Establishing a Partnership with your Business
Open Group Conference, Philadelphia| 18 Jul 2013
MaDhew Daniels, SVP and Head of Strategy & Architecture, RBS CiLzens Financial Group Dan Hughes, Partner, Systems Flow Inc.
Abstract
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Enterprise Architects have been advocaLng for a seat at the business strategy table since the dawn of, well, enterprise architecture. In many cases even geSng a clear understanding of the business strategy is a challenge, let alone parLcipaLng in its formulaLon. By establishing partnership with the business, EA can beDer understand and even influence the business strategy, thus enabling IT to more effecLvely empower businesses goals and objecLves. More importantly, EA can extend beyond the technology boundary and take an acLve role in transforming the business. This is a case study of a step by step approach for building such a partnership at a top 15 US bank.
About RBS CiLzens
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In 1828, RBS CiLzens Financial Group got its start as a small community bank called the High Street Bank in Providence, Rhode Island. RBS CiLzens Financial Group, Inc. is a $126 billion commercial bank holding company. It is headquartered in Providence, R.I., and through its subsidiaries has approximately 1,400 branches, more than 3,600 ATMs and nearly 19,000 colleagues. It operates its branch network in 12 states and has non-‐branch retail and commercial offices in more than 30 states.
RBS CiLzens Technology OrganizaLon
• Technology Services Americas (TSA) manages and supports all of the technology across the bank.
• The team consists of ~3000 full Lme and contract resources • From the datacenter to telephony equipment, this team
ensures everything is ready to use when colleagues, customers and partners need to work with us.
• Divided into five towers – Corporate Func-ons and Shared Services, Consumer and Business Banking, COO, Infrastructure Services, and Commercial and GTS – TSA is organized to align with and support the different funcLons across the bank. This gives the team a clear view into each business area to ensure experLse and added value to every technology decision
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The Challenge • EA reports within a business services organizaLon to the head of
technology • EA team is part of a Global architecture organizaLon with its own
methods and approaches • Historical engagement with the business has been low. Inward and
technology/infrastructure focused mission. • Fundamental business shij: movement from an acquisiLve
business model to one of organic growth • Difficulty responding to new technology trends • Limited EA resources need to do this as well as “keep the ship
afloat” • IT posiLoned as an “order taking” organizaLon
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What had been tried?
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Technology “Advisory” Group • Soj governance • Advice vs. Teeth
Architecture Steering CommiDee • Engaged with the business at the wrong level
Architecture Playbooks • aligned to parent company approach • formal publicaLons with elements of
business architecture
• Sacrificed simplicity for completeness • No real adopLon – ended up being an
exercise by architecture for architecture, limited CIO adopLon let alone any other CxO’s
Budget planning engagement with business
• Good “point in Lme” impact, but only on technology decisions
Targeted architecture planning for specific business units
• Addressed pain points, but no enterprise view/impact
The Right Time For A RevoluLon!
• Gartner’s view of the 3rd generaLon of Enterprise Architecture: business outcome driven
• Financial pressures drive the need for smarter spending
• Pervasiveness of technology is creaLng a new set of expectaLons with our customers and colleagues
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A Fresh Start: Building a Partnership
• Engage CxO/business leaders early in the process to define a new guidance approach that met their needs
• Focus on: – Communica-on. Extensive socializaLon and input from business.
– Understanding. What are the business strategies and objecLves? What do they want? What do they need? What are the appropriate influences for architecture?
– Value. Forget about what we need. How can we help them?
• Collaborate with business to socialize a new roadmap deliverable
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THE PARTNERING PROCESS
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Make Friends
Elicit Strategy Mentor IT
Understand Influences
SocializeUnderstanding
Recommend Direction
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Things you need before you start:
q List of Potential “Friends Of Architecture”
q Good story for the value of architecture
q Clear explanation of architecture process
q Working knowledge of industry and organizations specific business (eg. prepare for an interview!)
q Approach for partnering to bring value (see below)
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Make Friends
Elicit Strategy Mentor IT
Understand Influences
SocializeUnderstanding
Recommend Direction
• IdenLfy FOA’s “Friends of Architecture”
• Ask them what they need. Listen.
