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7.4.1 Coupling Enterprise and Technology by a Compact and Specific Architecture Overview
Author(s) -
Muller Gerrit
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
incose international symposium
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2334-5837
DOI - 10.1002/j.2334-5837.2007.tb02933.x
Subject(s) - enterprise architecture , architecture , enterprise architecture management , ambiguity , computer science , stakeholder , enterprise systems engineering , engineering management , process management , knowledge management , systems engineering , engineering , management , art , economics , visual arts , programming language
Enterprise level projects tend to be delayed and to exceed budgets. Original expectations and targets are not met by these projects. Many solutions have been proposed to address this problem, one of them the application of Systems Engineering at large. In this paper we show how a compact Architecture Overview is a helpful instrument to keep enterprise level projects on track. Practical experience shows that such an overview provides a quick insight in project progress and in potential threats. Principal customers and managers should ask the architects for this overview. Benefit for the architects of making the overview is that it helps to position their work in the enterprise context. Experience also shows that pragmatic system engineering practices, such as process orientation and project management are complementary to the proposed overview. This combination of overview and pragmatic systems engineering is very powerful. One of the main issues in creating an architecture overview is the need for breadth , what needs to be included and for whom, and the balancing act of providing sufficient depth , what are crucial details that are part of this top‐level description. Also the way of describing is discussed, from stakeholder needs to ambiguity and the level of formalism.