The document discusses how IT architecture is failing to adequately support business needs and priorities. It notes that businesses are increasingly bypassing internal IT functions and turning to external cloud providers instead. This is due to perceptions that internal IT is too slow, rigid, and unresponsive. The ideal vision of IT architecture aligning business and IT strategy is not being realized. In practice, the IT function reacts too slowly and only partially to business pressures. As a result, IT architecture is becoming less relevant in a "post-IT world." The document raises questions about whether the complexity of IT architecture across multiple disciplines is itself contributing to issues between business and IT.

1. The Centre Cannot Hold:
Making IT Architecture
Relevant In A Post IT World
Alan McSweeney

2. The Second Coming, William Butler Yeats, 1919
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
16 May 2017 2

3. May 16, 2017 3
Wall Separating Real Business Concerns With
Transient IT Technology Trends
What The Business Wants
1. Securing the IT environment
2. Managing and retaining data
3. Managing IT risk and compliance
4. Ensuring privacy
5. Enabling decision support and analytics
6. Managing System Implementations
7. Preventing and responding to computer
fraud
8. Governing and managing IT investment/
spending
9. Leveraging emerging technologies
10. Managing vendors and service providers
Apparent IT Technology
Trends
1. AI and Advanced Machine Learning
2. Intelligent Apps
3. Intelligent Things
4. Virtual and Augmented Reality
5. Digital Twin
6. Blockchain
7. Conversational Systems
8. Mesh App and Service Architecture
9. Digital Technology Platforms
10. Adaptive Security Architecture

4. The Business Experience Of IT
• The business experience of IT systems are:
− Slow and costly to deliver and all to frequently late and not what
the business needs
− Unmanageably complex and costly to maintain
− Hindering the organisation's ability to respond to business and
economic changing environment
− Not integrated
• Mission-critical information is consistently out-of-date
and/or actually incorrect and/or only partially available
• A culture of distrust persists between the business and
technology functions of the organisation
May 16, 2017 4

5. May 16, 2017 5
IT Too Often Fails to Support Business Change
Effectively
• Technology integration is costly, risky and complicated
• Information is everywhere but getting access to the right
information at the right time is very difficult
• The business wants IT to be fast and flexibility
• The business gets IT that is sluggish and rigid
• Modifying system behaviour takes too long and changes
are difficult to communicate and implement effectively
• Much of IT system and operations expenditure is bloated
and fixed where operations run with excess redundant
capacity
• IT seen as a cost centre and not a source of business value

6. Trends In Business Use Of IT Affecting The Relevance
Of IT Architecture
16 May 2017 6
Outsourcing and the
divestment of IT
functions in response to
business wishes to
remove the overhead
Business need to
respond to the
interrelated
developments of
digital, mobile and
social computing
and perceived
inability of the
central IT function
to respond
Business shift to
cloud service
providers
offering
infrastructure-
less solutions
with no
perceived IT
involvement

7. Trends In Business Use Of IT Affecting The Relevance
Of IT Architecture
• Business shift to cloud service
providers offering infrastructure-
less solutions with no perceived
IT involvement that can be
operational quickly
• Business need to respond to the
interrelated developments of
digital, mobile and social
computing and perceived
inability of the central IT function
to respond
• Outsourcing and the divestment
of IT functions in response to
business wishes to remove the
overhead
• Business avails of
these trends to
bypass what they
view and experience
as an unresponsive
central IT function
and go directly to
external providers
16 May 2017 7

8. Trends In Business Use Of IT Affecting The Relevance
Of IT Architecture
• Business is tending to shift from internal IT function to external
solution and service providers because of perceptions that the
internal IT function cannot deliver solutions to meet business
needs
• IT provides a competitive advantage to businesses but the IT
solutions do not have to be provided internally
• Business can and does bypass the IT function if it does not
listen to the business and deliver solutions that enable delivery
of business objectives
• The business will look elsewhere for the necessary IT solutions
• The consequence will be a fragmented and balkanised IT
solution landscape that is costly to operate and support
16 May 2017 8