• Take them to lunch and learn about their business
• Find something of interest and hold a “lunch a learn” to teach technology
Making Friends
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Make Friends
Elicit Strategy Mentor IT
Understand Influences
SocializeUnderstanding
Recommend Direction
• IdenLfy your CEOs prioriLes: write EA story for each
• Seek out any remotely related documents
• Make all discussion with the business “understand the strategy” discussions – capture nuggets
• Ask specific quesLons • Review and elicit feedback
EliciLng Strategy
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Make Friends
Elicit Strategy Mentor IT
Understand Influences
SocializeUnderstanding
Recommend Direction
• Educate FOAs how to beDer leverage technology
• Share the capabiliLes of the IT organizaLon
• Communicate similar success stories
• Learn what IT pain points they are experiencing and propose soluLons
Mentoring IT
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Make Friends
Elicit Strategy Mentor IT
Understand Influences
SocializeUnderstanding
Recommend Direction
Understanding Influences
Influencing Factors
Business Strategy
DisrupLve InnovaLons | Technology Trends
CompeLLve Environment
IT Strategy
Enterprise Architecture Principles
Current State Assets & CapabiliLes
Current Project Poruolio
• Explore areas that influence the end state architecture
• IteraLvely review with FOA
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Make Friends
Elicit Strategy Mentor IT
Understand Influences
SocializeUnderstanding
Recommend Direction
• IdenLfy list of stakeholders to get on board. CxO | FOA | SME | Biz | IT If someone is on your team, they are more likely to root for your team!
• IteraLvely review findings as you gather them.
• Measure progress in weeks
Socializing Understanding
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Make Friends
Elicit Strategy Mentor IT
Understand Influences
SocializeUnderstanding
Recommend Direction
1. End state target 2. 1-‐2 year plan 3. 3-‐5 year aspiraLons 4. More details for a few
Focus Areas
Recommend DirecLon
• Build a data driven view of the solu-ons supporLng the business. Charts and Graphs! • Link soluLons to business services
• Tie soluLon aDributes to business impact • An operaLonal views drives pracLcal
architecture
• Best case: Leverage APM system Our case: Interview and elicit
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IT Ope
raLo
ns Insig
ht
Use the data along with organizaLon knowledge gained through interviews to “tell the story” of the ecosystem supporLng the business and create a discussion about the likely and the possible.
TIP Don’t under esLmate the influence of IT OperaLons on an
appropriate target architecture
• Debunking the “technology mudslide hypothesis” • Good firms are aware of innovaLons, but are unable
to place enough value on them to pursue • 3 step process:
1. IdenLfy disrupLons
2. Brainstorm value
3. Market the
opportunity
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Disrup
Lve Inno
vaLo
n
Sustaining An innovaLon that does not affect exisLng markets.
Evolu-onary An innovaLon that improves a product in an exisLng market in ways that customers are expecLng. (E.g., fuel injecLon)
Revolu-onary (discon-nuous, radical) An innovaLon that is unexpected, but nevertheless does not affect exisLng markets. (E.g., the automobile)
Disrup-ve An innovaLon that creates a new market by applying a different set of values, which ulLmately (and unexpectedly) overtakes an exisLng market. (E.g., the lower priced Ford Model T)
TIP Show value by idenLfying innovaLon opportuniLes
If you want to transform the business, influence the spending!
• Consolidate and document all the valid influencers into a clear view
• Analyze the input to produce a target and roadmap
• Drive planning, budgeLng, and governance from this agreed upon “playbook”
• Maybe you can fund large projects, or maybe you do on the backs of many projects
• You now are the “system of record” for your organizaLon’s investment plan.
• Be your business’s “Personal Shopper!”
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CxO Roadm
ap
TIP
Anatomy of a Roadmap
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Business Strategy
Disruptive Innovations
Competitive Environment
IT Strategy
Architecture Principles
Current State Assets & Capabilities
Current Project Portfolio
Findings
Recommendations
Proposed Target Architecture
Roadmaps2 year Flight Plan | 5 year Roadmap
Focus Area Focus Area
Business Strategy
Disruptive Innovations
Competitive Environment
IT Strategy
Architecture Principles
Current State Assets & Capabilities
Current Project Portfolio
Findings
Recommendations
Proposed Target Architecture
Roadmaps2 year Flight Plan | 5 year Roadmap
Focus Area Focus Area
Business Objec-ves 1. To expand the business aggressively and
offer above-‐average returns to shareholders.
2. To become the leading, innovaLve systems company within the xx market segments.
Business Strategies 1. Strengthen human resources funcLon 2. Accelerate product launches 3. Seek new market segments/applicaLons for
products
• Use language/approach followed by business
• If helpful, restate in clear format, but map to source narraLve
• Goal is to confirm you understand!
