An enterprise architecture methodology to address the Enterprise Dilemma

Abstract

The concept of enterprise architecture arose as technologies emerged thereby making it possible to interconnect all the information technology within an enterprise. Before these internetworking technologies existed, systems were stovepiped by necessity. Any connection to another system or component had to be specifically designed and developed. However, once internetworking technologies became widely available and economically feasible, suddenly, stovepiped systems were no longer necessitated by the constraints of technology and economy. If anything can connect to everything, then the range of enterprise solutions becomes vast and there arises an overwhelming need to manage that solution space. However, managing this solution space is fraught with challenges arising from wicked problems, complexity and an enterprise learning curve that evolves slower than the technology the enterprise is attempting to manage. This paper presents a methodology that is intended to help establish and maintain the conceptual integrity of the enterprise architecture effort by focusing on the enterprise dilemma which is that of determining how much of the enterprise's resources should be committed to sustainment – doing tomorrow what the enterprise did today – and how much of the enterprise's resources should be committed to change.