9. Trends In Business Use Of IT Affecting The Relevance
Of IT Architecture
• It is now all too easy for the business to bypass the central
IT function
• There are many easy options for the business while
selecting the internal IT function is too commonly the hard
option
May 16, 2017 9

10. May 16, 2017 10
Increasing Trend In Outsourcing Non-Core Functions
• Increasing and continuing trend of organisations moving
from in-house solution delivery to sourcing solutions
externally
• Intended to improve operational efficiencies by using
external suppliers’ perceived abilities to provide cost-
effective, fit-for-purpose solutions quickly using the right
technology
• Responsibility and accountability for solution delivery and
operation stills lies with the acquiring organisation

11. May 16, 2017 11
IT Solution Acquisition Trends
• Greater level of solution acquisition rather than custom
development
• Greater acquisition of services with lengthier service
relationships
• “Under the Cover” acquisition/outsourcing in the form of
cloud/XaaS
− Cloud leading to ad hoc proliferation of outsourced services as
business functions bypass what is perceived as slow, expensive IT

12. May 16, 2017 12
Divestment Of Non-Core Functions
• Organisations divesting
themselves of what they see as
non-core functions
• Example of the application of
Coase’s Law on the Nature of
the Firm
− A firm will tend to expand until the
cost of organising an extra
transaction within the firm become
equal to the costs of carrying out
the same transaction on the open
market
− When it is cheaper to buy the
service externally it will generally
be bought externally
Core
Business
Non
Core
Function
Non
Core
Function
Non
Core
Function
Non
Core
Function
Non
Core
Function
Non
Core
Function

13. May 16, 2017 13
Divestment Of Non-Core Functions
• Outsourcing of IT is because
maintaining an internal IT
function is seen as not relevant
or no longer offers a
competitive advantage
• Shrinking core competency
focus as organisations move
from in-house solution delivery
to sourcing solutions externally
Core
Business
Non
Core
Function
Non
Core
Function
Non
Core
Function
Non
Core
Function
Non
Core
Function
Non
Core
Function

14. May 16, 2017 14
Business View of IT
• IT is viewed by the business as being
• Expensive
• Not connected with business strategy and operations
• Unresponsive to the changing needs of business
− Viewed as a critical issue as business agility and responsiveness are essential
for competitiveness
• Undefined and unclear as a business asset
− In terms of financial cost and value
− Return on investment and value for money from IT is relatively poor
− The capability the asset should deliver to the business
• Not delivering its promises
• Business change projects cost more and deliver less value than
expected or promised

15. May 16, 2017 15
Causes of Business View of IT
• Business applications tend to be implemented on a project
by project basis for specific purposes without overall
context
• Project benefits and success have been measured on
specific project costs, value and time to market without
measuring the long term enterprise-wide cost and value
• Average 70% of total IT budget on run-the-business
operations and 30% on new solution investment
• Technology innovation has tended to deliver specific short-
term benefits but in the long term can make matters
worse

16. Shadow IT Expenditure – IT Architecture Failure And
A Post-IT World
• CEB Global - estimate in 2013 that 40% of IT expenditure does
not go through the central IT function
• Everest Group - estimate in 2017 that 50% of IT expenditure
does not go through the central IT function
• The problem of the business bypassing the central IT function is
getting worse
• Shadow IT is an unpleasant reality
• Shadow IT is a symptom of a post-IT world
− The central IT function loses relevance and control
− Businesses reduce their reliance on the core IT function
• The extent of the problem may be masked by IT outsourcing
which may be notionally counted as a central IT spend
• The failure of IT architecture to engage with business
requirements owns part of the blame
May 16, 2017 16

17. May 16, 2017 17
Pressures On Business
Business
Globalisation
Service
Focus and
Customer
Expectations
Challenging
Economic
Circumstances
Consolidation
Increased
Regulation
Business and
Technology
Changes
Mobile and
Social
Computing
Changes
Competition
New Business
Models
Increased Pace
of Change
Cost and
Efficiency
Pressures

