Many years ago, I spent some time with the architecture function of one of the world’s largest companies. The CIO knew they were busy but wasn’t sure why. I was helping businesses improve their architecture capability at the time and this was a classic case of lacking purpose. And from purpose, we can consider people, process, product, partnerships, performance…
To define the outputs (and supporting process and products) that enable architecture to tell the right stories to their stakeholders, the purpose must be clear. Where is the focus?
- Successfully delivery of existing technologies into new scenarios?
- Transitioning the existing technology to new platforms for either functional or technology management reasons?
- Creating new capability within the business?
- Providing leadership expertise to ensure programmes keep on track?
- Laying the tracks for strategic capability across the enterprise and its business divisions?
- Facilitating and creating the overarching business model for the organisation as a whole and, typically, diversified businesses within it?
- Defining the long-term roadmap based on structured analysis of the need for business change?
- Informing the strategic business decision process with a clear view of goals, options, opportunity, risk, and need?
These are very different things.
The assumption is that outside of large transformation the role of architecture generally adds context to simple change e.g. it is taking something that is understood and defining an approach for a known business need into a similar business scenario.
But in a transformative role and where architecture is moving upstream in the change lifecycle, there is a much greater ask of architecture in terms of leadership, stakeholder management, problem-solving and the ability to deal with iteration and ambiguity.
It is possible of course for an architecture team to be all these things, and what a team to lead, but that has to be designed and delivered.
What are your architects doing, who for, and why? It is one of those small assignments that can have a big impact. It is part of our capability here at Café Associates. We can help.