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Business Strategy
Disruptive Innovations
Competitive Environment
IT Strategy
Architecture Principles
Current State Assets & Capabilities
Current Project Portfolio
Findings
Recommendations
Proposed Target Architecture
Roadmaps2 year Flight Plan | 5 year Roadmap
Focus Area Focus Area
• Be the aggregator of trends and disrupLons (regulatory, industry, technical)
• Impress business with your knowledge of trends in their space
• Focus on a small number of key topic areas that will resonate for a non-‐technical audience
• Map trends/disrupLons to specific implicaLons and opportunity for the business
• Analyze and provide “value at stake.” Digital Society always on, always available
Mobile: transforming the customer experience § Need differenLaLng and ultra convenient opLons § Provide access and acLvaLon through mobile § Patent innovaLons
Social media: the world signs up § Leverage to create personalized customer experience § Monitor, respond, and communicate
App Culture: “there’s an App for that” § Build app “ecosystem” vs single app § Support rapid iteraLon an innovaLon
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Business Strategy
Disruptive Innovations
Competitive Environment
IT Strategy
Architecture Principles
Current State Assets & Capabilities
Current Project Portfolio
Findings
Recommendations
Proposed Target Architecture
Roadmaps2 year Flight Plan | 5 year Roadmap
Focus Area Focus Area
• InformaLon on compeLtors with a focus on: – Product Features & FuncLonality – Service differenLators – Sales & Service Channels – InnovaLons
• ObjecLve is to learn from compeLtors how you can service your customers beDer
• Not only provides insight but can also be a call to arms for funding
• Look internally (product, channel, and markeLng) and externally (news arLcles, published reviews, research firms)
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Business Strategy
Disruptive Innovations
Competitive Environment
IT Strategy
Architecture Principles
Current State Assets & Capabilities
Current Project Portfolio
Findings
Recommendations
Proposed Target Architecture
Roadmaps2 year Flight Plan | 5 year Roadmap
Focus Area Focus Area
• Business Strategy for the IT funcLon • Turns conversaLon into an opportunity to educate business on IT and where IT is going
• Ideally, shows business a “best pracLce” for strategies documentaLon
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Business Strategy
Disruptive Innovations
Competitive Environment
IT Strategy
Architecture Principles
Current State Assets & Capabilities
Current Project Portfolio
Findings
Recommendations
Proposed Target Architecture
Roadmaps2 year Flight Plan | 5 year Roadmap
Focus Area Focus Area
• Shared. Common data is managed in shared databases. • Understood. Data is mapped to CiLzens data model. Metadata is
managed. • Accessible. Data is appropriately accessible for transacLons,
operaLons, reporLng, and analyLcs. • Necessary. Data management has a cost, so only manage and retain
data as required by law and as needed for compeLLve advantage. • Quality. Data quality is assured and understood with appropriate
controls and monitoring. • Compliant. Data handling complies with relevant laws and regulaLons.
All informaLon, especially NPPI, is accessible only to authorized individuals.
• Secure. Role based security is implemented at the data layer. • Singular. All data has a single operaLonal system of record. Minimize
redundant data capture, transmission, and storage.
Data
• Educates business and operaLons on organizaLons architecture principles
• Introduces as criteria for architecture decisions and project assessments
• Although each is backed with formal details, it summarizes into “sound bites”
• We have 4 categories of principles: business, technology, applicaLons, & data
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Business Strategy
Disruptive Innovations
Competitive Environment
IT Strategy
Architecture Principles
Current State Assets & Capabilities
Current Project Portfolio
Findings
Recommendations
Proposed Target Architecture
Roadmaps2 year Flight Plan | 5 year Roadmap
Focus Area Focus Area
Current State Assets
238 Total Applications
StrategicLimitContainRetireWatchUnknown
Business needs will be met by using and building on deploying strategic soluLons.
In cases where Lme, cost, or other drivers mandate, a supported/limited soluLon will be allowed as an excepLon.
We will conLnue to support supported/contained soluLons, but will not deploy any new soluLons of that type and only upgrade exisLng if we have no alternaLve.
We will launch projects and programs to migrate business funcLonality from reLred soluLons to strategic soluLons.
We will track industry trends and soluLon maturity to decide when to implement watched soluLons.
• Strong overlap with ApplicaLon Poruolio Management; ideally driven from a APM soluLon
• Learn from business, COO, and CIO what metrics maDer to them
• PreDy pictures! Let charts & graphs tell the story. • Integrated views including business funcLons and the
sojware, hardware, and components that make up the soluLons that support them.
