analysis of EA Tools

"EA tools are the various types of commercial software applications that required to support EA documentation and analysis activities." [1] According to the definition above, EA tools are a set of software applications that could provide support to EA process. The main usage of EA tools is to provide support to facilitate EA process.

Enterprise architecture tools are used to aid the enterprise architect in a number of ways; allowing them to capture information regarding the enterprise, undertake modelling in all domains, capture the links between the various artifacts, provide a meta model to standardize the capture and hold this information in a repository to allow interrogation of information, for example in the form of standard or ad-hoc reports. [2] In this way, EA tools could improve facilitation for all the EA processes. Thus, we could say that EA tools are particularly useful. For example, people can not provide a comprehensive analysis on the software designing process without the support of UML. However, we cannot design UML without UML tools like Rational Rose. Architects need EA tools to process their business.

However, just like EA, every sword has two sides. People should not invest too much money in EA tools. Although some fancy tools look quite cool, you need to ask yourself whether you really need it before buying. We need learn to control budget.

Following is the minimum capabilities for EA tools given by Gartner: [3]

EA tools must address the requirements of a variety of stakeholders in the organization, and contain the following minimum capabilities:

• Repository, which supports business, information, technology and solution viewpoints and their relationships. The repository must also support the enterprise context composed of environmental trends, business strategies and goals, and future-state architecture definition.
• Modeling capabilities, which support all architecture viewpoints.
• Decision analysis capabilities, such as gap analysis, impact analysis, scenario planning and system thinking.
• Presentation capabilities, which are visual and/or interactive to meet the demands of a myriad of stakeholders.
• Administration capabilities, which enable security, user management and other tasks.
• Configurable capabilities that are extensive, simple and straightforward to accomplish, while supporting multiple environments.
• Support for frameworks and standards, most commonly used while providing the flexibility to modify the framework.
• Usability, including intuitive, flexible and easy-to-learn user interfaces.

When selecting EA tools, people should first refer to the criteria that Gartner provided. Then, combining with the existing problems and requirements they have to select the EA tools they need.

Obviously, people should be cost sensitive. One solution is to select open source EA tools, which is extremely cheap or even free. Besides the cost of buying the software, people should also take cost of training into consideration. However, cost should not be the only criterion people use to select EA tools. The tools used must have a high ROI, and that should be enough.

Here is an analysis given by Gartner for different tools. We could refer to that to make selection: [3]





[1]: An introduction to Enterprise Architecture, Scott A. Bernard.
[2]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source_enterprise_architecture_tools
[3]: http://www.gartner.com/technology/reprints.do?id=1-1CVXD3X&ct=121119&utm_content=c26292b9-8692-4afe-9fec-28e9315d6a34

Activities similar to EA and Business-IT alignment and ways to make EA more economical

After several analysis and research, I found that Business Process Modeling is somewhat similar to enterprise architecture. Business Process Modeling is a subject help people to understand the business process model both business and information technology perspectives. It provides a quite comprehensive way to analyze the process how the company producing and delivering products and services to satisfy customers and remain competitive. With the analysis, the company will have a more integrated business process which could integrate information technology and architectures together. That means, we could use Business Process Modeling to detect existing gaps and flaws and fix them.

Also, with the help of Business Process Modeling, the company could have a better way to handle upgrading. Since technology itself keeps updating, the company also needs to update its IT department to satisfy the requirements. Business Process Modeling could ensure the updating is integrated for the whole company.

However, Business Process Modeling only provide analysis in the perspective of business process. It's not as comprehensive as EA. But, still can be helpful.

Concerning the ways to make EA more economical I have the following ideas:

• First and foremost, ensure it's useful. If it doesn't help, even a small amount of money is a waste.
• Consider using alternative (cheaper) ways to achieve EA like Business Process Modeling.
• Build an inner EA department instead of using the service from other consulting companies.
• Always try to keep a "good" architecture within the company, which means build a monitoring mechanism to ensure the company in the right track.
• Apply EA don't until everything within the company is totally a mass.
• Plan before apply.

