The Profession of the Enterprise Architect
The debate to define enterprise architecture is far from over. If you put four architects in a room, you will likely hear five definitions
by Vineet S. Rajput
Posted May 20, 2004
Ever since the Clinger-Cohen act of 1996 dictated the need for enterprise architecture in all government IT activities, there has been a debate about the exact meaning of the term. The white paper for government organization CIOs (see Resources) defined it this way: "Enterprise Architecture (EA) links the business mission, strategy, and processes of an organization to its IT strategy. It is documented using multiple architectural models or views that show how the current and future needs of an organization will be met."
However, the debate is far from over. If you put four enterprise architects in a room, you can be assured of hearing five definitions. Even in the white paper cited previously, two alternative definitions are quoted as well (see the sidebar, "How Do You Define Enterprise Architecture?"). Although very similar, the subtle differences highlight the conflict about the definition.
In almost every organization, enterprise architecture has a different meaning. Some organizations define enterprise architecture to be data focused, others make it solution focused, and still others put it in the business domain. The scope of an enterprise architect's work also varies from organization to organization, ranging from project/ initiative level to enterprisewide.
Nor have academics and thought leaders sorted out the differences. According to John Zachman, enterprise architecture concerns the whole enterprise and encompasses all systems, IT and otherwise. However, to J2EE architects, solution architecture using J2EE is the enterprise architecture. Consultants such as Meta, Gartner, and Forrester are somewhere in the middle, defining enterprise architecture as a more general practice of aligning IT strategy to business goals.
If you look globally, the differences are equally diverse. At many European companies, enterprise architecture is a mandated initiative sponsored by the CEO that is expected to align information systems to business needs in a top-down manner. In the U.S., enterprise architecture is usually an IT initiative aimed at doing the same, but driven from the bottom up.
It is critical to the growth of the profession as well as of organizations trying to implement the practice that we understand the function of the enterprise architect. This understanding will help not only to clarify the definition of the role, but also will help us understand the skill set needed to be a good architect.
Design, Engineering, and Architecture
However, before we define enterprise architecture, we must understand what is meant by architecture. It is essential to understand the distinction between a designer, engineer, and architect. These terms have been used interchangeably in IT industry; although, in the construction industry the roles are clearly distinct.
In 25 BC, Vitruvius described a good building design as comprising three key elements: firmitas, utilitas, and venustas (structural strength, functional utility, and beauty). Beauty refers to aesthetics of the design. Structure pertains to the strength of the construction. Function includes intangible aspects that allow the building to serve the purpose it was designed for. These elements are interrelated (see Figure 1).
Building that lacks in any one of the aspects is bound to be a failure. The Winchester House (see Figure 2) may be structurally strong and its interior full of beautiful decorations, but its lack of functional considerations makes it a failure as a place of residence. Similarly, a building like the Leaning Tower of Pisa (see Figure 3) is designed to be beautiful and highly functional (as a bell tower), but it lacks the structural integrity that is essential in a successful architecture. It is buildings like the Taj Mahal, St. Peters Basilica, and the Louvre (see Figure 4), which combine all three elements, that become classic.
This analysis helps to define the roles involved in creating buildings. The form of the building—the beauty part—is the domain of the designer; an engineer creates the structure; and an architect ensures the function. This is not to say that the same person, like Michelangelo, cannot perform multiple roles, but the roles are essentially distinct. As the industry has evolved, it has separated the functions so it doesn't have to depend on exceptional individuals like Michelangelo to create buildings.
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