Evidence-based Architecture is a dynamic, process-based, quantitative and qualitative analysis that determines if an organization’s information technology architecture is going in the “right” direction (and what parts are going in the “wrong” direction) in order to realize future IT benefits to the business. This proven and dynamic assessment addresses an organization’s architecture value proposition to understand what value is being derived over the short-term to long-term in regards to its IT architecture roadmap, and if the value is real and sustainable, as well as at what cost this value will be realized.
Evidence-based Architecture evaluates an organization in terms of 5 information technology capabilities – 1) Organizational Readiness, 2) Process Definition, 3) Data Availability & Quality, 4) Application Landscape Coherence, and 5) Technology Innovation & Adaptation. Furthermore, Evidence-based Architecture addresses the maturity of the 5 capabilities and their relationship affinity. Thus, the maturity of the 5 capabilities and their alignment determines whether an organization’s architecture is progressing according to its corporate goals and objectives. Both the business and IT drivers are considered in the Evidence-based Architecture assessment as critical success factors.
Evidence-based Architecture is parallel to Evidence-based Government, which government has established as a scientific analysis to help understand if its policies are effective over a longer-term period. Evidence-based Government is a benchmark to determine if the right policies have been defined and realized within the government. Similarly, Evidence-based Architecture is a benchmark to determine if the right information technologies have been defined and realized within the organization. An Evidence-based Architecture assessment can be conducted during a project or after the fact. Evidence-based Architecture is conducted during a project to ensure that information technology is being deployed in a planned direction. An Evidence-based Architecture assessment conducted after the fact is used to validate whether an information technology deployment adequately supports the business in an effective and efficient manner (i.e. information technology was delivered according to an IT roadmap, and if it deviated, was the outcome positive or negative – and how much better or worse was that outcome from the intended plan). Furthermore, if an organization has a planned target information architecture, an Evidence-based Architecture assessment can be conducted to validate an existing IT roadmap, or guide the development of a new IT roadmap.
IT Architects provides a service to conduct an evidence-based architecture assessment of your information technology capabilities, including major IT programs and ERP initiatives across the enterprise. The purpose of this assessment is to confirm that your information technology function and underlying IT architecture is unfolding into the future in a way that supports your business and its future requirements. In other words, is your IT capability and underlying IT architecture achieving the business value proposition (both short-term and long-term). This assessment confirms that the value is real and sustainable, and that the cost justifies the realizable benefits. Furthermore, the assessment ensures that your IT architecture roadmap is correct and “going in the right direction”, and what changes are required to meet the value proposition, key KPIs, budgetary milestones, and overall enterprise goals and objectives.
