design

I had the honor of editing and contributing to this book -- The SIM Guide to Enterprise Architecture.  It is a project of the SIM Enterprise Architecture Working Group (http://eawg.simnet.org) and all author royalties go to further the work of the not-for-profit SIM EA Working Group.

A flyer with more information about the book is here http://courses.unt.edu/kappelman/aboutwork/SIM%20GUIDE%20TO%20ENTERPRISE%20ARCHITECTURE%20FL20.pdf.

An excerpt from the book is on CIO Update’s site here http://www.cioupdate.com/features/article.phpr/3851866/EA-is-the-Road-Map-of-Enterprise-Transformation.htm.

Get 20% off on The SIM Guide to Enterprise Architecture with free shipping when purchased direct from publisher's website http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/978 1439811139 and you enter code 460GA when checking out. 

More information about the book, a link to the publisher, and the 20% discount code can be found at http://www.simnet.org/TheSIMGuidetoEnterpriseArchitecture/tabid/1453/Default.aspx too.

A project of the Society for Information Management's Enterprise Architecture Working Group and edited by Leon A. Kappelman. The SIM Guide to Enterprise Architecture provides insights from leading authorities on EA, including John Zachman, Larry DeBoever, George Paras, Jeanne Ross, and Randy Hite. The book supplies a solid understanding of key concepts for effectively leveraging EA to redesign business processes, integrate services, and become an Information Age enterprise. Beginning with a look at current theory and frameworks, the book discusses the practical application of enterprise architecture and includes a wealth of best practices, resources, and references. It contains the SIM survey of IT organizations' EA activities, which provides important metrics for evaluating progress and success.

Features:

• Presents insight into enterprise architecture from pioneers in the field, including John Zachman
• Provides IT managers with industry benchmarks on enterprise architecture and related IT capabilities
• Includes case studies illustrating industry-leading practices, tools, and processes
• Examines the relationship between business processes and enterprise architecture
• Discusses enterprise architecture ontologies, frameworks, and models
• Explores the roles of information technology and IT professionals in organization

What they are saying about the SIM Guide to Enterprise Architecture:

"... a visionary yet practical guide to perhaps the most fundamentally important topic facing enterprises today. It is the best and most comprehensive book that I have seen on the critically important topic of Enterprise Architecture and its ability to transform a company."
 - Ed Trainor, CIO & Senior Vice President, IS, Amtrak

"The best in the field bringing clarity to EA. You'll learn why its value for good-oriented, integrated systems is undeniable."
 - Joe Tenczar, Sr. Director of Technology/CO, Hard Rock International

"A compelling book co-authored by the "who's who" in the EA space. It provides deep and thorough coverage of this critical discipline, and is an excellent source for real world, practical insight, and ideas."
 - Michael Rapken, CIO and Executive Vice President, YRC Worldwide, Inc.

"... a powerful collection of research work all dealing with how to bring EA to your organization ... as the complexity of enterprises continues to increase the importance of having a strong competency in EA becomes paramount. This book offers many perspectives on the approach to formalizing the process of EA within your organization."
 - Doug Watson, Vice President, CIO Americas, Bacardi

"... a valuable and comprehensive reference that every practitioner should own. The topics that are covered reflect the maturing of this discipline and its increased value to enabling public and private sector organizations to be more agile and competitive."
 - Scott Bernard, PhD, Deputy CIO, Federal Railroad Administration/Editor, Journal of Enterprise Architecture

From the Foreword: "... a timely and important book."
 - Jeanne Ross, Director and Principal Research Scientist, Center for IS Research, MIT Sloan School of Management

 All author royalties support the work of the not-for-profit SIM EA Working Group

I've been involved in various conversations lately, digital and literal, about the purpose and/or role of enterprise architecture.   I can't say for sure, since the future is not here yet, but to some extent it seems that many of us involved in these discussions are confounding the role of the enterprise architect with roles that will most likely be performed by others in the organization.  I think this is somewhat okay since the role of the enterprise architect is yet to be fully defined since it is evolving; but on the other hand, this somewhat distracts our attention from the essence of the enterprise architect's role.  And that, I believe, is the enterprise-wide extension and expansion of the traditional IS role of analyst and designer.  A role that to a large extent IS academics and practitioners have not sufficiently professionalized, educated, researched, or practiced yet -- The SIMEAWG's study (as reported in our book The SIM Guide to Enterprise Architecture http://courses.unt.edu/kappelman/aboutwork/SIM%20GUIDE%20TO%20ENTERPRISE%20ARCHITECTURE%20FL20.pdf) confirms the relative immaturity of such capabilities at this more limited IS level, indicating that in general there is not a good foundation upon which to build enterprise-wide analysis and design capabilities (i.e., enterprise architecture capabilities).

Holistic enterprise-wide enterprise analysis and design is the essence of the enterprise architect's role.  Of course, this includes significant communication by enterprise architects with those responsible for strategic direction, project management, change management, systems development, operations, and everything else.  It also includes facilitating the coming together of all the disparate and dis-integrated groups doing currently going various pieces of what are "parts" of the EA whole -- This includes the IS-oriented groups like data, network, rules, and process architectures, as well as the business-oriented groups like strategic planning and business architecture.  But helping these groups communicate and "come together" is not the same as being responsible for those activities. 

So a key question for me becomes, does enterprise architecture become distracted like IS in general has and fail to build sufficient capabilities to deliver on our essential responsibilities, or do we focus on our essence and at the same time determine who are our partners in this and learn to work with those whose essential responsibilities and capabilities must also evolve in new ways so that the vision of the future enterprise depicted in its architecture is complete, accurate, understood, and achieved? 

To me the answer is self-evident.  However, since I'm sure I don't have all the answers, or even all the questions, I seek out and look forward to hearing what others think about all this whenever I can.  These are the kinds of things the SIMEAWG discusses on an ongoing baisis through our meetings and members-only emaillist and discussion group.  So if these topics interest you too, perhaps you'd like to look into joining us -- For more information visit http://EAWG.simnet.org.