A Contingency Approach to Enterprise Architecture Method ...€¦ · Institute of Information...

Dr. Stephan Aier | Christian RiegeProject Manager | Research Assistant

Chair of Prof. Dr. R. WinterInstitute of Information ManagementUniversity of St.GallenMüller-Friedberg-Strasse 8, 9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland

Tel: +41 71 224 3360 Fax: +41 71 224 [email protected] www.iwi.unisg.ch

A Contingency Approach to Enterprise Architecture Method Engineering3rd workshop on Trends in Enterprise Architecture Research (TEAR 2008), Sydney, December 1st, 2008

© December 2008, IWI-HSG, Stephan Aier

Page 3

Agenda

EA Methods1

Situational Method Engineering2

Empirical Data3

Conclusion4


Page 4

How “we” deal with architecture

Views on “Architecture”

Modeling/Representation

– Frameworks (e.g. Zachman, TOGAF, FEAF)

– Meta-models and notations (e.g. MOF, UML, eEPC)

– Reference models (e.g. IAA, eTOM)

Architecture design and Architecture management

– Architecture guidelines

– Architecture processes (e.g. communication, enforcement)

– Architecture roles and -competencies

Using architectures for operational tasks

– Application scenarios (e.g. business driven projects, IT projects, risk management, project management)

– Analyses (e.g. dependency analyses, heterogeneity analyses, complexity analyses, consistency analyses)


Page 5

Our conceptual foundation

Business Engineering Framework

A B C D

Syste

ms L

ayer

Strategy

Layer

Organization

Layer

Integration

Layer

Software

Layer

Infrastructure

Layer

Organisational design• Process models

• Process services

• Organisational structure

• Information map

Strategy design• Business network models

• Customer process models

• Output models

• Corporate objectives

Integration design• Application map

• Enterprise services

Software design• Software components

• Software services

• Data models

IT infrastructure design• Platform infrastructure

• Network infrastructure


Page 6

It is impossible to be wide and detailed at the same time

Enterprise Architecture scope

Business-

strategy

Software and

Data

Enterprise Architecture

DetailedStructures

Processes

Enterprise

Services

Server and

Platforms

Markets


Page 7

Our conceptual foundation

EA Methods in the BE FrameworkS

yste

ms L

ayer

Strategy

Layer

Organization

Layer

Integration

Layer

Software

Layer

Infrastructure

Layer

Business driven

projects

(top-down)

Technology

driven

projects

(bottom-up)

Alignment

projects

Simplification/

agility projects

(SOA)


Page 8

Agenda

EA Methods1


Empirical Data3

Conclusion4


Page 9

Our non-situational Method Meta Model

Design Activity

Design Result

Role Technique

Information

Model

Method Fragment

Context Project Type

Situation

Adaptation

Mechanism

influences influences

is part of is part of

is part of

is part of

predecessor /

successor

is part of

represents problem-

oriented view on

participates in

produces /

consumes

guides

creation of

[Gutzwiler 1994]


Page 10

Situational Methods

SA SZ

WSK,

KA = KZ

WSS,

SA = SZ

Method-based Transformation

[Bucher/Klesse 2006]


Page 11

Our situational Method Meta Model

Design Activity

Design Result

Role Technique

Information

Model

Method Fragment

Context Project Type

Situation

Adaptation

Mechanism

influences influences

is part of is part of

is part of

is part of

predecessor /

successor

is part of

represents problem-

oriented view on

participates in

produces /

consumes

guides

creation of

[Bucher et al. 2007]


Page 12

Agenda

EA Methods1


Empirical Data3

Conclusion4


Page 13

Data Set

Used a questionnaire on two practitioner’s conferences in Germany and Switzerland in 2007

69 questionnaires have been returned 55 valid questionnaires have been used in the analysis

Questions asked– Constitution of EA – Application scenarios and analysis techniques of EA– Maintenance of EA– Communication and organizational structure of EA

five-tiered Likert scale to assess the current degree of realization of each item


Page 14

Fac

tor

2F

ac

tor

3

Contingency Factors identified in a Factor Analysis

EA is developed with regard to modularization as an architectural design paradigm.

