►
Tools for Enterprise Architecture
London
The Open Group Conference
Remco Blom, EA consultant, BiZZdesign
► Proposed schedule
Introduction EA
Current experiences with tools
Office tools and EA tools
Requirements for an EA tool
Overview tools
Tool selection
Some best practices on starting with EA
►
Introduction Enterprise Architecture
Some basic concepts to level our minds…
► Why Enterprise Architecture?
Managing change and complexity:
Aligning business and IT
Outsourcing
Impact analysis
Project support (project start architectures)
Portfolio management
Communication with stakeholders
…
Obtaining insight in current situation (as-is)
So enterprise architecture as a tool
for communication
for governance
for innovation
► Enterprise Architecture
ISO 42010 (IEEE 1471):
Architecture = structure(s) of a
system in terms of
components,
their externally visible properties,
their relations,
and the underlying principles
“Structure with a vision”
► EA: Describing Coherence
Information architecture Product architecture
?
Process architecture
?
?
?
Application architecture Technical architecture
?
► What is Enterprise Architecture?
A process
For developing and using enterprise architecture in an
organization
A product
the complete and consistent set of methods, rules and models,
which will guide the (re)design, migration and implementation of
business processes, organizational structures, information
systems and the technical infrastructure within an organization
For managing change and complexity
► IEEE 1471 (summary)
Stakeholder
is important to is addressed to
1..* 1..*
has
1..*
Concern used to cover Viewpoint conforms to View
1..*
participates in
1..*
establishes consists of
1..*
methods for 1..*
Model
► Current experiences with tools for EA
Flickr: Beautyinmetal
► Your votes please!
Who is using office tools
(powerpoint, visio, word, excel)
to model and visualize
the (enterprise) architecture?
► Your votes please!
Who is using an EA-tool
to model and visualize
the (enterprise) architecture?
► Discuss the following questions
What do you like about the tool(s) you use(d)?
What didn’t you like about the tool(s) you use(d)?
What are your main requirements for tool support?
Discuss it with your neighbors
Write down the top-3 for the last question
► Gartner on Office tools (2006)
While most architecture endeavors can begin
successfully with office automation tools (for
example, Microsoft Office), diagramming tools (for
example, Microsoft Visio) and knowledge
management tools (for example, Lotus Notes), at a
certain point, more comprehensive architecture
modeling tools become a necessity.
► Office tools for EA: Drawbacks
Description of isolated EA domains, so
no relations between different parts
and domains of the EA
no insight in the relationships within
the EA
no impact of change analysis possible
Schemas visualizing the architecture
are difficult to construct / maintain
only a limited number of views are
developed
Overall consistency of the architecture
is very hard to maintain
propagating changes done by hand
and is time-consuming
► Advantages of EA tools
Descriptions of architectural domains are stored as part of the
same model
relations between different parts of the architecture are actually
part of the model
enabling impact of change analysis
Increasing consistency of the architecture
consistency and model checking mechanisms
Automatic generation of views and visualizations
tailored for a particular stakeholder
Work in teams
Description of enterprise architecture principles in the same
model
► Tool and Maturity
An EA practice does not start with tools…
Tools don’t solve problems, they only help you doing
so…!
Indicators for needing an EA tool:
You have a group of architects, so consistency becomes an
issue
You have a federated environment, so insight in each others
work in an issue
You talk to strategic management and projects, so different views
are needed
You spent lots of time on synchronization, different independent
model are hard to keep in synch
Have a hard time to deliver the requested insights in time, views
are maintained and created by hand
You have the need for analyzes, i.e. baseline/target comparison,
impact of change
► Tool and Maturity
Choose tools that suit Maturity and Tool 1
your maturity Requirements
No smaller… Maturity and
Tool 2
Requirements
But certainly no bigger!
Maturity and
Tool 3
Requirements
That can grow with you!
Maturity and
Tool 4
Requirements
►
Requirements EA Tools
The most common requirements for EA Tools
► Minimal requirements (Gartner)
The tool should support relevant concepts and
► framework(s)
Relevant for the goal of your enterprise architecture
Less is More!
