components (physical and logical) necessary to design a solution that meets requirements. • Technical Architects maintain a micro view of the technical components that will be deployed to realise the solution design and often act as the true ‘guardians’ of the technology estate. Architectural Mindset
- 7. Services/Touchpoints of Enterprise Architecture
- 8. Part II - Role Play
- 9. – Our Business o We are a Swiss owned multi-national engine manufacturing company with plants in the US, Europe, China and the Middle East. o Market entry into our core has high barriers to entry, however due to economies of scale and strong localised brand we remain competitive o We are asset rich, cash flow is affected by currency volatility. o We have a flat management structure in Middle East and China. o We have a large retail / distribution / sales(parts) network o We have a wide range of sales channels – Call Centres in Malaysia, India and Poland. o We have several contracts with the Large Integrators and providers o TCO of our Technology is 20% above the industry Average – Our Technology • We operate a multitude of MES systems in the regions • We have centralised on ERP systems • In US and Europe our systems are Mainframe based System. • We have a global interconnected MPLS network • We currently host all of our own systems • System Lifecycle is in years not months – Our People • Ageing IT Population Based in Europe / US • Outsourced Application Maintenance to Off shore (India/Malaysian) companies • Systems Poorly Documented • Skilled workforce in China / Middle East. – Our Architectural Community • Geographically Dispersed Culturally diverse Community • No reference Architectures per domain • Solution Architects / Projects / technical Community Have the power • Agile methods adopted in Europe / China / US Setting the Scene
- 10. The Issue… The EA Team have set a direction for a new Oracle ERP (Linux) System across the globe which will be funded by the individual regions, if everyone is in agreement. The non European Businesses feel that this cost will impact their trading figures for years and have asked the Solution Architects to propose an alternative , who have proposed an upgrade to the existing SAP Mainframe / Windows Systems The Technical Architects have proposed a tactical switch i.e. moving the SAP Systems off host onto a Linux Platform as they feel the platform is more superior . The Business Stakeholder wants to do nothing and ‘sweat the assets’ However a member of the Swiss Board has an associate who has offered to outsource everything (Platform as a Service) to China and manage everything up to the O/S except the applications, connections, security and operations.
- 11. Source : Unknown Architectural Mindset Contd..
- 12. We will now Break into 4 Groups. These are ; Architectural Review Board Enterprise Architect Solution Architect Technical Architect We will also have a Business Stakeholder (nominated individual) The Task… Each Group will spend 10 mins to decide on key points (from their viewpoint) that they wish to address with the other groups ( strengths / weaknesses) and then bring these to the ARB. The ARB Group will spend the 10 mins to consider the ‘criteria for evaluation’ All parties will present to the ARB. At the end of the presentation – we will discuss/evaluate the role that a EA must play in his/her daily life to ensure that certain situations are avoided …(Political, Technical , Funding)
- 13. Bespoke notes for the ARB Group
- 14. Enterprise View Project / Solution View Technical View 3 conflicting view points presented to the board Architectural Review Board Architectural Review Board Single ‘Agreed’ unified view point presented Business Case tech debt management ? Reuse Innovation Project impact do ability Exercise Expected Outcome……
- 15. Website : www.s-ea-t.com (Tools, Papers Downloads) Blog : https://dalbanger.wordpress.com/ Email : dal@s-ea-t.com Thank You
Editor's Notes
- #3: The purpose of today's session is to revisit some core concepts around Enterprise Architecture and highlight what success should look like. We shall Revisit What it is Enterprise Architecture is and is meant to deliver Discuss the characteristics of a successful Enterprise Architecture practice Discuss observations from existing clients and highlight the progress to date. Have a Open Forum discussion around the way forward on delivering and promoting Enterprise Services