Enterprise architecture makes a vital contribution to the running of a
large organisation. It was originally developed in order to manage a
rapid growth in the cost and complexity of IT systems, using knowledge
gained from software structure and design. For this reason, enterprise
architecture is often thought of as a component of IT governance.
However, the discipline has evolved and extended its scope. Enterprise
architecture is now about structuring business capabilities and
processes in order to support your long-term business strategy.
Effective application of enterprise architecture will enable you to
improve your productivity and performance. This pocket guide offers you
an invaluable introduction to this business-critical subject. It
explains the function of enterprise architecture within the
organisation, looks at the skills needed within the enterprise
architecture team and provides an overview of the most common enterprise
architecture frameworks. As the author emphasises, enterprise
architecture is not about creating models and designs for their own
sake, but about using these structures to serve the needs of the
business. Benefits to business include: -Make better decisions As a
discipline, enterprise architecture helps companies to understand the
way that their component systems (e.g. security, business continuity or
performance management) all fit together. The pocket guide will show you
how enterprise architecture can lead to better decision making -Improve
business effectiveness Enterprise architecture maintains a holistic view
of the organisation, taking into account different issues, such as
efficient use of resources and reliable delivery of services, and
showing how they relate to one another. This pocket guide explains how
to build up a comprehensive overview of the enterprise that can be used
to assess the trade-offs involved across various domains and priorities.
This will help you to improve your organisation's integration and
effectiveness -Improve your ability to manage risks Enterprise
architecture has an important function in risk management, and can help
your organisation to achieve compliance with regulations, such as
Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) and Basel II -Improve your ability to manage change
Every organisation is being forced to adapt as budgets grow tighter and
new regulations are introduced. By enabling you to understand and map
the interdependencies within your organisation, enterprise architecture
makes it easier for you to work out the most effective solution.
