Enterprise Architects are Digital Town Planners

Planned by Enterprise Architects

 

The other day this article Should enterprise architects intervene early in corporate digital initiatives? , made me comment.

Good and simple article but on a troublesome subject. I am somewhat troubled myself when I find myself trying to help enterprises that are confused. A debate is very often focusing on the following:

Should Enterprise Architects be “let in”?

My answer: EA’s should definitely be the key when building modern enterprises. Why? Here is a simple analogy for an explanation.

Enterprise Architects are Town Planners of Digital Towns

Nobody ever gets confused, in any way, about town planners. Nobody is asking: Should town planners be involved in town planning? That is unquestionable in the town councils, in regional and broader governments. No major or town councillor will attempt to do the actual town planning. To put forward the requirements, to control and evaluate yes; but never to actually do it.

Modern Enterprises are ordered Digital landscapes. Somewhat like Digital Towns. And in many Digital Towns (aka Enterprises) there is still a general confusion about the role of Digital Town Planners aka  Enterprise Architects. And that is not good for the future of those Enterprises

Confused ones do not outlive the competition for long.

If your enterprise does not function well, that means only one thing: It is not planned well and there is no strategy. It is not a question of purpose. It is a question of the functioning.

Was this Digital Town aka the Enterprise built following a plan or is it an ad-hoc digital shrub of piled up and congested town areas? In this analogy, good parts of the company are suffering the congested information flow on all levels.

If you find yourself in one congested and unhappy Digital Town (aka Enterprise), it is about time you try and plan the way out. With few good Enterprise Architects as your key assets.