What I learned from the project with eGovernment

Since the project is coming to an end, I want to write something to make a conclusion and summarize what I have learned from that project.

Our project is to make a SLA between eGovernment and agencies since SLA could help them to solve their most pressuring problems.

Let's first have an overview about the business process and all the existing problems of eGovernment.

• They's main job is to receive and fulfill requests from different agencies they offer service. 
• The main requests from agencies are functional change requests and content change requests. 
• They need to evaluate the requests.
• After evaluation, some of the requests are passed to Squiz, which is a contracted company.
• Other requests are fulfilled by themselves. 
• They don't have a proper formal way for agencies to offer request. 
• They don't have an evaluation process to set the priority of change requests
• They don't have a clearly defined service level agree between agencies.

After have a brief overview of all their business and existing problems, we started to design the SLA for them. We divide the SLA into two parts. The first part is to design the service levels. The second part is to focus on change request evaluation, which is to design a priority matrix to prioritize different requests.

We designed the SLA referring to the eGovernment website, SLA draft and the SLA between Squiz and eGovernment. Also, we applied some EA methodologies.

I have learned a lot from that project. Not only better practiced what I have learned from the lectures, but also improved my communication, writing and analyzing skills.

Combine the lectures and the project, I now have a better view of EA. EA could provide a way for analysts to give a comprehensive analysis to the target organization.

For the eGovernment project, we successfully got the gaps and provided them a solution. We hope that could offer some help for them to build their own SLA. 

Some Ideas about EA Framework and Methodology

Besides the value of EA, I also got several ideas about the EA framework and methodologies after the Flowers4all project. This time, I will write it down and share with you.

EA Framework defines the scope of architecture and how the areas of the architecture relate to each other.

The EA Methodology defines how the EA will be implemented and how documentation will be developed, archived, and used; including the selection of a framework, modeling tools, and on-line repository.

From the definitions above, we could tell that EA methodology includes EA framework. We need to analyze the architecture comprehensively with the help of EA methodology. EA framework is a part of that we used for analysis.

The framework we used for the "Flowers4all" is EA Cube.



EA cube offers a comprehensive way of analyzing the whole architecture of the organization from the technology, business and strategy.

After the analysis and amelioration, we could achieve the situation as following:


From the case of "Flowers4all", we could analyze the whole organization through the following way:

Technology:

The company should ameliorate its technology through the following aspects:

·         Services

o   Various web services: the web services are mainly the service the system could provide to the users

§  Users could set the orders

§  Users could get the data from the website

o   Office automation services: the service provided by the office automatically

§  The account could be saved automatically

§  The inventory could be edited automatically

o   Software applications: the software applications provided by the system

§  The orders setting application

§  The orders checking application

·         Networks

o   Associated cable plants

§  We should ensure internet access for Flowers4all employees

§  Dial-up, telecommunication capabilities

o   Equipment facilities

§  All the equipment should be maintained in the certain time to ensure availablility in use

·         Vertical threads

o   IT security information

§  The system should be maintain safety

o   IT standards

§  The system should apply the IT standards

o   IT workforce information

§  The system should have the certain IT workforce to maintain and update it

Business:

The company could improve its business in the following ways:

·         Line-of-business

o   Integrate the lines of business

§  Build a more consolidate connection for all the business lines

§  Increase supply and manufacturing division

§  Increase nursery products division

o   associated measures: extra measures affiliated with the above line-of-business

§  Further extend its business lines.

Strategy:

The company could improve its strategy in the following ways:

·         Strategy

o   The Flowers4all’s strategic goals: The strategic goal for the Flowers4all is to extend its business into different fields and different places in the world by acquisition. In detail, the Flowers4all has the following strategic goals to accomplish:

§  To extend the Flowers4all network to all employees

§  To create central information stores and applications

§  To give all employees electronic mail

§  To distribute corporate-wide information electronically 

o   Activities: The Flowers4all has processed a lot of activities to achieve its strategic goals, including

§  The company contracted with two European nurseries, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and Seville, Spain, to provide exotic flower varieties.