18. Business Pressures Are Driving Business And The
Need for IT Change
• Globalisation
− Customers, partners, suppliers and greater competition
− Connectedness driving value chains
• Service Focus and Customer Expectations
− Differentiation and shareholder value increasingly
derived from service experience
• Challenging Economic Circumstances
− Need to cut costs and demonstrate real savings
− Justify technology investments
• Consolidation
− Mergers, acquisitions, takeovers and the need to
integrate IT systems, platforms and data
• Increased Regulation
• Industry regulations, consumer pressure and competition driving
openness
• Increased regulation and governance - business is turning to IT to
help and IT struggling to respond
• Business and Technology Changes
− IT becoming commoditised - growth of standards-based
technology means that proprietary solutions provide
less differentiation
− Speed of technology change
− Outsourcing where the right outsourcing decisions
require an understanding of how systems contribute to
the business
• Mobile and Social Computing Changes
− New platforms and technologies creating customer new
expectations of business that IT must respond to
− New platforms and technologies offering opportunities
to change the way in which business is conducted that
must be supported by IT system changes
− New platforms and technologies allowing competitors to
differentiate themselves that IT must help the business
in responding to
• Competition
− Greater competition from businesses with different
business models means both the need to reduce cost,
improve efficiency and change business structures and
associated IT systems
• New Business Models
− Newer ways of doing business means the need for new
IT systems and technologies
• Increased Pace of Change
− Change is happening more quickly reducing the time the
business and IT has to react
• Cost and Efficiency Pressures
− Need to do more with the same or less
May 16, 2017 18

19. Business Pressures And Business IT Needs
• The pressures the business experiences
gets passed to the IT function in order to
deliver solutions to meet the challenges
May 16, 2017 19
Business
Objectives
Business
Operational
Model
Business
Processes
Required
Operational
Business
Systems
Business
Strategy
Business IT
Strategy
Globalisation
Service Focus and
Customer Expectations
Challenging Economic
Circumstances
Consolidation
Increased Regulation
Business and Technology
Changes
Competition
Mobile and Social
Computing Changes
New Business Models
Increased Pace of Change
Information
Technology
The Business
Needs To
Operate,
Respond To
Pressures And
Innovate
=
Cost and
Efficiency Pressures

20. Pressures On Business Means Pressures On IT
16 May 2017 20
IT Strategy
and
Delivery
Business
Strategy and
Requirements
Business
Pressures
If the IT function
cannot react to
the
requirements of
the business, the
business will go
elsewhere
Business shift to
cloud service
providers offering
infrastructure-less
solutions with no
perceived IT
involvement
Outsourcing and the
divestment of IT
functions in
response to business
wishes to remove
the overhead
Business need to
respond to the
interrelated
developments of
digital, mobile and
social computing
and perceived
inability of the
central IT function to
respond

21. Business
Objectives
Business
Operational
Model
IT
Architecture
Solution
Implementation
And
Delivery
Management
And
Operations
Business
Processes
Required
Operational
Business
Systems
Business
Strategy
Solution
Design/
Selection/
Sourcing
Business
IT
Strategy
IT
Function
Strategy
IT Function
Structure,
Approaches,
Standards
Required
IT Operational
Processes
Required IT
Infrastructure
Business
Systems
Infrastructural
Systems
Design/
Selection/
Sourcing
IT Function
Resourcing And
Management
Idealised View Of Business And IT Linkage And
Alignment
May 16, 2017 21
IT architecture should act
as a glue joining the
business strategy to the IT
strategy
IT architects should be the
enablers of this orientation
of business and IT

22. Idealised View Of Business And IT Linkage And
Alignment
• The idealised view of the alignment of business and IT
shows a direct link between business strategy to business
IT strategy to IT function strategy
• The IT architecture function plays a key role in joining both
sides
16 May 2017 22

23. May 16, 2017 23
The Theoretical Benefits Of IT Architecture
Unmanaged
Complexity in IT
Landscape
Increased Cost
Reduced
Flexibility
Delays in
Delivering
Changes
Duplication in
Resources to
Develop, Operate
and Maintain
Business Systems
Cannot to Exploit
Economies of
Loading and
Scale
Longer Design,
Build, Test and
Delivery Time
Complexity
Causes
Difficulties and
Uncertainties
Leads To ..
… Thus Negatively
Impacting on
Business Performance
…

