IT4IT vs. TOGAF 9.2: Which is Better?

In today’s world, information technology is the most important source of value for companies.

Because IT is generally connected to several, if not all, elements of an organization, its complexity may be a substantial impediment to obtaining this level of awareness. To deal with this, most organizations will invest in IT-related frameworks, with a number of world-class companies giving proven tools, insight, and best practices.

Two such frameworks are IT4IT and TOGAF. But what do the frameworks concentrate on? How do they complement one another? What’s more, how can a business or training candidate select the most appropriate framework?

Let’s take a look at who wins the debate of IT4IT vs. TOGAF.

Choosing IT4IT

IT4IT is a reference architecture for mapping out the functional components of a company. It examines how information technology impacts and empowers many parts of a company, with a focus on the phases when IT contributes to the development of products and services (known as the IT ‘value chain’). This viewpoint allows IT4IT practitioners to identify opportunities for development while also giving decision-makers clarity.

IT4IT, for example, was not created to compete with ITIL, COBIT, or even TOGAF. Instead, it provides a framework, as well as tools and best practices, to complement them and make managing them all more manageable. In summary, IT4IT can map out and optimize whatever technologies, frameworks, and procedures help businesses produce value.

For these processes, IT4IT specifies ‘Primary’ and ‘Supporting’ activities, as well as guiding principles for managing components and data items. It focuses on emphasizing and enhancing specific parts, rather than optimizing the full lifecycle at once, by leveraging its viewpoint to build from the ground up.

The IT4IT architecture is mostly concerned with business demands and the use of technology to generate acceptable solutions. To put it another way, it works to reduce waste. This improved alignment helps in the reduction of unnecessary IT expenses, the simplification of workflows, and the enhancement of productivity. IT4IT’s degree of perspective also creates traceability, which helps to promote continual improvement.

In short, IT4IT designs holistic architectures that integrate business and IT infrastructures. While this may appear to be a complicated system, IT4IT is simple to use and can be installed in stages. At the same time, it takes a prescriptive and comprehensive approach, providing practitioners with a proven plan for managing IT systems.

IT4IT maintains flexibility despite its prescriptive approach. It doesn’t change business models to fit a pre-existing IT4IT framework. Rather, it adapts to enterprises of any size, shape, or sector, for example.

IT4IT certifications have also grown in popularity over time. Businesses are eager to use the architecture and improve their operations, allowing practitioners to take on greater responsibilities and earn better pay.

However, both businesses and people must be committed to investing in IT4IT training. IT4IT has the potential to alter IT within a company, but it requires the company – as well as its management and stakeholders – to be willing to assist execute changes.

Any implementation complexity, on the other hand, will disappear with time. Instead, you’ll find that your IT structure has been streamlined and upgraded to the greatest extent practicable, allowing your company to earn significant and ongoing benefits.

Choosing TOGAF

The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) is the most widely used Enterprise Architecture (EA) framework in the world, as well as another Open Group innovation. Its goal is to integrate business and IT while also streamlining IT operations and relationships across teams, departments, and outsourced service providers, among other things. It also aids in the definition of organizational needs for achieving strategic goals.

TOGAF 9.2 provides tools and best practices for designing, developing, and applying new architectures that have been proven to be effective. The Architectural Development Method (ADM), which is at the heart of the framework, is also very adaptable, making it simpler for TOGAF practitioners to design architectures that are tailored to the needs of unique businesses rather than a set of standards.

The framework teaches managers how to drive architectural changes, communicate with managers and stakeholders, and so on. Given the framework’s shared vocabulary, TOGAF teams are also well-equipped to collaborate on large projects.

The TOGAF certification program provides a step-by-step guide to mastering enterprise architecture as a discipline. However, obtaining the full benefits of the framework necessitates the use of skilled and experienced practitioners. Naturally, this increases the demand for practitioners, making TOGAF training a good investment for architects who are ready to put in the effort.

Should I choose TOGAF or IT4IT?

Choosing between IT4IT and TOGAF comes down to what you want to achieve.

IT4IT is about enhancing business and IT aspects that result in value-adding products and services. This viewpoint may be particularly valuable for both continuous improvement and large-scale IT transformation initiatives, as it helps in optimization and competitiveness. While IT4IT might be difficult to understand at first, it can be implemented gradually and has great long-term benefits.

IT4IT is a good choice if you need an end-to-end understanding of service delivery inside your firm. It can provide you a comprehensive view of systems, tools, roles, and capabilities, as well as how they can all be enhanced.

TOGAF is a tool for corporate architecture. You can’t do much better if EA is your concentration, especially if you’re a practitioner candidate. The Open Group even offers more specialist variants, such as TOGAF Business Architecture, that adopt a high-level and flexible approach that covers all domains within EA (TOGAF BA).

TOGAF training might be a smart investment if you are planning large-scale activities utilizing your technological infrastructure. It will bring high levels of clarity and perspective to decision-makers while also assisting in the simplification of operations, increased efficiency, and the creation of artifacts that can be reused to drive continuous improvement.

It’s advisable to talk to experienced IT managers inside your company to get a better sense of which framework is ideal for you and your demands. In addition, both TOGAF and IT4IT have active practitioner groups that can address questions about each design.

Combining IT4IT and TOGAF

IT4IT and TOGAF are two well-known IT and business management acronyms. It’s crucial to note, however, that they serve various purposes and operate on different scales.

Enterprise architecture is one of several components under IT4IT. It would be perfectly acceptable to incorporate TOGAF into an IT4IT design, as long as it is properly connected with other value chain aspects. An organization may use IT4IT to actively break down silos in enterprise design, IT service management, and other areas. In their separate functions, IT4IT and TOGAF can even complement one another. In brief, IT4IT may be used to manage EA as part of a wider reference architecture.

‘How Do IT4ITTM and TOGAF® Work Together?‘ “The CIO may receive tremendous benefit from adopting IT4IT in a top-down way as a strategic evaluation tool to drive change throughout the IT department and assist reform the IT Operating Model,” says Michael Fultan of the Open Group.

“Using IT4IT as a bottom-up reference model to speed up architectural work and push vendor integration and standardization in the IT Management tool area may provide a massive benefit to the Enterprise Architect.”

Using Good e-Learning to study business and IT transformation and enterprise architecture

Good e-Learning is a multi-award-winning online education company. We’ve worked with hundreds of organizations to upskill applicants on Open Group frameworks, and we were even honored at the 2018 Open Group Awards with the ‘Outstanding Certification Product’ award. Our TOGAF and IT4IT courses are completely approved and appropriate for people and businesses that wish to take full use of the frameworks.

We collaborate with subject matter experts to create courses that not only assist applicants to pass tests but also provide practical guidance to help them succeed in their professions. To assist students to go beyond the curriculum, Good e-Learning periodically offers free downloadable materials, seminars, and blogs on the topics we cover. Our customer service representatives are also highly equipped to respond to queries on certain topics and frameworks.

Students may study on any web-enabled device using the Go. Learn app, which gives them access to each course for six to 24 months. When a student is ready to take a certification test, they can contact the Good e-Learning support staff for a FREE exam voucher or retake the exam.

Here at CourseMonster, we know how hard it may be to find the right time and funds for training. We provide effective training programs that enable you to select the training option that best meets the demands of your company.

For more information, please get in touch with one of our course advisers today or contact us at training@coursemonster.com