3 Things to think about in Enterprise Architecture

The first step in preparing for uncertainty as an enterprise architecture is to consider your standard operating procedures. And technology isn’t the only topic under discussion.

We usually hear statements like “change is a constant” and “the rate of change and the threat of disruption creates a huge opportunity,”  Steve Case said. Although we are aware that this is the case, many professionals still appear to design and construct business applications and systems based on a specific set of point-in-time needs.

The necessity for ongoing business application rebuilding to take advantage of new opportunities develops from software development. However, an unfortunate result of continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) is that it may allow developers to produce subpar solutions and keep fixing them as a standard best practice. However, there are more options besides the ones that agile software development teams and squads commonly choose. Better consideration of how we design for change is something architects can and should do.

Recently, we instructed a session on using architectural thinking for uncertainty at The Open Group’s Enterprise Architecture Practitioners Summit. We believe that reconsidering standard approaches for creating code and databases is the first step in preparing for uncertainty. Problems need to be solved in other areas outside technology sometimes. Thinking through problems, or architectural thinking in our situation as architects challenges us to reconsider the discipline of developing business applications.

Try unique concepts without being afraid in Enterprise Architecture

We encourage architects to resist the temptation to adopt best practices that won’t benefit the organization or IT professional in the long run. There are so many excellent practices that only exist in name.

We think that architects already possess the qualifications and skills necessary to assist enterprises in addressing this challenge, and architectural thinking is a method for them to prove their worth and value to the company. However, architects must be careful not to unnecessarily restrict themselves by depending too much on some of their existing coping methods, such as:

• establishing a strict scope limit
• minimizing the scope coverage
• reducing the complexity of the answer to simple, everyday constructs
• reducing the planning time horizons
• removing information to make it easier to compare

However, each of these is incredibly successful as a coping technique since it enables architects like us to effectively think about and work on solutions. But the issue here is that if we acquire them through “muscle memory” without consciously evaluating the consequences, they are also self-imposed and can limit both the way we work and the outcomes.

Three things to consider about uncertainty in Enterprise Architecture

To see clearly, you’ll need to open up more than just your eyes. Here are a few important ideas that help in changing architecture:

• Uncertainty is not a primary concern or interest. By removing irrational limitations from the business, architects can show their mettle by paving the road for critical thinking advancement.
• Uncertainty is complex.IT professionals almost always enjoy working with requirements. It’s simpler to work with something definite. It can be difficult and complex to talk about a change that someone in the company needs for the upcoming year. The effort could even seem pointless. But if a change is unavoidable, we must start making room for it and implementing adaptable strategies.
• You’ll always be prepared if you know how to handle uncertainty. It’s simpler to think about an organization in a stochastic way as if it were just another variable in a broader equation rather than a set of activities that could be expected.

For instance, version 1.0 of your preferred software project, solution, or app is likely no longer available. That suggests that all business applications have undergone revisions. A revision shouldn’t necessitate a code modification. A code update leads to a new version or dot-release. Other methods can be applied to cut down on code modifications. Some of these methods start to come to the fore when dealing with uncertainty.

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