24. May 16, 2017 24
But An Ineffective IT Architecture Function Causes
The Problems It Should Be Solving
Unmanaged
Complexity in IT
Landscape
Increased Cost
Reduced
Flexibility
Delays in
Delivering
Changes
Duplication in
Resources to
Develop, Operate
and Maintain
Business Systems
Cannot to Exploit
Economies of
Loading and
Scale
Longer Design,
Build, Test and
Delivery Time
Complexity
Causes
Difficulties and
Uncertainties
But An
Ineffective
Architecture
Function Leads to
Business
Bypassing IT
Multiple
Separate
Solutions
Selected Without
Con-ordination
Unmanaged
Complexity in IT
Landscape

25. May 16, 2017 25
Notional Value Of IT Architecture
Appropriate
and Effective IT
Architecture
… Promotes
Actions and
Decisions That …
Align Information Technology Plans and Investments with
Business Priorities and Requirements
Result in More Integrated Operations Responsive to
Customer and Business Requirements
Promote a More Efficient and Effective IT Infrastructure
Facilitate Cross-Organisational Sharing of Enterprise
Information
Recognise Innovations and Best Practices Across the
Enterprise
Ensure Traceability of Decisions Back to Principles and
Rules

26. May 16, 2017 26
Notional Value Of IT Architecture Not Achieved
Appropriate
and Effective IT
Architecture
Align Information Technology Plans and Investments with
Business Priorities and Requirements
Result in More Integrated Operations Responsive to
Customer and Business Requirements
Promote a More Efficient and Effective IT Infrastructure
Facilitate Cross-Organisational Sharing of Enterprise
Information
Recognise Innovations and Best Practices Across the
Enterprise
Ensure Traceability of Decisions Back to Principles and
Rules
But the IT
Architecture
Function is All
Too Ineffective
And Fails To
Deliver The
Expected
Benefits

27. What The
Solution Does
Dimensions Of Business Needs Of IT Solutions
May 16, 2017 27
How Quickly
The Solution
Is Operable
And Usable
Lots Of
Unnecessary
Functionality At
The Expense Of
Long Delivery
Time Is Not
What Is Needed

28. Dimensions Of Business Needs
• The business needs appropriate solutions delivered quickly
• The business needs leadership in understanding what the
need
• The business needs active engagement from the IT
function and IT architecture
16 May 2017 28

29. Business
Objectives
Business
Operational
Model
Business
Processes
Required
Operational
Business
Systems
Business
Strategy
Business IT
Strategy
Business And IT Linkage And Alignment – The Reality
• What really happens is that the IT function all too
frequently reacts slowly and only partially to business
pressures and needs
• The operation of the IT function is opaque to the business
May 16, 2017 29
Information
Technology
Function

30. IT Architecture Role Landscape
• Multiple overlapping inward-looking technology-focussed
dogmatic siloed disciplines
16 May 2017 30
Enterprise Architecture
Business
Architecture
Enterprise
Information
Technology
Architecture
Information
Architecture
Enterprise IT
Information Systems
Architecture
Enterprise IT
Technology
Infrastructure
Architecture
Enterprise
Security
Architecture
Enterprise
Architecture
Governance
Solution
Architecture

31. IT Architecture Role Landscape – Some Questions
• Is the complexity of IT architecture and its multiple separate
views contributing to the problems between business and IT?
• Are the separate IT architecture functions too inwardly
focussed rather than being business focussed?
• Is the hierarchy within IT architecture roles with enterprise
architecture perceived as the highest ranking function part of
the problem?
• Is there a need for an overarching IT architecture function – not
enterprise architecture - that co-ordinates the activities of
specific IT architecture roles?
• Is there a need for non-technology involvement in IT
architecture to provide a business dimension to ensure linkage
between architecture and business exploitation of technology?
16 May 2017 31

