The Dark Matter of Business Driven Integrated Enterprise Architecture

In our Enterprise (Business) Architecture Industry, the complexity of Enterprise Architecture continually gets communicated, continually gets press, continually gets evangelized, and with all the well intended communication, it very much feels that Enterprise Architecture is being made out to be much more complicated than it actually needs to be. What is interesting is that we have realized there is a void that continually gets overlooked, and sometimes inadvertently or purposely ignored.



The void is known. In order for an Integrated Enterprise Architecture to be completely cohesive, the void must be properly addressed, identified and clarified. When the void is not properly addressed, it has little chance of being satisfied save by a lot of trial and error churning. When that churn occurs, there can only be haphazard and inadequate documentation and traceability to properly address learnings, accuracy, and assurance that the Enterprise can see itself clearly and be truly understood. It is only when the void is properly addressed that one can have a truly accountable and reconcilable Enterprise Asset.



This Dark Matter (void):

• provides the glue that holds the Enterprise in tact,




• determines competitive differentiation,




• drives the process architecture,




• ensures strategic alignment,




• and ensures the satisfaction of the customer.

You ask, “What is this perceived Void?”


Just as in astrophysics where Dark Matter is thought to be responsible for the universe not flying apart, thus encouraging the growth and stability of structure...



In a solid Integrated Enterprise Architecture, the Dark Matter of IEA is what is ultimately responsible to ensure the complete integrity and cohesiveness of a true Integrated Enterprise Architecture that is completely known. The difference is that the Dark Matter in a Business Driven IEA is a known fact, especially in its nature and purpose in encouraging the growth and stability of structure.



I have been working on some white papers recently that cover the above in detail. One of the introductory white papers is soon to be published in a Newsletter, plus I will be speaking on this topic at the Brainstorm Event in San Francisco on July 1, 2009. (http://www.bpminstitute.org/events/sanfrancisco.html)



The intent is to show that the only way to ensure Competitive Advantage and/or Differentiation is to do the necessary Homework in realizing and clarifying the Value Chain (s) as well as identifying and understanding Value Stream Behaviors.


In this short introduction, I welcome any constructive discussion regarding the Dark Matter of a Business Driven IEA. I created this Pyramid years ago when I was doing my knowledge management work, and it made a lot of sense to utilize it as a metaphor for a complete Business Driven IEA as well.



In the pyramid at the top of this page, the Dark Matter (or perceived void) is represented in Levels 2 and 3. In the white papers I have written, I communicate the content and context of the Dark Matter and illustrate how the whole IEA fits together as well as explain all the elements it is comprised of… and specifically explain the importance and significance of Value Chain References and Value Stream Behavior References.



What we are ultimately after in our clarification is to work through the Pyramid below to ensure all the Levels are addressed and well understood and represented by quality referential models that communicate accountable relationships and traceability. The result of the clarified Pyramid will be a complete and accountable set of reference models. I cover this in my white papers as well.




To understand the complete context of the Pyramid, I encourage the reader to read my white papers. The Graphics are also much more clear in the white paper publications.



As the white papers become publicly available, I will include links to them on this Blogspot as well as publish excerpts to this Blog. Also, when I have any relevant links including books, I will include them on this Blogspot so the reader can have them "at their fingertips" so to speak.

Until then... Enjoy! And... Always Remember...



"Getting Something Done Is Easy!!! Getting Permission to Get Something Done Most Time Is The Hard Part!!!"

Enterprise Architecture - Blueprint or Footprint

No matter how many years pass, and once again no matter how 'greatest since sliced bread' technologies become... still the quality of the 'success quotients' comes down to how well we understand the environment, the needs, the processes, the human components, the potential solution elements, how or even if they map, et al.

All of us have had the experience of working for and/or working with businesses that are victimized by the 'missing (or lacking) enterprise blueprint'. Many businesses react by 're-organizing' as a result of business impacts caused by that missing (or lacking) blueprint. As well, potentially they not even fully realize all of the direct and/or indirect interdependent cause and effect relationships the blueprint controls. Regarding this, businesses can also miss the classic 'assumption point' of the re-organization activity. To the point, what is meant by that is that organization infers order, control, and structure. The very activity of Re-organizing makes the assumption that there was order, etc. in the first place.
Over the decades, consulting practices have sprung up under different monikers (e.g. needs analysis, ocm, BAA advisors, KM advisors, PDM, BPI advisors, et al). All of these efforts continually try to make known and turn on the appropriate light bulbs for business, but when the advice from these exercises becomes equated to change management, it is easy for the original intent to get lost and caught up in a whole new set of factors.

Granted those new set of factors are critical to success as well, but as we all know the success of change management mandates constant consciousness and cognizance of the goal. So many times, change appears to occur for change's sake and as is historically known can result in re-organizing around the opportunity versus re-organizing to address the opportunity.

It is interesting that whenever a plane is built, a house, a bridge... even a highway... right or wrong, there has been much advance work done creating blueprints, materials lists, utility impacts, etc. etc. Enterprise Architecture in businesses... now there is a different story...

Over the years, as industry has become so focused on 'point solutions', we see so many business enterprises that have lost their way in patchwork point solutions. That patchwork can lead to the illusion of control, the illusion of order, the illusion of integration, as well as the illusion of structure. Topics like inefficiency, lost data, duplicity, information roadblocks, conflicting charters, disorganized intelligence, fuzzy results, inept knowledge, and so on become the business drivers that can become the controlling factors.

It is not to say all is lost. Many businesses seem to be appreciating the Business Area and Enterprise Architecture more and more. As we all know, effectively addressing the Enterprise Architecture blueprint is more than worth the time in order to be able to fully realize the business potential. We just need to stay on top of it as more and more point solutions materialize.

The blueprint is like the fundamentals of baseball... If the fundamentals are not efficiently addressed, communicated, and acted upon, managing and exploiting the value, the measure, and the knowledge will never be realized.