Transcript Enterprise Architecture modeling to support

Proposal research approach, 17th of October 2012
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration
The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Master of Science Business Process Management and IT
T.89.3.17
Kurt Van der Veken
Contents
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Introduction
Business Process Management & IT
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Step by step
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Enterprise Architecture in a nutshell
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What is EA?
Goal of EA
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EA modeling
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Interviewing
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What is EA modeling?
The ArchiMate Language
ArchiMate & TOGAF
Initial interviews
Interview
Categorization concepts
Hypothesizes relationships
Reflections so far…
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Step by step
General
Questions
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Research
 Exploring possibilities for research
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Concepts & relations
Research design
Who/How
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Business Process Management & IT
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Information & process architecture
Project management: Implementing ERP systems
Web services and application integration
Practicum: ICT-management audit
Business Processes
Document management
Software management
Design with Business Rules
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Introduction
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Thesis supervisors
dr. ir. F.J.M. Mofers (Frans)
dr. J.C.S.P. van der Woude (Jaap)
Examinator dr. ir. F.J.M. Mofers (Frans)
Education BPMIT – Computer Science
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Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration
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The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Introduction
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Step by step
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Step 0: Request to start the thesis
Step 1: Provisional research proposal (5%)
Step 2: Literature study (35%)
Step 3: Final research proposal (5%)
Step 4: Formulating research approach (20%)
Step 5: Executing the empirical research (17,5%)
Step 6: Writing the report (16%)
Step 7: Presenting the report (Examination)
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Enterprise Architecture in a nutshell
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What is Enterprise Architecture?
Enterprise Architecture is a new field or discipline which guides the
design of business processes and information systems for an
enterprise.
As an organizational role, EA is positioned between IT and business,
strategy formulation on the one hand, and project-focused solution
architecting (sometimes called system architecting) on the other
(Tamm, Seddon, Shanks, & Reynolds, 2011).
Compared to other fields, for example the construction industry,
architecture has been used in the design and construction of all size
buildings. Architects use standard symbols that can be recognized
and understood by all members of their industry to carry out the
construction work (Chen, et al., 2008). The discipline EA is still much
in development and no accepted standards exist today throughout
different enterprises.
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Enterprise Architecture in a nutshell
Enterprise Architecture – defintions
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Dynamic Architecture (DYA) uses the following
definition: "A coherent whole of principles and models
that provide guidance to the design and realization of
processes, organizational structure, information
management and technical infrastructure of an
organization" (Berg & Steenbergen, 2004).
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Enterprise Architecture in a nutshell
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Enterprise Architecture – goal
The dream of every CEO is to have one standardized, integrated,
flexible and manageable landscape of aligned business and IT
processes, systems and procedures. Having complete control over all
projects implementing changes in that landscape so that they deliver
solutions that perfectly fit the corporate and IT change strategies, makes
this dream complete (van der Raadt & van Vliet, 2008).
Today many organizations are struggling with changes in the
organization by the increasing complexity of IT systems and business
processes, and have problems keeping an overview of how the enterprise
functions.
Enterprise Architecture is a discipline that can assist in creating a clear
understanding between stakeholders about the processes, IT
infrastructure, technology and applications within an enterprise.
This clear understanding will make an enterprise agile and flexible and
grants them the opportunity to adapt to the ever changing market and
can assist in maintaining compliance.
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Enterprise Architecture modeling
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What is EA modeling?
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An enterprise model is an abstraction of how the enterprise conducts its
business and it is built from various points of view (Adigun & Biyela, 2003).
The requirements for a EA modeling can be summarized as the following
(Clark, et al., 2011)
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To support decision making, an EA language requires that the notation will
support the decision-maker’s goals, the domain in which the decision is required
and the causal relations between that which is controlled and the decision.
The language must display precision such that there is clarity on any of the
represented concepts.
The language must exhibit behavioral semantics – that is support how concepts
affect each other as a result of actions.
The language must support representation of concepts at different levels of
abstraction.
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Enterprise Architecture modeling
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Why use EA modeling
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If every domain speaks its own language, draws its own models, and uses
its own techniques and tools. Communication and decision making across
domains is seriously impaired (Marc M. Lankhorst, 2004)
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Enterprise Architecture modeling
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The ArchiMate language
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ArchiMate was developed to enable expression of business processes and their IT
support in an easily understandable way (without low-level implementation details):
visualization, analysis, communication, realization and management of architectures.
ArchiMate also complements TOGAF by offering generic concepts that enable
creation of consistent and integrated models that appropriately communicate
TOGAF architecture views and enable communication and decision making across
organization domains (Nakakawa, et al., 2011).
In a short time, ArchiMate has become the open standard for architecture modeling
in the Netherlands, it is also fairly well known in the international enterprise
architecture community, and recently it has been brought under the aegis of The
Open Group (OpenGroup, 2011).
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Enterprise Architecture modeling
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ArchiMate & TOGAF
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Now with the most recent release Archimate 2.0 that was published by The Open
Group, there is even a better match between TOGAF and ADM by incorporating
extensions like “Implementation and Migration” and Motivation in the language.
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Research
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Exploring possibilities for research @ the Open Universiteit
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Within the Open Universiteit (Mofers & Woude, 2011) the following
approaches of EA get attention for research:
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The setting of a framework through architecture (EA principles) mainly
for the business & information related to business rules, which is more or
less comparable to a top down specification.
The architecture modeling approach (Archimate, Togaf) mainly used in
the field of Information & Technology and related to system design,
which, in relation to the models, can have a more bottom-up structure.