32. IT Architecture Is Rarely About The Enterprise
• All to frequently inwardly focussed, staffed by IT personnel
• Demonstrates aspects of groupthink and focalism
• Too remote from business concerns and not business oriented and focussed
• Concerned with documenting current IT technology state, standards and
processes in detail
• Too dogmatic
• Focused on compliance, control and government and adherence to rules
• Obsessed with architecture frameworks, models and patterns
• Overly controlling
• Reactive
• Inflexible
• Communicates to the business badly, if at all
• Not concerned with delivery
• Does not measure its delivery in terms of business benefits realised
May 16, 2017 32

33. IT Architecture Function Groupthink
• The need for agreement, accord and compliance within
the group results in a flawed, illogical and inhibited
decision-making processes and decisions
• Group becomes dominated by small number or single
individual who forces their beliefs on the group
• Tendency for consensus and agreement and the desire to
minimise contention means alternatives are not fully
evaluated
• Group isolates itself from information on alternatives
• Disagreement and dissent are quashed or concealed
through self-censorship
May 16, 2017 33

34. Groupthink Symptoms And Characteristics
May 16, 2017 34
Groupthink
Exaggeration Of The
Power And Rightness
Of The Group
Illusion of
Invulnerability
Members ignore obvious danger, take extreme risk, and
are overly optimistic
Illusion of
Morality
Members believe their decisions are morally correct,
ignoring the ethical consequences of their decisions
Closed-Mindedness
Collective
Rationalisation
Members discredit and explain away warning contrary to
group thinking
Excessive
Stereotyping
The group constructs negative stereotypes of rivals
outside the group
Uniformity,
Unanimity and
Suppression of
Dissent
Pressure for
Conformity
Members pressure any in the group who express
arguments against the group's stereotypes, illusions, or
commitments, viewing such opposition as disloyalty
Self-
Censorship
Members withhold their dissenting views and counter-
arguments
Illusion of
Unanimity
Members perceive falsely that everyone agrees with the
group's decision; silence is seen as consent
Mindguards
Some group members appoint themselves to the role of
protecting the group from adverse information that might
threaten group complacency

35. Technology Influences And Impacts On Business And
IT
• An effective business oriented IT architecture function can
get the correct balance between too little and too much,
too slowly and too quickly
16 May 2017 35

36. IT Architecture As Internal Business Consulting And
Advisory Function
• What IT Architecture Can Do
• Identify trends in advance that offer opportunities or
represent challenges
• Assist with the design and development of new
business models
• Acquire the skills and experience to be a credible
business advisor
• Be able to translate innovation and creativity into
practical, realistic, implemented and operated
business solutions
• What IT Architecture Must Do To Achieve
Its Potential
• Take an appropriate and sufficient approach to
architecture
• Take a realistic approach to innovation
− Radical innovation
− Incremental innovation
− Innovation By reapplication
• Focus on simplicity and speed rather than
completeness and perfection
• Understand appropriate complexity
• Be able to react to changes quickly
16 May 2017 36

37. IT Architecture – Translating What Into How
May 16, 2017 37
HowWhat
How What
Translate the What of
business requirements into
the How of technology and
process
Translate the What of new
technologies into the How of
the application to the business

38. Co-Ordinated And Business Focussed IT Architecture
Function Structure
16 May 2017 38
IT Architecture Management, Co-
ordination and Delivery Business Involvement

39. IT Architecture Team
• Needs to operate as a team rather than a set of siloed
internally focussed IT roles
• Involve business as well as technologists
May 16, 2017 39

40. Co-Ordinated And Business Focussed IT Architecture
Function
• Eliminate the divisions between the separate IT
architecture roles
• Get the business involved in the IT architecture function
• Manage and co-ordinate all IT architecture centrally
• Measure delivery and benefits achieved
• Outward, future-oriented
16 May 2017 40

41. The Importance Of Early Engagement In IT
Architecture
• Early engagement in the solution delivery process occurs
before any solution delivery project is initiated
• The objective is to is understand the scope, requirements,
objectives, approach, options and to get a high-level
understanding of the likely resources, timescale and cost
required before starting the project
• Allow the feasibility of the solution options to be assessed
• Converts a request from the business to an explored and
refined high-level solution proposal that facilities informed
decision-making
• Early engagement is the IT function providing true consulting
services and value to the business
− Being a partner to the business
16 May 2017 41

