Enterprise IT Standards Revisited

Standards have important business value to the enterprise because they help to control costs and ensure continuing value from investments. They are an important part of enterprise architecture, but the complexity of standards often makes that role hard to define. There are many different types of standards, ranging from government-sponsored standards to a company's internal standards. Deciding on the right level at which to standardize — or selecting a particular standard — is an important decision with costly implications for the wrong decision. For example, standardizing on a specific product limits choice, but standardizing on industry specification may lead to increased costs from supporting duplicate multiple products. Having a common vocabulary for standards in your company can make decisions easier. Standards require pragmatism, and enterprise architects play a central role in the entire process. Selecting standards is easier if your goals are clearly stated in a business context.