The architecture modeling approach is the starting point for the
thesis, but the goal is to go further than just the field of Information
& Technology. The research will be focused on collaborating trough
the use of EA models not only for the ICT department, but also for
different departments or business units within an enterprise.
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Research
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Concepts & relations
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Can an organization support communication and
collaboration by using Enterprise Architecture modeling?
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Research
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Research design
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Research
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Who & how
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Financial Service Provider  By doing
 System
engineer
 Application developer
 Business Process documentation expert
 Head of technolgy
 Head of product management
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Human Resources company  By comparing
modeling technique
 Enterprise
Architect
 Manager Enterprise architecture team
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Interviewing
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Initial interviews
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Creating a baseline.
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Testing concepts & relations (Without ArchiMate).
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Interviewing
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Interviews
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Comparing with the baseline.
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Testing concepts & relations (With ArchiMate).
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Interviewing
Categorisation concepts & questions – Round 1
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Do you have general overview of the documentation/models used in other departements?
How do you currently use documentation/models for collaborating?
(Eg. During the initiation of a project, checking compliancy, troubleshooting …)
Are the documents/models previously mentioned used only within your team or are they used over the different teams in
the enterprise?
Do the models/documents support collaboration over multiple teams?
Is it clear how these models/documentation link together with other models/documentation? (eg. With the product
management overview…Dependecies…)
Is there a need to improve the current approach and documenting in relationship to collaboration?
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Interviewing
Categorisation concepts & questions – Round 1
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How do you currently use documentation/models for communication?
Do you use documentation/models created in other departements?
Are these models/documents used as a means for communication with partners, customers & employees?
Are these models/documents used as a means for communication during the initiation of projects?
What is represented in these documents/models?
(Eg. Network schemes, business processes, UML, workflows, policies & rules…)
What level of detail are the models? (High level of abstraction versus detailed views)
Are the models suited for the purpose of analyzing the impact of changes in the environment? (What, why
& who is impacted with changes.)
Is there a need to improve the current approach of documenting in relationship to communication?
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Interviewing
Categorisation concepts & questions – Round 1
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Based on existing documentation/models can you identify who (stakeholders) needs to be involved during the
initiation of a project?
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Can all stakeholders understand the models & documentation?
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Where relevant stakeholders involved with the creation of the documentation or models?
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Is the documentation easily retrievable for the stakeholders?
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Is there a need to improve the current approach of modeling and documenting in relation to getting more
involvement of stakeholders?
Is there a need to improve the current approach of modeling and documenting in relation to be able to identify
stakeholders in projects?
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Interviewing
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Categorisation concepts & questions – Round 1
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Interviewing
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Categorisation concepts & questions – Round 1
Shared Understanding - Processes
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Do you think that other stakeholders know about, agree on and understand the documentation/models of the most important
business processes in the organization?
Do you know about, agree on and understand the documentation/models of the most important business processes in the
organization?
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Is there a need to have models with a high level abstraction of the most important business processes?
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Can these documents/models be used to present these business processes to stakeholders?
Shared Understanding - Systems
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Do you think that other stakeholders know of, agree on and understand the documentation/models of application components
and technology or infrastructure related to the main business processes? (Eg FE, BE, fraud module; IDS, WAF,FW, servers)
Do you know of, agree on and understand the documentation/models of application components and technology or
infrastructure related to the main business processes? (Eg FE, BE, fraud module; IDS, WAF,FW, servers)
Is there a need to have application and technology models with a high abstraction level for the most important business
processes?
Can these documents/models be used to present these application and technology models to stakeholders?
Shared Understanding - Concerns
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Can stakeholders concerns be identified in the models & documentation be identified in the initiation of a project? (In which
documents is this listed, eg. Policy documents.)
Is there a need to improve the current approach of modeling and documenting in relationship to identifying potential
concerns of stakeholders ?
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Interviewing
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Hypothesizes relationships & questions – Round 1
Efficient communication supports creating and maintaining shared understanding for
stakeholders & architects (H1).
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Do you think that improving the communication between the different stakeholders in the organization would lead to more shared
understanding?
(eg. *Creating a consensus on the importance and priority of changes and projects within the organization. *Getting a beter
understanding how the enterprise works)
Shared understanding leads to more effective collaboration for stakeholders & architects
(H2).
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If shared understanding is maintained or obtained by models/documents, do you expect that the collaboration
between stakeholders would be more effective?
(eg. When implementing changes, starting projects…)
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Interviewing
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Hypothesizes relationships & questions – Round 2
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The ArchiMate language can be used as a tool for communication (H3).
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EA-modeling supports effective collaboration for stakeholders & architects (H4).
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Reflections so far…
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Step by step
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Step 0: Request to start the thesis
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Step 1: Provisional research proposal (5%)
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Books as foundation // articles for in-depth
OU online library 
Step 3: Final research proposal (5%)
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Took longer than expected, impossible in 20 hours.
Step 2: Literature study (35%)
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Positive experience, provided clear arguments why EA.
Iterative, not final until the research approach is final
Step 4: Formulating research approach (20%)
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A lot of brainstorming is required, discussing with the promoters is very
important. (Requires time…)
How to be as objective as possible.
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Reflections so far…
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General
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Hard to combine graduating with a full-time job and family
life.
Knowledge on EA increased, but general insight in analyzing
problems is increased even more.
“Step by step” versus “Two steps forwards one step back”
Planning.
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Difficult to be accurate due to the iterative character of doing
research and limited previous experience with research.
Hope to stick with the initial plan to finish the thesis in
March/April.
Finding participants for the research went better than
expected.
Limited coaching by the promoters was necessary for me.
Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication
Questions?
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Enterprise Architecture modeling to support collaboration - The ArchiMate language as a tool for communication