42. Solution
Delivery
Solution Delivery Phases And Early Engagement
Project Stages/ Timeline
ProjectActivity/Function
Early
Engagement
Concept Initiate Plan Design Build Test Deploy
Manage
and
Operate
Project
Management
Business Function
Business Analysis
IT Architecture
Implementation
and Delivery
Test and Quality
Organisation
Readiness
Service
Management
Infrastructure and
Communications
Time
Business
Functions/
Roles
May 16, 2017 42

43. An Effective Early Engagement Process Requires …
• A consistent, organised and controlled approach to
performing such engagements
• A standard method for performing analysis, collecting
information, engaging with the business, making
assessment and solution option identification
• A process for managing early engagements from resources
required to engagement with the business to prioritisation
to quality management, assurance and control
• A standard and consistent approach for representing the
results of the engagement
16 May 2017 43

44. IT Needs To Deliver Business-Oriented
Solutions
Technology
Landscape
Supplier
Ecosystem
IT Needs to Mediate Between the
Business and Suppliers/ Technologies,
Acting as a Lens Focussing Business
Needs on Appropriate Solutions
IT Needs To
Focus
Appropriate
Services on
Appropriate
Suppliers and
Technologies
Business
Required
IT
Solutions
IT Lens
16 May 2017 44

45. IT Lens
• The IT function needs to be a lens focussing and
concentrating solution needs onto solution options
• The IT function needs to successfully mediate between the
business as the originator of a solution requirement and
the solution and its provider, either internal or external or
both
• The IT function needs to be good at moving from analysis
and option identification to an implementation decision
quickly and effectively
• IT architecture is the solution lens
May 16, 2017 45

46. IT Function Mediating Between Solution
Requirements And Solutions Delivered
• The IT function needs be skilled at the co-ordination of the
acquisition and procurement of delivered operable usable
solutions
• IT architecture needs to design solution landscape to meet
the business needs
• IT needs to be good at solution delivery and provision
along the solution journey from initial need to service
introduction and transfer to production
16 May 2017 46

47. Business
Objectives
Business
Operational
Model
IT
Architecture
Solution
Implementation
and
Delivery
Management
And
Operations
Business
Processes
Required
Operational
Business
Systems
Business
Strategy
Systems
Design/
Selection
Business IT
Strategy
IT Architecture In Business And IT Context
May 16, 2017 47
IT Architecture needs to be able to contribute to the development of business strategy and to be trusted to
be able to make a contribution
How the business can use technologies and how the business should be shaped to take advantage of
technologies
Provide advice on the potential of new technologies and how to react to technology changes
Offer real business consulting and the addition of business value

48. Three Interrelated Strategies – Business, Overall
Organisation IT Strategy And Internal IT Function Strategy
• Business Strategy
− Defines the strategic goals,
imperatives and initiatives to
direct the business
− Business strategy is the
principal driver of IT strategy
− IT strategy is developed to
support the business strategy
− IT can also provide
opportunities to reshape the
business strategy
• Organisation IT Strategy
− Defines the strategic direction
of information technology
within the organisation
required to support and
achieve business strategy.
• IT Business Function
Strategy
− Defines the strategic direction
of the IT function to develop,
deploy, operate, manage and
support the IT systems
needed by the business
− Includes processes and
supporting technology
16 May 2017 48
IT Business Function Strategy
Locations
and Offices
Systems and
Applications
Business
Processes
Technology
Organisation
Information
and Data

