This article talks about as what shall be the real focus for an “Enterprise Architect” in their day to day work. If the organization is going to pay attention to these aspects, then the employee, employer and every stakeholder may get benefited for the long term.

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2. • Enterprise is a term which existed in the world since 1400 and the same applies to the word
Architect. However, these two terminologies have been used in Information Technology
Ecosystem for just a few decades. During the initial period, “Enterprise Architect” was term
mainly used in academic paradigm, and it was not easy to use this in real-life scenarios.
However even after three decades since this “Enterprise Architect” role is in place; still, the same
situation exists in many organizations where “Enterprise Architects” are still far from reality,
and therefore the organization is not able to get the competitive edge over competitors, and it
brings down profitability, scalability and sustainability.
• This article talks about as what shall be the real focus for an “Enterprise Architect” in their day
to day work. If the organization is going to pay attention to these aspects, then the employee,
employer and every stakeholder may get benefited for the long term.
• I have tried to highlight a couple of facades of the architect’s life. Each of these facades has
different parameters for measurement, and every such parameter has three different
dimensions. The second dimension per benchmark is the ideal situation every architect and
their organization should try to achieve; however, this is only possible if the organization has
the vision to grow rather than just “keeping the lights on” over the current situation.

3. Too Low Balanced Too High
Focus
Architects are too focused on
some technical stuffs and
lack any broad vision.
Architects have the
right blend of reality
and broad vision.
Architects are living in
“Cloud 9” or in Ivory
tower and has no
connection to reality.
Network
Architects usually spend
their office-time with people
who are IT geeks.
Good connection with
business, IT and
support from higher
management,
Architects make a good
connection or loiter
well around top
management.
Team Composition
The team is mainly made up
of a lot of technical experts.
The architect has a
good understanding of
business and able to
support the business
by giving IT solutions.
Architects at this level
are mostly suitable for
management
consultancy or as a
Computer Professor at
some University.
1. Viewpoint/Perspective/Angle/Context

4. 2. Governance/Control/Authority/Administration:
Too Weak Balanced Too Rigid
Rules
Architects don’t spend enough
focus on Governance and
break the rule to get the IT
things done.
Focus on a few guiding
architecture principles.
Architects here try to follow
many standards and lot of
academic discussions take
place.
Processes
Architects do not follow any
architectural processes or
organization do not have any
policies at all.
Architectural core processes
are religiously followed.
EA processes are so rigid
that it forces the people to
remain far from such
architects.
Communication
No clear communication
network exists; rather, a mesh
network exists for
communication. It is like
“Everyone talks to everyone.”
Continuous communication
between stakeholders and
architects.
Very narrow communication
line exists, and it has
strictly defined channels
preventing the free flow of
information.
Role
Architects have an advisory
role with very less authority.
Guide, Mentor, Auditor with
balanced authority.
Bashar al-Assad, Kim Jong
II.

5. 3. Strategy/Master plan/Game plan:
Too Myopic Balanced Too far-reaching
Vision
Architects have no vision at
all.
Architects keep multiple
parallel scenarios which
are flexible enough to
adjust to cost-effective
and timeliness delivery.
A firm vision loaded with a lot
of speculation exists which
has no or very less connection
to reality.
Planning
Why do we need planning is
the approach.
Planning for foreseeable
time horizon only and
under revision.
Huge planning is performed
over a long-time horizon
using industry latest
methodology which might not
be even suitable for that
Enterprise.
Focus
Reactive and day to day
focus
Saving the people from
fire and at the same time
thinking about making a
fire-proof palace.
Proactive mode! Intense focus
on future and putting the
present problems below the
blanket.

6. 4. Transformation/Change/Modification:
Too Myopic Balanced Too far-reaching
Renewal
Architects are usually
involved in maintaining the
current systems.
Systems and services are
replaced/renewed with
consistent criteria and
without haste.
Systems are produced/bought like
a factory which no one is able to
handle.
Enhancements
Architect performs functional
enhancement by creating
patches on the existing ones.
Design of new capabilities
decided case by case by
performing good due
diligence.
Functional enhancements are
performed by creating entirely
new systems.
Outsourcing
Conservative, hides
information so that S/he is
indispensable.
Good mix of outsourcing,
delegation and shares
information.
Throws everything out and
believes in delegation
Risk appetite
Conservative, focusing on
ensuring operability and risk-
averse.
Moderate, cautious in
taking risk when needed.
High, aggressively taking risks as
if money is grown on trees.

7. Dr. Abhishek Kumar
​Lead Enterprise Architect​