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The Enterprise Map: See the unseen Enterprise . Present to The Association of Enterprise Architects - DC May 4, 2011 John Chi-Zong Wu peaitce@yahoo.com. My Goals. Explain why the enterprise map is a fundamental tool for EA professionals.
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The Enterprise Map:See the unseen Enterprise Present to The Association of Enterprise Architects - DC May 4, 2011 John Chi-Zong Wu peaitce@yahoo.com
My Goals • Explain why the enterprise map is a fundamental tool for EA professionals. • Describe the enterprise map and its real-world applications. • Discuss the preparation of the initial Enterprise Map. • Share successful implementations of the Enterprise Map approach.
Why an Enterprise Map? • The enterprise map is analogous to a topographical map. • It enables stakeholders to: • See the “unseen” enterprise. • Visualize the “big picture” of the enterprise. • Cultivate an enterprise-wide collaborative culture. • Possess a portal to enterprise knowledge. Enterprise Map
Background • The Enterprise Map approach was born in 1998 to support the Immigration and Naturalization Services' (INS) year 2000 preparation. • The second generation of the Enterprise Map was developed for the Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to support agency transition efforts. • The latest generation of the Enterprise Map was developed for the Office of Workers' Compensation Program (OWCP) in the Department of Labor (DOL).
Using an Enterprise Map • An Enterprise Map is similar to a geographical map: it maps enterprise locations, business functions, processes and application systems. • Helps new staff see the “big picture” of the enterprise. • Serves as an information repository. • Helps to organize enterprise knowledge. • Allows practitioners to drill-down into specific areas of enterprise knowledge.
The topographic map of EA • The Enterprise Map (the "ground work" of EA) is similar to an engineering survey. • Not just a glorified diagram output from a complicated EA system! • Built piece-by-piece from the hard work and total participation of various stakeholders. • Does not require a complicated EA system!
Seeing the “unseen” enterprise • By nature, an enterprise is logical and invisible. • You can’t manage what you can’t see. • You can’t architect what you can’t see. • The enterprise as represented in the mind can become very different when put to paper. • An enterprise map allows everyone insight into the enterprise -- no longer a privilege for the chosen few.
Seeing the true “big picture” • “Knowing in part may make a fine tale, but wisdom comes from seeing the whole.” [ ] • What is the true “big picture”? • The Blind Man and The Elephant • People tend to believe the part the touched is the whole. • It takes a collaborative effort to truly see the big picture.
Cultivating a collaborative culture • The creation of an Enterprise map is a collaborative effort! • The challenge EA practitioners face is how to. • Facilitate collaboration by knowing human psychology via the concept of stone soup. • EA professionals are the glue to facilitate collaboration rather a guru to command and control.
A portal to enterprise knowledge • The visible enterprise map also serves as a portal to navigate the body of enterprise knowledge; it can link to detailed information within the EA repository. • One of EA’s main benefits is its ability to preserve enterprise knowledge. • Collaborative software (like Sharepoint) allows for: • Preservation of enterprise knowledge. • Accessibility of shared information. • Maintenance of EA information as a result of collaborative efforts.
Architecture Drawings • The Enterprise map adopts the same concepts as traditional architecture drawings. • Proven form of communication for many years • Utilizes the standard drawing templates that architects and engineers use • The high tech EA community can greatly benefited on the old technology to communicate architecture knowledge.
A visible business architecture • The enterprise map is essentially the visible business architecture • The Value Chain • The Organization Chart • The Location • Drivers • Customers • Function • Processes • Support organization
Aligning Technology to Business Needs • The Enterprise Map not only consists of business processes (as most of the other EA drawings do) – it also illustrates how businesses can take advantage of technology. • The EA map consists of the following technology layers: • Application layer • Data Layer • Technology Layer
Simple Drawing Tools • The Enterprise Map only requires basic drawing tools to start with. • It is not necessary to make significant investment on EA tools to initiate EA efforts! • Drawing software (Visio) • A large plotter • EA repository comes after EA maping.
Why a large plotter? • Why do we need hard copy in a paperless age? • Used to facilitate collaboration -- technologies may have evolved rapidly, but humans are still humans. • Tangible paper copies are tools to facilitate participation. • They can be laid on the table or posted on the wall to enable discussion and contribution. • Enterprise map on the wall eventually become portals to the treasures of enterprise knowledge.
Hard Work Leads to Total Participation The not so good news is that Enterprise Map is the result of hard work. • The Enterprise Map is the “ground work” of EA. • It is manually put together piece by piece, like a big puzzle. • It is all about people. • To facilitate collaboration, the EA professional has to conduct significant research to publish a “straw man version”. • The “straw man version” serves as a platform to raise people’s curiosity and participation levels. • Facilitating collaboration requires significant time and effort.
The Enterprise Map - A Big Puzzle • On the other hand, the enterprise map is not all about work -- it is fun, too! • The Enterprise Map is a big puzzle without a picture for guidance. • All jigsaw puzzle technique still apply. • Building a jigsaw puzzle is a wonderful way to help your mind focus on a structured method of using problem solving skills.
The Enterprise drawing set • The end products of the Enterprise Map approach is a set of enterprise maps similar to traditional architecture practice. • It start with the over all Enterprise maps and subject to break down for more detail. • However, it should not exceed 10 pages to become overwhelming. • It is a matter of macro cosmos and micro cosmos.
Dissemination • Deliver the Enterprise Map both in electronic form and by hard copy: • Use PDF for electronic delivery. • Hard copy is useful but difficult to deliver. • Print the hard copy on • Desktop version: (24” X 18”) • Wallpaper version: (36” x 24”)
The EA 101 Enterprise map to see the unseen enterprise is a unique EA capability. It is fundamental EA training considered as the EA 101. All engineering students take engineering drawing classes. Al Enterprise Architecture also learn Enterprise Map.