Aggregated enterprise architecture wisdom
Some time ago I have written about The Enterprise Architecture Matrix, where I used a small sequence from the movie Matrix to explain my line of thinking for Enterprise Architecture. This time I use the scene from Lord Of The Ring where Frodo is lookin…
Some time ago I have written about The Enterprise Architecture Matrix, where I used a small sequence from the movie Matrix to explain my line of thinking for Enterprise Architecture. This time I use the scene from Lord Of The Ring where Frodo is lookin…
I have read an interesting Blog Post from Paul Wallis about Asset failure and flow wich focusses on the physical elements. I really enjoyed reading the post and I can only encourage you to also read it with care. It furthermore triggered me to think and write again about the flow of events through an Enterprise. I will pick up quotes from the mentioned blog post and reflect on them by creating a collision of ideas to my social EA thinking.
When key flows – water, electricity, natural gas or sewage – are interrupted in an urban area, our lives become very difficult, very quickly. Interruptions to these critical flows will often cause knock-on interruptions to dependent secondary flows, impacting things like flows of people, flows of vehicles, or flows of goods through supply chains. Flows of data are no less vulnerable to interruption caused by unexpected interactions with other types of flow.
As I have written in GLUE Disease one of my main approaches is to look at the key flow (of knowledge) and especially into dysfunctions of that flow. If I find a dysfunctions I try to optimize the flow of knowledge direct or indirect depending on the given situation. If I am successful the achieved better flow of knowledge through the Enterprise will lead to better decisions.
But in today’s digital world, risk lies not only in the failure of IT assets that directly enable data to flow, but also in the failure of other less obvious business assets: a leaky door, a de-pressurised cable, a failed valve or a broken pump.
As I have written in People in GLUE what really matters are the people. They make the difference and they in the end form the real flow of events. Processes and Methods do help, but what really makes the difference are the people.
If the people fail there is no process and method available (at least for EA not) to secure the success and an optimal information flow. Therefore I personally focus on the people first. Of course there is a certain amount of processes and methods needed (to help the people working better), but as written in the agile manifesto: Individuals and interactions over processes and tools. Of all the assets available, people are the biggest and therefore should be threated according to that.
A couple of days ago a tweet flew by which deserved closer attention:Questions to ask about any method or approach: Who invented it? What problem one tried to solve? Do I have that problem? In the interaction with the author it became (once again) obvi…
Wannabe: I know Enterprise Architecture.
Real: Show me.
Real: This is an Enterprise Architecture Activity. It follows the same basic rules than the Enterprise, rules like governance. What you must learn is that these rules are no different that the rules of a framework. Some of them can be bent. Others can be broken. Understand? Then solve it, if you can.
[Wannabe tries to solve the problem]
Senior: Good. Adaptation, improvisation. But your weakness is not your technique.Project Manager: The Junior tries to solve an Enterprise Architecture problem.
Real: How did I solve it?
Wannabe: Your knowing more than I do.
Real: Do you believe that my being more experieced or knowing more has anything to do with my Enterprise Architecture framework technique in this place? You think that’s air you’re breathing now? Hah. Again.
[Wannabe really tries to solve it]
Project Manager: Jesus Christ, he’s fast. Take a look at his neural kinetics, they’re way above normal.
[Wannabe is close to solving it]
Real: What are you waiting for? You’re faster than this. Don’t think you are, know you are. Come on. Stop trying to solve and start solving it.
Project Manager: I don’t believe it.
Wannabe: I know what you’re trying to do.
Real: I’m trying to free your mind, Wannabe, but I can only show you the door, you’re the one that has to walk through it. You have to let it all go, Wannabe, fear, doubt, and disbelief. Free your mind.