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Business Strategy
Disruptive Innovations
Competitive Environment
IT Strategy
Architecture Principles
Current State Assets & Capabilities
Current Project Portfolio
Findings
Recommendations
Proposed Target Architecture
Roadmaps2 year Flight Plan | 5 year Roadmap
Focus Area Focus Area
Current State CapabiliLes • We use “Business Footprint” diagrams: a
heat map of a specific business line in the organizaLon or marketplace
• Can be overlaid with addiLonal dimensions to highlight your story
BranchAssisted
Assisted Telephony
Service Centers
Mail/ Messaging
Broker/ Dealer
ATM/Kiosk Automated Telephony Internet Mobile /
Apps
Self Service
Assisted
Cha
nnel
s
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Business Strategy
Disruptive Innovations
Competitive Environment
IT Strategy
Architecture Principles
Current State Assets & Capabilities
Current Project Portfolio
Findings
Recommendations
Proposed Target Architecture
Roadmaps2 year Flight Plan | 5 year Roadmap
Focus Area Focus Area
• “Flight Plan” depicts current projects on a Lmeline (hopefully) converging on target.
• Color, icons, and callouts can highlight aDributes that support story.
TARGET2013 2014
Sal
es &
Mar
ketin
gC
ore
Pro
cess
ing
Assisted Channels Self Service Channels
SalesForceEnhancements
MarketoIntegration
Lead GenerationProgram Phase 1
Lead GenerationProgram Phase 2
WebSite CMSUpgrade
In Progress
MDM IntegrationPhase 4
Auto LendingPlatform
Abletron Enhancements
DecommissionMS Access RDM
ScreenPop Phase 2
Branch Check Imaging
QuickDrop Small Biz Upgrade
"At Your Work" Mobile Platform
Video Assist
WebChat
Mobile Banking Upgrade
iOS Virtual ATM
Mobile Banking Upgrade
Checking Packages
IVR VoicePrint
Progresses Strategy
1
2
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Business Strategy
Disruptive Innovations
Competitive Environment
IT Strategy
Architecture Principles
Current State Assets & Capabilities
Current Project Portfolio
Findings
Recommendations
Proposed Target Architecture
Roadmaps2 year Flight Plan | 5 year Roadmap
Focus Area Focus Area
Findings • NarraLve assessments gleaned from data
and acquired via interviews • Describe risks, costs, and other pain points
due to current architecture • Include business assessments to comfort
level of audience (push envelope)
Recommenda-ons • NarraLve describing broad brush
recommendaLons • Describes choice of target, focus areas, and
project selecLon • Include business recommendaLons to
comfort level of audience (push envelope)
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Business Strategy
Disruptive Innovations
Competitive Environment
IT Strategy
Architecture Principles
Current State Assets & Capabilities
Current Project Portfolio
Findings
Recommendations
Proposed Target Architecture
Roadmaps2 year Flight Plan | 5 year Roadmap
Focus Area Focus Area
• High level view of target • Use a “basket weave” which depicts
systems on 2 basic dimensions, typically process and product
• AddiLonal dimensions via icons & color • Ojen includes narraLve annotaLons
Branch Assisted
Assisted Telephony
RelationshipManager
Messaging/Correspondence
AutomatedTelephony
Internet
Assi
sted
Cha
nnel
sSe
lf Se
rvic
e C
hann
els
DDA Savings Loans & Lending
SalesForce.com
eDeliveryMail-o-matic
VoicePlus
Adaptive
Chatter
New Systems
Teller 5000
Sharkmaster
1
2
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Business Strategy
Disruptive Innovations
Competitive Environment
IT Strategy
Architecture Principles
Current State Assets & Capabilities
Current Project Portfolio
Findings
Recommendations
Proposed Target Architecture
Roadmaps2 year Flight Plan | 5 year Roadmap
Focus Area Focus Area
• New project “flight plan” based on recommendaLons and target
• Indicates canceled and proposed projects
• Highlights alignment with target TARGET2014 2015
Sal
es &
Mar
ketin
gC
ore
Pro
cess
ing
Assisted Channels Self Service Channels
Lead GenerationProgram Phase 2
WebSite CMSUpgrade
Proposed Cancel
Auto LendingPlatform
Decomission MS Access RDM
MDM SalesForceConnector
Video Assist WebChat Mobile Banking Upgrade
iOS Virtual ATM
MDM IntegrationPhase 4
IVR VoicePrint
Progresses Strategy
2
Trixis LendingManager
Proposed Project
Teller 5000
Mail-o-Matic
Adaptive Desktop1
Adaptive Internet
Adaptive Mobile Connector
ETL Data Hub
EDW: Marketing Subject Areas
EDW: Financial Subject Areas IAM: Customer
SSO
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Business Strategy
Disruptive Innovations
Competitive Environment
IT Strategy
Architecture Principles
Current State Assets & Capabilities
Current Project Portfolio
Findings
Recommendations
Proposed Target Architecture
Roadmaps2 year Flight Plan | 5 year Roadmap
Focus Area Focus Area
• More detailed architecture views are provided for key soluLon areas
• Select focus based on recommendaLons
• Can be conceptual or logical level and direcLonal or reference architecture.