§  In early 1990, the chain incorporated and offered ownership shares on the stock market. Using the money from selling stock, the company purchased all three nurseries in 1988 and set up distribution procedures, which effectively turned the nurseries into supply and distribution centers.

§  Also in 1990S, the company opened retail shops in upscale malls instead of purchasing existing florists.

§  In 1993, Flowers4all began selling flowers internationally. The cooperation formalized the setup of supply and distribution centers in Amsterdam and Seville by purchasing office space near the supply farms.

§  More U.S. distribution centers were purchased in Dallas, Texas and Boston, Massachusetts.

§  Now, the company’s business could be divided and concluded as Retail Services, Supply and Manufacturing, and Nursery Products.

o   Outcome measures: The Flowers4all, although very successful, has got several problems.

§  The system is not efficiency

§  The different lines of business lack of consistency

§  The data needs to be standardized and integrate

§  The cost should be reduced

With the help of EA Cube, I could apply such comprehensive analysis for the "Flowers4all", thus help the company.


refer: the pictures are from http://eapad.dk/ea3-cube/overview/

What is the benefit of EA?

After finish the project of the "Flowers4All", I have gotten a further feeling about EA. This time, I will discuss the benefit of EA.

EA, enterprise architecture is used to have a comprehensive over view on the whole enterprise, and use some EA method and EA framework to analyze the enterprise. Then, find the existing gaps and finally provide solution for future.

I have gotten a presentation demonstrating the benefits of EA. I will cite the presentation and explain it with the project one by one.

This is what I gotton as the benefits of EA. I will explain it in blue.

Primary Enterprise Architecture Benefit Types

The primary benefit types have been classified using the Value Discipline model as a framework:

• Operating Excellence
• It could improve the operation of the enterprise by reducing cost and risk. Since EA will provide a better architecture for the whole organization, ift could definitely achieve it. For example, in the project of "Flowers4all". 
• Reduce Cost
• EA could reduce cost in the following ways. It could improve the operations and infrastructures of the company, like changing into new servers or importing an ERP system. It could help the organization fix the existing gap to increase efficiency, then reduce the cost. It could also help the organization to get more integration. Like, in the project of "Flowers4all", EA could provide the company to standardize the data format by using the same database. In all, it could help the company to reduce cost by increasing its operations, support & maintenance, workforce planning, project delivery, supply chain communication & integration, etc. 
• Reduce Risk
• EA could reduce the risk in the following ways. It could provide an accurate asset valuation. For example, in the project of the "Flowers4all", EA could accurately asset all the valuations existed in the system. Thus, it could give a comprehensive analysis on all the asset existing in the company. Then, make better use of the legacy system and update to new ones. It could also provide a risk analysis. For example, in the "Flowers4all", it could help the system to analyze the risk existing and provide a useful solution to provide it in the future. Thus, reduce risk. 
• Product Leadership
• EA could increase the product leadership by increasing its revenue. The organization will get a better revenue with a better business. And that should be thanks to EA.
• Increase Revenue
• EA could increase revenue in the following ways. 1, better investment portfolio planning. EA could provide a better plan thus allows a better structure and better modeling. Thus, the portfolio plan will be changed. Time to market will be reduced, and the company will get a better product & service innovation. Thus, the company will get a better revenue level. 
• Customer Intimacy
• EA could increase customer intimacy by enabling better customer experience, enhancing reputation and ameliorating lifetime value of customer. 
• Better Customer Experience
• EA could help company to integrate the multi-channel experience. Thus, the efficiency will greatly be increased, so is the customer experience because they need less time for operation. For example, in the project of "Flowers4all", EA helps the company to integrate its business line by fixing its existing gaps. Thus, the customer will enjoy a better experience. 
• Enhanced Reputation
• EA could help organizations to increase their reputation by providing better service and support to customers. Thus, the company will win more customers in the market. For example in the project of "Flowers4all", after all businesses in "Flowers4all" become better, they will provide better service to customers, thus get better reputation and win more customers. 
• Better Lifetime Value of Customer
• After all the technological and management improvement are applied, the company will have a better technology effectiveness and more consistent communication. Thus, the customers will get a better lifetime value.