49. IT Strategy Contexts and Perspectives on Change
and Impact
16 May 2017 49
Business-Oriented Strategy Context
Locations
and Offices
Systems and
Applications
Business
Processes
Technology
Organisation
Information
and Data
Technology-Oriented Strategy Context
Locations
and Offices
Systems and
Applications
Business
Processes
Technology
Organisation
Information
and Data
• Two `required components of the strategy of
the IT function
− Business-Oriented IT Strategy Context
• Business Processes focuses on the actions, how and
in what sequence activities are carried out, what
rules are followed, and the types of results obtained
• Organisation focuses on the people and organisations
involved in the change: their culture, capabilities,
capacities, roles, structures, and organisational units
• Location and Offices focuses on the geographic
distribution of locations where business is conducted
and the characteristics of various location types
− Technology-Oriented IT Strategy Context
• Information and Data focuses on business rules,
content, structure, relationships, and the
transformation of information used by processes and
applications
• Systems and Applications focuses on the capabilities,
structure, and user interface of software applications
and components
• Technology focuses on the hardware, system
software, and communications infrastructure used to
enable and support systems and services

50. Getting The Introduction of New Technologies
Balancing Act Right
• An effective business oriented IT architecture function can get the
correct balance between too little and too much, too slowly and too
quickly
16 May 2017 50
React Too Quickly
React Too Slowly
Implement
Too Little
Implement
Too Much

51. Technology Influences And Impacts On Business And
IT
16 May 2017 51
New technologies offer
the potential for new
opportunities, if
effectively implemented
and used
The use of new
technologies by
competitors and
customers forces the
organisation to react
New technologies may not
deliver their apparent
promise and potential
Implementing new
technologies has direct
and indirect costs to the
organisation: lost
opportunity elsewhere

52. Extended IT Architecture Balancing Act
16 May 2017 52
React Too
Quickly
React Too
Slowly
Implement
Too Little
Implement
Too Much
Organisation-
Wide
Limited to
Business
Function
Tactical
Focus
Strategic
Focus

53. May 16, 2017 53
IT Architecture And The “I” Word
• The word Innovation is being used and misused pervasively without
clear definition, meaning or understanding
• Every organisation claims to be pursuing and driving innovation or
offering innovation development services
• But are they?
• Innovation is not just about ideas
• Innovation is about driving the generation of good ideas and
ensuring their appropriate adoption in order to generate value
• Innovation is or can be a process (that can be measured)
• Innovation is about generating business value – an idea without
implementation has little meaning
• IT architecture needs to be an IT innovation powerhouse

54. May 16, 2017 54
Innovation =
Good Idea That is Defined and Validated
+ Appropriate Implementation and Adoption
+ Generation of Value

55. May 16, 2017 55
Innovation Can Be …
A new idea
OR
An existing idea or process that is improved
OR
An existing idea or process implemented or applied elsewhere

56. May 16, 2017 56
Innovation …
• … Is not necessarily one big idea
• It can be lots of little ideas

57. May 16, 2017 57
Innovation Is All About Value
ΣValue
{ } >> Value
{ }
• Sometimes …

58. May 16, 2017 58
Where And What Are The Innovation Ideas?
Innovation Area Radical Innovation
Incremental
Innovation
Innovation By
Reapplication
Business Model
Networking and Alliances
Core Processes
Enabling Processes
Product Performance
Product System
Service
Channel
Brand
Customer Experience

59. Summary
• Business has a consistently poor experience of the internal IT function
• It is now all too easy for the business to bypass the central IT function
• If the IT function cannot react to the requirements of the business due to business
pressures, the business will go elsewhere
• Shadow IT - the acquisition of IT solutions outside the control of the IT function - is an
unpleasant and common reality
− Shadow IT is a symptom of a post-IT world
− The central IT function loses relevance and control
• Businesses reduce their reliance on the core IT function
• IT architecture should act as a glue joining the business strategy to the IT strategy
• IT architecture needs to operate as an internal business consulting And advisory function
• An effective business oriented IT architecture function can get the correct balance between
too little and too much, too slowly and too quickly
• The IT Architecture team needs to operate as a team rather than a set of siloed internally
focussed IT roles, involving business as well as technologists
• IT architecture can lead the innovative application of IT to delivery business value
• Effective early engagement in the solution delivery process delivered through IT
architecture occurs before any solution delivery project is initiated
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60. More Information
Alan McSweeney
http://ie.linkedin.com/in/alanmcsweeney
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