OpportuniLes for Business TransformaLon
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Make Friends
Elicit Strategy Mentor IT
Understand Influences
SocializeUnderstanding
Recommend Direction
1. Broker discussion about strategy. Ask quesLons. 2. Present opportuniLes to align strategy with exisLng
assets and capabiliLes. 3. Provide insight into operaLonal strengths and
weaknesses. 4. Inform about compeLLve environment. Use to
propose beDer ways to provide customers with beDer products and services.
5. Introduce disrupLve technologies and technical trends. Help business understand value and how to take advantage.
6. Use current project poruolio as a backdrop to discuss current direcLon of business as implied by project spending.
7. ConLnue conversaLons around influencers with business partners.
8. Ensure findings and recommendaLons address business opportuniLes as well as technology.
9. Provide insight to enable beDer decision making around planning and spending.
“Earn the right incrementally”
Some Tips • Listen, listen, listen. Listen. • Draj early and review ojen. • Be open to changes – what worked for one organizaLon/business line may not for another.
• Use preDy pictures and infographics. These made a noLceable difference in audience response.
• Use the “Up Goer Five” style of communicaLon: keep it simple.
34 *Graphic courtesy of xkcd (hDp://xkcd.com/1133)
Lessons Learned
• COO role is a huge benefit, otherwise need a FOA (friend of architecture)
• The effort is significant; difficult to juggle with other “keep the ship afloat” acLviLes
• Without an asset management system, the “current state” charts and graphs were beyond our reach. We did interviews.
• Leadership changes can make it difficult to maintain momentum
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Summary • Never been a more opportune Lme for Architecture to help transform business
• Architecture needs to ride the wave of innovaLon and disrupLon
• We need to look for big and small opportuniLes to influence the business direcLon
• We must transform the way we communicate and deliver to stay relevant. Keep. It. Simple.
36 *Graphic courtesy of xkcd (hDp://xkcd.com/547)
Authors
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MaQ Daniels is the Head of the Americas Strategy and Architecture Team for CiLzens Financial Group. In this role, MaD leads a team of Enterprise Architects who support all divisions within the CiLzens organizaLon. Previously, MaD developed and launched an Enterprise Strategy and Architecture funcLon at CiLzens, and also led the Americas Business ConLnuity and Incident Management departments. Prior to his thirteen year career at RBS CiLzens, MaD held various senior technology and leadership posiLons
with Alltel InformaLon Systems, Gartner, and Eunetcom/Dun and Bradstreet and has over 20 years of experience in the technology management arena, specifically in the areas of Network and Data Security, large scale heterogeneous networking, technology integraLon and engineering, and applicaLon architecture. MaD aDended New England College and Providence College, and is a trained Six Sigma green-‐belt. MaD is married to Emily and has two children, Eleanor and William. In his rapidly diminishing spare Lme MaD plays drums, collects and restores vintage stereo equipment, and races sports cars.
Dan Hughes is a principal consultant and partner at Systems Flow, Inc., where he leads the technology services pracLce. He has decades of sojware engineering experience spanning a broad range of technologies and techniques. Startup to enterprise, he has launched, managed, and executed all aspects of both product and enterprise life cycle, delivering complex, enterprise-‐scale architectures for clients in the public and private sector, in industries ranging from banking, health care, and insurance to internaLonal development. He
guided the launch and parLcipated in ongoing operaLons of Enterprise Architecture teams at numerous clients in mulLple industries and has served on the United NaLons Development Programme IT Governance Board as an external member and advisor. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer and Systems Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic InsLtute and blogs on architecture topics at hDp://www.sysflow.com/author/daniel.hughes. Dan’s non-‐architecture Lme is consumed by his family and his obsessions with his lawn, home automaLon, and genealogy.
About Systems Flow Systems Flow helps organizations dramatically improve their competitive advantage through the practical, effective application of best practices in enterprise architecture and software development. Investigative Architecture is the term we coined back in 2008 for our approach that facilitates the rapid assessment and documentation of ‘as-is’ and proposed IT architectures. We developed this Investigative Architecture approach a decade ago in support of our enterprise and solution architecture consulting services.
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