The Art Of The EA Deal

The job of enterprise architecture (EA) is to move the IT organization toward a more strategic future, and while this requires that EA craft a plan that encompasses an appropriate strategic direction, it also demands that EA establish the influence needed to drive adoption. In most organizations, building initial credibility is a tough hurdle, especially when the EA organization is relatively new and has few, if any, formal processes helping to institutionalize its objectives. Formal tools such as guiding principles and an architecture review program are important, but in the beginning these don't offer as much juice as some good old-fashioned horse-trading. By negotiating across multiple projects, it is often possible to build credibility while also driving small strategic wins that ultimately advance EA's mission.