First journal after meeting the agency

Last week, we had a very short meeting with Susi about our project. Susi Masi is the chief project officer of the department of the premier and cabinet. She mainly in charge of this program and keep connection with us.

Before meeting her, we have an internal meeting. We clarified several questions about our program, such as “What is eGovernment?” “How the departments use the eGoverment?” “Why they need such a website?” etc.

eGovernment is a website of the government of SA to provide service to people. Each department takes up one part of the website. WSo, when people need service, they need to go to the website and find the right department to solve for them.

After the discussion, we still have some parts that don’t understand. So, we prepared the following questions to her:

• existing funding model  * 2
•  gov & Squiz
• gov & departments 
• if yes, what is the overall objection that needs to be addressed?
• if not, then what are the parties included in the working between working between the each entity & eGov.
• the underlying tech handling the contents
• historical change made on the system
• How are you using now?
• What are the existing problems now?
• What you expect us to improve the model in the future.
• The structure of the departments.

After the meeting, we are a little bit more clarified about our jobs.

The only thing she wants us to do is to make a SLA between the government and the agencies. SLA should help the government to determine the details using the website between the agencies and the egovernment. We need to further analyze the structure of the government and the website. Also, we need to analyze the existing SLA.

Considering it’s our first meeting, Susi didn’t prepare much about that. So, she arranged us a second meeting. We prepared some more questions for the next arrangement.

Although the project is not that comprehensive, we still can use our knowledge from the class in practice. I hope next meeting we will make more progress by starting making the SLA for the government.

Why we need a Framework?

Just as what I set as the topic, today, I will talk about why we need a framework.

I will first post a video, which is a lecture given by Dr. Ackoff from UPenn. [2]

The lecture by Dr. Ackoff

As what you read from the lecture, Dr. Ackoff mainly introduced the way of quality improvement. How we can improve the quality? I think this is what EA used for. Because as Ackoff said, the definition of quality has something to do with meeting the expectation of customers or consumers. That is what EA needs to do -- to improve the quality of the existing systems to meet the expectation of customers or consumers.

The professor firstly analyzed about the reason of the failures. That is they have not been embedded in system thinking. According to the professor there are 3 key points of the system. 1st is that the system should be a whole consists the parts, each of which can effect the behavior or properties. 2nd is that all parts of the system should be interdependent. 3rd is each system has a central part, which is extremely to the system.

So, come by to our question, why we need a framework? First, let me refer the definition of the EA Framework from the Wikipedia.

An enterprise architecture framework (EA framework) is an architecture framework which defines how to organize the structure and views associated with an enterprise architecture. [1]

 So, EA framework is used to define the whole structure of a system. So, is it similar to what the Dr. Ackoff demonstrated. Yes, we need the EA Framework to help us to get a comprehensive way to improve the whole system. Not a single part.

I just analyze it in detail by using the Zachman Framework as an example.

The Zachman Framework

The whole framework gives a detailed structure analysis on the whole project. It analyzed from different perspective and different parts. So, people can get the gap from the analysis of the consistency of the whole system. What I want to emphasis is that when analyzing a system, we should analysis the whole system instead of some certain part under the guide of the framework. That is the meaning of a certain framework.

EA Frameworks are very popular for the companies who want to ask for EA. And here is a very detailed analysis and comparison among the different frameworks on the http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb466232.aspx#eacompar_topic5.

I think the EA framework is just effective if it used properly.

Why I say this? Because if there is only one part improved in the system, the whole system will never be proved. Think about it, if only your hand improved, will your movement system improved? Because there is no improvement in your neural system, no improvement in your legs. Your movement can hardly be improved harmoniously.

And the last thing. The improvement of the system should be what you want. And the EA Framework is that thing will help you to find out that.

[1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enterprise_Architecture_framework
[2]: http://www.enterprise-advocate.com/2012/07/enterprise-architecture-systems-thinking/