Support of more concepts and frameworks is not necessarily
better…
Minimally, there should be support for
Goals, principles and guidelines
Business concepts
Application and information concepts
Infrastructural / technology concepts
Realization aspects (projects)
Time aspects
The relations between these concepts
► Modelling functionality
Creation and modification of models
easy to use model editing functionality
user-friendly interface
good graphical interface
the ability to assign properties to model elements
importing and exporting information using open
standards
multi-user support
► Visualization
Visualize and publish (parts of) the enterprise
architecture
easy (automatic) generation of views
defining new viewpoints
content and output form
copy to PowerPoint
export to Excel
publish in Word
generate HTML, including
feedback possibility
► Example visualization
Declaration Payment
Service Service
Accept and
Damage Register claim Assess claim Pay claim :-)
notification customer
Acceptation Assessment Customer administration
Service service service
Payment Acceptation Assessment Customer administration
system system system system
Messaging Claim Customer
service Files Service File Service
Mainframe
NAS File
Message DBMS CICS Server
Queing
► Analysis of enterprise architecture
Impact-of-change analysis
graphical, table, cross-domain
Comparing views
reporting differences and similarities
Comparing architectures (as-is, to-
be)
reporting differences and similarities
Queries
e.g., list all business critical processes,
supported by applications that use
technology services with an availability
less than 99%
Quantitative analysis
…
► Example impact analysis
► Example comparing architectures
► Repository and team support
Objects and relations should be stored
in a repository
User management and user rights
management
Content organization
Artifact sharing
Version management
Locking / check-in / check-out
Scalable
►
Overview of different type of
tools for EA
Comparing apples and oranges…
► Tools, tools, tools…
Different types of tools exist
EA modelling
IT Software Business Business
Management Design and Process Process
Development Design
Management Management
Repositories
► Components EA tools (ideal situation)
►
Selection of an EA Tool;
There is no ideal tool for all situations.
A step-by-step select and implement an EA Tool
► Procedure tool selection
If you don’t know where
Preparation you are going, any road will
take you there?!
Specifying
requirements
Exploration of Shortlist Demonstrations, Workshop /
the tool market consolidation references pilot-project
Contract
negotiations
Decision
making
► 1. Preparation
Analysis of current situation; identify
the groups involved in EA
the EA areas these groups are targeting
the maturity of the EA practice within organization
Measuring instruments (Togaf9:part VII, Gartner, DYA,
BiZZdesign, etc.)
means/tools that are used
conventions/standards that are available
requirements concerning possible
migration of current data and models
Result: clear picture of maturity of EA
practice and stakeholders
► 2. Specify requirements
The EA principles!
Identify requirements
Prioritize the requirements!!
Take into account the maturity of the organization
tool that fits the maturity level of the organisation
that does not impose severe complexity
that can grow with the organisation tot the next maturity levels
► Examples on requirements
Functionality of the software package;
Methodology/language support (e.g. ArchiMate®, Togaf®)
Training support (tool and methodology)
Administration and configuration aspects
Technical aspects
Contractual aspects (i.e., licenses, support,
new releases, etc.)
Security aspects and Performance aspects
► Example requirements
Many lists of requirements are available
Internet, Gartner, TOGAF, Forrester, http://www.enterprise-
architecture.info/EA_Tools.htm, etc.
See e.g. Enterprise Architecture Tool Selection Guide v4.2.pdf
Including scoring sheets, see
e.g.142242_ea_reqs_tool_matrix_v2.xls
Important: choose only those things important for your
organization!
Possibly weight the requirements
► 3. Exploration of the tool market
Create long list of tool
vendors
Ask around
Analyst firms
What are partner using?
Create RFI and let
vendors answer the RFI
Ask for screendumps etc.
to validate answers…
► 4. Create short list tools
Evaluate RFI Tool A
Create a short list of 3 – 5 tools
Ask additional information (if Tool B
necessary)
Tool C
► 5. Demonstrate and evaluate
Organize demonstrations for the
selected tools
focus on functionality important for
organization
use a case
let participants fill in evaluation form,
based on the requirements
Let them model a case
Visit reference sites
Rank vendors on short list
► 6. Contract negotiations
Procurement should start negotiations with the most likely
candidate(s)
This step can also be postponed just before deciding
Procurement should check:
the financial aspects such as the size of the investment, the
yearly maintenance costs, estimation of the amount of necessary
customization work, education costs, etc.
Modulairity of tools (architect, vendor, procurement)
information regarding the vendor (previous experiences,
continuity expectation, etc.)
the contractual clauses
TCO vs ROI!!
► 7. Pilot / workshop
Organize a pilot or workshop with the preferred vendor(s)
Use a case
Let “ordinary users” play with the tool
Create an interactive workshop of one or two days, or
Train some users and organize a longer pilot
Acquire information on configuration, conventions,
implementation, etc. during the pilot
► 8. Decide
Create a document for management to decide on EA tool
And start implementing the tool…
►
Some best practices on starting with
EA and tools
► Steps to take introducing EA and tools
Start pilot enterprise architecture
case should realize a quick win; small investment creates added
value; buy in support from management
Match concepts and describe current architecture
Use framework/language in organization;
Import as much as possible (in scope)
Create coherence within the architecture
Create relations within the architecture; create enterprise
architecture
Organise the architecture effort within your organization
Use architecture for future situations
► Think big, start small…
Select concepts and relations from meta
model
Not everything at the same time: just in
time, just in place
On which parts is information available?
What do you need to answer the
questions from your organization?
Divide the use of concepts and relations
in time
Define criteria for the selection and use
of concepts
Learn from others (best practices)
Go visit other companies
►
Questions….
….and answers
