Agile Enterprise Architecture Framework: Enabler for Enterprise Agility

Introduction

Enterprises are gearing up to address the ever-changing demands of the business in an agile manner to reap the benefits through reduced time to market. They demand high business agility to achieve organizational goals. With the complexity of the business, models and interactions between businesses are hitting a record high; the IT systems are accommodating these complexities in many ways. Many enterprises prefer to develop product-type configurable systems rather than custom-tailored rigid systems. The architects who provide the technology leadership had to go over and above their scope to address business demands.

Today, the perception towards Architects across the industry is changing. Enterprise Architects expected to code, to win the respect across the organization. The Enterprise Architect also expected to get involved not only in the strategy stage but also in end-to-end implementation. The Enterprise Architect needs to work very closely with the business in defining the business strategy of an enterprise. In addition, Enterprise Architect oversees how to realize the business strategy in the form of implementation.

Balance Innovation, Commitment, and Feedback Loops, Part 1: High Innovation Products

Many of my clients are trying to use short feedback loops in Agile approaches. That desire bumps up against their management's desires for longer commitments. This continuum might help them think through their needs for commitment and innovation.

High Need for Product Innovation and Change

The greater the need for product innovation and change, the shorter the feedback loops need to be. It's not useful for management to ask the team to provide larger commitments, as in “how long will this feature set take?” for at least these reasons: