Everyday Enterprise-Architecture: Sensemaking, Strategy, Structures and Solutions

by Tom Graves

All of architecture comes down to one simple things work better when they work together, with clarity, with elegance, on purpose. Yet how do we express that 'one idea' in practice, within our organisations? With what results, and for what business-value? This book describes the down-to-earth detail of everyday enterprise architecture, to show what architects actually do to deliver value fast, across the entire enterprise. Working step by step through a real ten-day architecture-project, this book explores the activities that underpin sensemaking, strategy, structures and solutions in the real-time turmoil of an enterprise-architect's everyday work. Topics covered - how to use enterprise-architecture to tackle executive-level business-problems - how to develop an agile architecture practice that can keep pace with the real-time pressures of the real business world - how to identify the business-reasons and business-value for each activity - how to thrive on the inherent uncertainties of the architecture process - how to use context-space maps to guide sensemaking and solution-design - how to apply architecture ideas and activities to describe what actually happens in a real enterprise-architecture project - how to enhance architectural skills, judgement and awareness, for continuous improvement across the enterprise and in the architecture itself If you want your enterprise to flourish and prosper in the midst of relentless change, this is one book you'll definitely need. Tom Graves has been an independent consultant for more than three decades, in business transformation, enterprise architecture and knowledge management. His clients in Europe, Australasia and the Americas cover a broad range of industries including banking, utilities, manufacturing, logistics, engineering, media, telecoms, research, defence and government. He has a special interest in architecture for non-IT-centric enterprises, and integration between IT-based and non-IT-based services.

186 pages, Paperback

First published April 30, 2010

Reviews

[Eric Jager · Rating 3 out of 5]

The example project Graves describes in his book is well-chosen because it demonstrates that Enterprise Architecture is so much more than IT Architecture (as it always seems to be interpreted).
The approach described in the book is a mixture of the TOGAF Standard and the Zachman Framework, supplemented by the author's own views. Unfortunately, this immediately creates the first argument for not using the method described: most organizations prefer to stick with one of the familiar methodologies.
In addition, the book identifies steps that we as readers can take to achieve an end result. For me, the steps feel like they come out of the blue because they are not explained anywhere. This makes it hard to repeat the steps, which could count as a second argument for not using the method described.
A third argument is perhaps that this is another book (one of many) that describes the "what" but leaves out the "how". Coupled with the absent explanation of how to reproduce the steps mentioned in the book, it misses the point of reusability.
The systematic dismissal of the TOGAF framework - even if it is done in a nuanced way - somewhat detracts from the quality of the story. I am a fan of Graves’ books, but am sad to find this one of the lesser ones.