The principles of service orientation form a basis on which EA is designed.

EA models represent the current structure of the organization.

Documentation of EA models includes target architecture.

EA models support transforming EA from as-is structure towards to-be structures.

EA is measured and/or reviewed on a regular basis.

Processes concerning EA management are subject to regular reviews.

The role of an EA quality manager is established fostering and communicating EA concerns.

EA is aiming to improve the overall homogeneity of architecture elements by applying heterogeneity analysis.

EA is used to perform coverage analysis in order to illustrate redundancies or gaps regarding EA artefacts.

EA is perceived as being valuable to the business units.

IT departments explicitly refer to EA as a helpful instrument.

IT departments use EA data in broad range of use cases.

Business units base their work on EA data.

EA data is part of the decision support for management units.

Fac

tor

1

Adoption of advanced

architectural design

paradigms and

modelling capabilities

Deployment and

monitoring of EA data

and services

Organizational

penetration of EA


Page 15

Clustering EA Realization Approaches

0.5

0.5

-0.5

0

Cluster 3: EA Initiators (n=30)

Cluster 2: IT Architects (n=10)

Cluster 1: EA Engineers (n=15)

Factor 1: Adoption of advanced architectural design paradigms and modeling capabilities

Factor 3: Organizational penetration of EA

EA EngineersEA Initiators

IT Architects

EA EngineersEA Initiators

IT Architects

Adoption of advanced architectural designparadigms and modeling capabilities

Org

aniz

atio

nal p

enetra

tion o

f EA

High LevelLow Level

Hig

h L

evel

Low

Level

-1

Factor 2: Deployment and monitoring of EA data and services

-1

-1.5

0

-0.5

0.5

1

-1

Mean factor value with 95% confidence interval

n

sntx

n

sntx )1,

21(;)1,

21(

1.5

-0.5 0 1 1.5

1

-2

2


Page 16

Discussing EA Realization Approaches

Enterprise Architecture IT

Architects

Enterprise Architecture Engineers


Initiators

Enterprise Architecture IT

Architects

Enterprise Architecture Engineers


Initiators

Adoption of advanced architectural design

paradigms and modeling capabilitiesO

rgan

izatio

na

l p

en

etr

ation

of

EA

High LevelLow LevelH

igh

Le

ve

lL

ow

Le

ve

l


Page 17

Fac

tor

2F

ac

tor

3

Future Importance of EA Application Scenarios identified in a Factor Analysis

Corporate Strategy Planning

Business Process Optimization

Quality Management and Improvement

Business Continuity Planning

IT Consolidation

Application Portfolio Management

IT/Business Alignment

Adoption of COTS

Architecture Compliance Assessment

Security Management

Sourcing and Business Networking

Compliance Management

Fac

tor

1 Support of Business

Strategy Development

Support of IT

Management

Support of Business

Operations


Page 18

Future EA application scenarios in correlation with current EA realization approaches

Support of IT

Management

Support of Business

Strategy Development

Support of Business

Operations

EA application scenarios

EA

En

gin

ee

rIT

Arc

hite

ct

EA

In

itia

tor

EA

re

aliz

atio

n a

pp

roa

ch

es


Page 19

Agenda

EA Methods1


Empirical Data3

Conclusion4


Page 20

Conclusion and Outlook

Only a very first step towards situational EA method engineering

However, we have identifies EA realization approaches

Difficulties to identify consolidated project types on an empirical basis (what questions o ask?)

Identification of paths of transition of EA realization approaches


Page 21

Contact

Dr. Stephan Aier

[email protected]

www.iwi.unisg.ch

+41 71 224 3360

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