A Practical Framework For Enterprise Architecture Roadmapping
This practical framework for enterprise architecture roadmapping provides the tools to align IT systems with strategic goals. It includes reference models, governance guidance, phased roadmap planning, and segmentation of initiatives into info, infrastructure, and security domains—making it ideal for public and private sector transformation leaders.
Technology, once a support function, is now a principal driver of enterprise performance. The ability to architect systems that mirror strategic ambition—not merely accommodate it—has become a distinguishing factor between transformation that delivers and transformation that distracts. This framework offers a disciplined, scalable, and adaptable approach to realising that potential.
Organisations at scale often encounter challenges linked to disconnected systems and overlapping initiatives. The gap between vision and architecture can stall progress. Traditional frameworks fail not due to inaccuracies, but because they lack application. The focus of this framework is to translate vision into actionable steps through a clear and structured roadmap.
Rather than merely outlining a theory, this framework provides practical methods for navigating complexities across business capabilities, data architectures, and infrastructure dependencies, thus enabling organisations to achieve coherent progress.
Key Points
- A structured enterprise architecture framework encompassing business, data, application, infrastructure, and security domains.
- A phased ICT roadmap approach to transition from current (AS-IS) to future (TO-BE) architecture states.
- Segmentation of digital initiatives into three actionable categories: information-related, infrastructure, and security.
- Guidance on establishing governance structures, roles, and accountability mechanisms to oversee EA execution.
- Integration of architecture principles and reference models aligned with recognised standards like TOGAF and e-GIF.
Why should I read this?
This article is crucial for CIOs and IT leaders seeking effective strategies to align technology with business goals. It offers a comprehensive approach to tackle the persistent challenges of digital transformation, especially for organisations wrestling with legacy systems and unclear priorities. By following this framework, leaders can turn enterprise architecture into a practical method for achieving measurable results.