Each cell in the great framework is like a piece of the enterprise puzzle. Scrutinized by it self each piece is a mystery to the understanding of the whole. Put together with other pieces it becomes a picture of the whole enterprise or an understanding a picture of a particular part of the enterprise. Thus to create an understanding of more than just a single piece of the enterprise, several pieces has to be investigated

Bruce Lee once said “True observation begins when one sheds set patterns and true freedom of expression occurs when one is beyond systems.” In the light of this I’ve attended yet another method workshop on Enterprise architecture. 

I spent last week in sunny California, mostly indoors the workshop I attended was the EACOE workshop. L.A. was a fantastic experience and the natives had that cool in them, the cool you have heard stories about but never really thought where real. Anyhow, the EACOE workshop was run by Sam Holcman and I’m happy to say that the workshop was a great experience. I took the learning approach recommended by Bruce Lee and emptied my cup as much as possible. Sam poured some new insights into the cup and after five days the cup was full again.

I’m now certified as an Enterprise Architect by EACOE and received my card and pin

 I’ll use the next couple of weeks to reflect back on the knowledge given in the workshop, maybe I’ll write some of it in this blog.

Västerås, Sweden, June 02, 2008 — Enterprise architecture, Zachmans Framework, Methodologies for Enterprise architecture and Enterprise architecture communication tools are amongst the nine most non disruptive business tools that will shape the business landscape over the next five years, according to research and advisory person Jörgen Dahlberg.

1. Enterprise architecture as a practice
2. Zachmans Framework envisaged as the periodic table of EA
3. Methodologies for Enterprise architecture, such as EACOE, modaf, togaf and agileEA
4. Enterprise architecture communication tools, such byggplast, post-it notes, wiki, blog, portal, dashboard
5. Enterprise architecture repository and modeling tools such as aris, qualiware,
6. Enterprise architects
7. Other architect specialists such as information architects, technology architects and business architects…
8. The solidification of EA as a practice used to create configurable enterprises
9. The certification of people as enterprise architects by organizations such as universities, togaf, EACOE…

All the while Gartner insist on identifying the top ten most disruptive technologies, read more about that here http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=681107

I’ve been pondering this simple question “what do I do?”. Not the simple what do I do question, but the really hard what do I do with a super capital “I“. It’s so easy to throw out something saying I’m an enterprise architect, or I work in IT and information architecture or I map processes and strategy so I must be a business architect with an IT twist. Sure I hold certificates in the fields of IT-architecture and business architecture, I’ve served under good and bad leadership and I’ve created great and not so great architectures. But does all this put me in any special architect role and is this what I do.

Most of the time I function as a pathfinder, scouting out the best strategy, the most suitable method or a really great service. How does that tie in to being in the field of Enterprise architecture? Am I an architect or have I become an Internet native, a nomad roaming the fields of the web looking for greatness. It sure sounds more exciting being a pathfinder, an ea-nomad an internet native. Maybe I’ll get to put pathfinder on my next business card instead of enterprise architect.

Ugh!

Three little things to remember…

1. Practice the use of the six companions: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How.
2. Be sure to make use of them in the different perspectives of us all.
3. Don’t forget to ask your self the questions, regarding the work at hand.

Zachman did a great job on clarifying 1 and 2.

We see change is coming with the digital natives using mashups to manipulate the environment, social networks to connect with others, content communities to express themselves, blogs to remember who they are, wikis to educate themselves and others and instant messaging to communicate. Further down the aisle of time it will all go mobile and then we lose whatever traction we’ve got.

“Social Computing is not a fad. Nor is it something that will pass you or your company by. Gradually, Social Computing will impact almost every role, at every kind of company, in all parts of the world. Forrester Research, Social Computing - How Networks Erode Institutional Power, And What to Do About It”

Here is another article on the same issue: http://www.informationweek.com/shared/printableArticle.jhtml?articleID=201804743

We see this change is coming fast down the back of an aging workforce and managerial philosophies that erodes slower than the managers them selves.

Who

Digital natives and the rest of us.

When

Now and Zen.

Why

Evolution happens.

Where

Internet, Intranet, Xtranet, Younet, Themnet, Everynet

How

SOA is one part of the stew that will enable a company to transform it’s enterprise architecture into a  constantly moving window of opportunity.

What can be done about it

Leave the fortress and build huts instead which means in EA-speak “Think, act and breathe agile and lean EA”.

Far to often we find our selves in a situation where we simply don´t get things done. What can be done about it? How can we avoid falling in to the tar pit of nodo. I don´t know about you but I see three ways:

1. Don´t start things if you ain’t sure to finish it (aka pointing with the whole finger way)
2. Get someone else to do it (aka the management way) will not work if you have a problem with nodo in manangement ;-)
3. Just do it (aka the Zen way)

nodo=no doing.

In an article today at AdaptivePath Kate Discusses the Role of Design in Business with Nathan Shedroff. Specifically they address the topic of design-led innovation process. There is a trend today towards design-led innovation. I foresee a twitch in the architecture field when the emphasis on EA moves from documentation to strategy, then perhaps we will pick up the best pieces from the field of design.

http://www.adaptivepath.com/ideas/essays/archives/000920.php

That’s why I named my company “desiarch” short for design and architecture.

I just needed to get these things down so I can move on with todays work.

Super interesting statistics regarding the usage of social networking sites from an American perspective. I think it does give a peek into what happens in the world regardless of it being just the American statistics.

http://blog.compete.com/2008/03/07/top-social-networks-traffic-feb-2008/

Then Joining Dots has a post on the Web 3.0 issue and they cite the statistics from above. I have to read the post once more at least.

http://www.joiningdots.net/blog/2008/03/mobile-social-networks.html

Joining Dots linked to a wonderful post by Charlene Li, where she exposes here thoughts on web3.0 in an up and coming book.

http://blogs.forrester.com/charleneli/2008/03/the-future-of-s.html

In an interview Stephen Anderson Tells Todd About Implementing Visionary Ideas , “someone asked me about how to get other, less visionary stakeholders, to understand and embrace some of the ideas I was describing. My short answer was prototyping. As quickly as possible, in whatever form you choose, translate your concept into something visual that people can ‘see’ or experience”

It’s not that this has never been said before, it’s that we do need to remind our selves about it from time to time. Keeping things simple and prototype them will get you stakeholder buy in quicker than anything else.