BN315-Enterprise Architecture Concept

Enterprise architecture can be defined as a comprehensive approach of organizing business or organization’s structure and operations. An enterprise can be described as a business or organizational units with different responsibilities which share a common set of goals and vision in delivering products or services to customers, For Instance, Phoenix Logistics Company. Architecture can be referred to as the system organization, its elements incorporation, their inter-relationships, the environment, and in its designing and evolution principles. The scope of enterprise architecture is to create a centralized and unified information technology system which is standardized or integrated across all business units aimed at fostering sustainable business growth and success of Phoenix Logistics. [BO] The enterprise architecture focuses on frameworks containing four main architecture domains: First and foremost, is the business architecture which entails people, business processes and standards which are involved during daily operations of the Phoenix Logistics organization. Secondly, is an application architecture that defines the interactions among the firm’s processes and standards. Additionally, is the information perspective which involves the databases. Last but not least, is technology architecture which defines and classifies the hardware, software and networking platforms and solutions of Phoenix Logistics company. [BO]

One of the key purposes of enterprise architecture is to ensure business agility and alignment of IT projects with the business strategies of Phoenix Logistics. It will assist the organization in improving adaptability to business dynamics and changes in market demands which ensures that new ideas, business processes, and skills can transform to real implementation without affecting the current systems and operations. It will guide the management of Phoenix in ensuring better planning and designing the IT capabilities in order to meet the targeted organizational goals and objectives.
 

 

The enterprise architecture will provide a blueprint for the existing system, data, and technology in Phoenix Logistics hence making it easier in achieving great coherency between the various systems integration and how they are dependent on each other encompassing formulation of strategies and execution and how they are linked. This leads to systems better management, maintenance, upgrade, and support. [BO]

EA will facilitate in fostering and maintaining the learning capabilities of Phoenix Logistics company hence leading to better planning and communication, improved decision making on implementation, migration, and transitions from old to new processes or use of new systems and, also manage and adapt to the changes
 

 

a)They both involve planning with visions.
b)They both provide roadmaps and regulations.
c)They both follow defined principles, guidelines and programs.
d)They both have requirement engineering.
e)They both involve governance and stakeholders. For instance, town planners encounter every imaginable resistance from stakeholders like corrupt planning inspectors and bureaucrats, power-hungry politicians, residents who don’t care about zoning and trespass rules, the same way enterprise architects face vendor’s poor management and vendor’s resistant employees to change. [BO]
f)They both involve processes and deliverables.
g)They both involve a testing process which provides the standards for compliance.
h)They both need maintenance, upgrades, and support.

1.Designing of an Organization - One of the notable benefits of EA is that it will offer support to Phoenix Logistics during general organizational changes in areas of designing.
2.Technology standardization- EA will enable Phoenix Logistics in organizational process and operations consolidation, and integration. It will also help in enforcing management discipline and standardization of business processes in the entire organization.

3.Project management and portfolio- EA will enhance planning, coordination, and communication during project implementation within Phoenix Logistics organization, rendering to more complete and consistent project deliverables. It also supports work prioritization and informed investment decision-making.

4.System development and Testing- During system development and testing, EA will assist Phoenix Logistics in optimizing system designs and allocating resources efficiently hence embracing teamwork. It will ensure consistency in delivering clearly defined business solutions.
 

 

5.Requirements engineering process- Through publishing of the enterprise architecture documentation, EA increase the accuracy of functional requirement definitions for Phoenix Logistics.
6.IT management and governance- EA will help in discipline and standardization of IT planning activities across Phoenix Logistics which contributes to a reduction in time in making decisions on matters related to technology. The IT governance will act as a leadership framework which will assist in management, controlling and offering direction to the whole organization.
7.IT Value and risk management- enterprise architecture considers manageability, effectiveness, efficiency, agility, and durability during system development. It will reduce the system’s implementation and operational costs, ensure simplicity, increased data accessibility, enhance transparency, and reduce business and project delivery risks within Phoenix Logistics organization. [BO]

1.Factors involved in any project like financial constraints can affect Phoenix Logistics enterprise from getting full benefits of EA.
2.Lack of establishing proper EA governance, and also ineffective leadership skills and poor communication or feedback loops.
3.Some Organizational structures or business units may not support and embrace the necessity of having a successful EA.
4.During system developed confusion can arise between solution architecture and enterprise architecture since EA’s is focused and based in many different organizational dimensions.
5.Insufficient support for the development, lack of teamwork, and inadequate resources may inhibit EA process.
6.Lack of know-how within stakeholders, poor cooperation, and negative attitude and resistant to change may affect the EA. [BO]

The Phoenix Logistics can use the EA for better planning and IT capabilities are designing in order to achieve its organizational goals and for business success enhancement. The company can use EA to ensure efficient IT integration of business units like Finance, HR, Operations, etc. It can use it to ensure business agility and alignment of IT projects with the business strategies is achieved and also ensures improved adaptation to changing demands and business dynamics in their market technology-wise. The management of Phoenix Logistics can have better planning and communication, improved decision making with the help of EA which fosters and maintains the learning capabilities of enterprise and innovations. The EA can assist in Phoenix Logistics to eliminate the inefficient and redundant processes, and ensuring reduced human capital and operational costs.
 

 

1.Enterprise Logistics Solutions/Aramex- It explains how a leader in the global logistics and transportation industry automated and optimized they're entire operational and business ecosystem, as well as creating an outstanding experience for their customers.
2.Boots, GCHQ, and Walmart, have benefited from it.
3.Business Development (BD) model, Project Management (PM) process, Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), and Product Optimization. 

 

Ahlemann and Frederik, "Strategic enterprise architecture management challenges, best practices, and future developments," Springer Science & Business Media., vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 22-31, Jan 2012.

Cummins and A Fred, "n architecture for enterprise application and systems integration. ," Enterprise integration: vol. 54, no. 2, pp. 21-45, June 2002.

Henk Jonkers, "Enterprise architecture Management tool and blueprint for the organization. ," information systems frontiers, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 63-66, 2006.

M Lankhorst, Enterprise architecture at work: Modelling, communication, and analysis. chicago, United States: Springer Science & Business Media., 2009.

J W Ross, Enterprise architecture as strategy: Creating a foundation for business execution.: Harvard Business Press, 2009.

 

Spewak and H Steven, "Enterprise architecture planning: developing a blueprint for data, applications, and technology.," QED Information Sciences, vol. 4, no. 2, p. 23, July 2003.