Some humble advice on how to establish an architecture repository that survives it’s own launch.

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How to Ensure your Architecture
Repository Initiative does not Fail
tobias.ivarsson@biner.se

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Introduction
Some humble advice
on how to establish an
architecture repository
that survives it’s own
launch

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About Biner
Consultancy Training Solutions
Our goal – To offer Scandinavian's best
education, certifying, coaching and
consultants within Business
Transformation based on international
standards and best practice.
Business Transformation made easy

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About this presentation
Set the
scene Look at
a couple of
examples
Draw some
conclusions

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Architecture is Information!

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Architecture Development
Architecture Development is an
information management process

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Architecture DevelopmentArchitecture Repository
The need for information management
Architectural descriptions of
the current state
Architectural descriptions of
the desired state(s)
Change initiatives and how they contribute to the future
architecture landscape
Informs
Captures

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Positioning the repository
Building Blocks
Architecture Building Blocks Solution Building Blocks
Deliverables
Statement of
Architecture
Work
Architecture
Vision
Architecture
Definition
Document
…
Contains
Artifacts
Catalogs Matrices Diagrams
Describes
Content
Meta model
Defines
Architecture
repository
Organizes

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Two examples
The pragmatic
“Technical diversity is killing
us! We need to establish
some standards”
The ambitious
“Our investments are
uncoordinated! We need to
take control over our
transformation.”

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The ambitious example
Objective
 Documenting an End-to-End Business process encompassing Information, IT Solutions
and Organizations
 Consolidating information into one repository
 Delivering business value by providing different views of the information
Deliverables
 A central repository
 User centric views highlighting inefficiencies and dependencies supporting analysis and
decision making
Result
 Project was a success – The solution was not

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The pragmatic example
Objective
 Reducing application landscape complexity by improving use of standard
components
Deliverables
 Extending an existing application register
 Improving data quality
 Creating user centric reports standard deviations and business risk
Result
 Lots of work, limited credit but complexity visualized and gradually reduced0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Architecture Standard Utilisation
YTD Target

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The pragmatic example

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Creating a successful
repository
Information quality
and business value
is the key to
establish a virtuous
circle

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Avoiding the devious circle
• Identify critical business
questions
• Limit the information
scope
• Integrate information
maintenance

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Never include any information
that you are not committed to
maintain!

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A closer look on transformation…
Architecture
Descriptions
Impact
assessment
InitiationDeployment
Transition
planning
Solution
design
Change
Management
Plan
Build
Run

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Different needs in different phases
Architecture
Descriptions
Plan
Build
Run
Impact
assessment
InitiationDeployment
Transition
planning
Solution
design
Change
Management
Phase Detail Time Focus Users
Plan Low to medium Baseline & Target Diagrams and
matrices
Enterprise architects
Build High Target Diagrams Solution architects
Run Medium to high Baseline Catalogs
(with attributes)
Solution owners
Service owners

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Setting the scope
Architecture
Descriptions
Plan
Build
Run
Impact
assessment
InitiationDeployment
Transition
planning
Solution
design
Change
Management
Plan
• How does an organization change effect the IT landscape?
• How does an IT change effect the processes in the organization?
• What changes does a project deliver?
• What are the dependencies between the projects in a portfolio?
• What will the IT landscape be like in 5 years?
Build
• How does an individual project effect the overall landscape?
• Do the ongoing projects follow the established standards and principles?
Run
• What is the cost of my IT portfolio?
• What is the risk associated with my IT portfolio?
• How effective are my critical business processes?

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Designing the solution
Define data required to
support the critical questions
Build the meta-model
Determine features required to
support information management
Identify the appropriate
solution(s)
Architecture
Descriptions
Plan
Build
Run
Impact
assessment
InitiationDeployment
Transition
planning
Solution
design
Change
Management Use ArchiMate as
a starting point
Start small

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Designing the solution
Architecture
Descriptions
Plan
Build
Run
Impact
assessment
InitiationDeployment
Transition
planning
Solution
design
Change
Management
Architecture
Communication Portal
Architecture
Content Management
Platform
Architecture
Model
Repository
Architecture
Modeling Tool
Architecture
Analysis &
Reporting tool
Relevant
Enterprise
Repositories

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Launching
Ensure information quality at launch
Demonstrate and communicate value
Make information management
part of business as usual
If possible establish metrics
for information quality
Architecture
Descriptions
Plan
Build
Run
Impact
assessment
InitiationDeployment
Transition
planning
Solution
design
Change
Management

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Summary
Identify critical
questions
Define the
meta-model
Polish the views
and reports
Limit the scope but
kick start the work
You most likely need a repository…