Business software IT projects
are initiated to "enable"
business process and "support"
strategic business objectives.
But when budgets or timelines
are cut the requirements,
analysis and functional design
phases typically take the hit.
"Start
coding" cries ring out and
developers scurry about trying
to unravel what needs to be built without
direction of the vision or the
objectives of the business
and its stakeholders. The
development team does what it's told - they start
coding.
Winchester House, San Jose CA
Blueprints available? No, Mrs.
Winchester never had a master
set of blueprints, but did
sketch out individual rooms on
paper and even tablecloths!
The business ends up with
stairs built which end at the
ceiling... oops!
And IT takes the hit for not
producing a product that meets
business requirements.
Sound familiar? Is there any
wonder why the
IT/business divide widens
after almost every business software development
project?
A solid
Enterprise Business Architecture (EBA) helps
drive successful business
software projects.
The EBA is living documentation
which represents the
evolving requirements, principles, and
models for the enterprise's
business processes, people and
organizational structure.
By using the EBA, IT can
formally engineer solutions that
directly link to the desired
results defined by the
enterprise strategy.
Typically, large and/or complex
business software development
projects do not adequately
address the large gap between
functional business requirements
and the technical design created
by the development team before
construction. Additionally, many
development projects also
overlook how the documented
software use cases and
requirements are explicitly
enabled by the technical design.
Why does this occur? The primary
reason is that many business
software projects forget a key
step in the process, the
development of a Functional
Software Design (FSD). This design
activity takes into account how
the system being developed,
supports the
Enterprise Business Architecture
(EBA), along with where and how
the new system will impede or
enhance business agility with
respect to any given business
process or function.
Both theEnterprise
Business Architecture and
Functional Software Design guide business software
development planning, requirements and
design phases so they are
delivered quickly, correctly and
cost-effectively. Project risk,
rework and failure are reduced,
while meeting the needs of the
business (or success) is increased.
Enterprise
Business Architecture Defined
To access a full definition of EBA from
Gartner and OMG, click on the icon...
Things done with a sense of planning,
purpose and method are done "by design";
"By design" initiatives, by their
very nature, focus on connecting corporate
strategy to project execution;
Those organizations that best control and
exploit information and knowledge "by
design" will be the ones to pull forward
in terms of strategy and competitive
advantage;
Reduce risk and increase process-centric
initiative success bycontacting OnKue today.
Copyright 2009 OnKue ByDesign. All rights reserved
