EA Effectiveness Is Linked To Business And IT Process Standardization

In September 2009, Forrester Research surveyed 416 IT executives familiar with their firm's EA program to determine the state of their EA practice — its maturity, structures and roles, relationship with peers, and effectiveness. Forrester asked these respondents about the level of standardization of business and IT process infrastructure, data, and applications across their organization. Reviewing the data based on respondents' standardization across these areas shows a strong correlation between a greater focus on standardization and more-effective EA programs. While this may seem an obvious result, this data also suggests that the law of diminishing returns may not apply in the case of standardization. Simply put, firms should not cease their focus on standardization, as it's a key contributor to overall organizational effectiveness.