In today's complex digital landscape, a well-structured Enterprise Architecture is crucial for aligning technology with business goals. However, it’s not just about the architecture itself—it’s about the many pieces that join together to help create a bigger picture, much like a puzzle. When you see all the layers together, you can create a solid foundation that empowers your business and drives long-term success.
The Essential Layers of Enterprise Architecture
Digital Architecture Reference Model
Guides the design and construction of applications
Provides guidance and structure to architects and designers
Provides architectural consistency across projects
Is a living document
Business Architecture
Presents the capabilities of the enterprise in a taxonomy or value chain view
Defines key elements of business model (channels, products, customers/segments, geographies)
Allows linkage of corporate goals and objectives to business capabilities
Identifies metrics and KPIs to manage and measure the business
Experience Architecture
Identifies personas and customer emotions/motivations
Defines the customer journeys
Defines customer loyalty, sentiment, and experience drivers for customers
Defines experience design and requirements
Application Architecture
Defines application system solutions
Enables business processes
Meets information requirements
Optimizes technology use
Information Architecture
Provides Enterprise-wide information management principles and strategies
Defines common specifications
Directs key data and follows industry-wide information standards
Technology Architecture
Provides Enterprise-wide technology design, usage principles and strategies
Identifies re-usable technology approaches & shared technologies
Follows key industry-wide technology standards
Governance
Aligns IT with the Enterprise to realize the promised benefits
Manages to IT assets being used responsibly
Manages risks appropriately
Solution Architecture
Captures all required elements
Focuses on interactions among the layers
Manages to robustness, sustainability, and long-term business value of a solution
Makes EA real via a defined architecture for application developers
Increase Your Understanding with an Engagement Blueprint
An engagement blueprint is a powerful complement to Enterprise Architecture, offering a highly visual and informative way to understand how service delivery experiences align with your broader architectural strategy. By mapping these interactions, it provides insights into several key areas:
Customer/User Engagement: How customers interact with a company’s portfolio, including products, services, and touchpoints.
Touchpoints Identification: Mapping where and how customers engage across different channels and devices.
Employee Interaction: How employees contribute to delivering brand experiences and engage with the company's internal systems.
Technology Support: How technology underpins these interactions and contributes to the overall experience.
Choose a Partner with a Long Legacy of Enterprise Architecture Excellence
At Entech, we bring extensive experience across diverse industries, cutting-edge technologies, and transformative strategies to help you maximize your Enterprise Architecture. Our advisory engagements are highly collaborative, working closely with you to unlock the full potential of your technology environment. Contact us today to get started.