Enterprise Architecture? What's In It For Me?

Enterprise architects know that their EA programs provide significant value to their organizations. But communicating EA's value is challenging: As a strategic activity, it doesn't have the immediate impact of other IT activities, such as implementing new business capabilities through application projects, implementing new infrastructure, or fixing problems. In addition, architecture activities and deliverables can appear abstract and academic to executives constantly looking for bottom-line impact. Successful EA leaders overcome these difficulties only with well-planned and vigorously pursued marketing programs specifically designed to "sell" the value of EA to a variety of stakeholders. The key? Don't sell architecture, sell business capabilities.