EA Road Maps Once again

My reflections this week continues to be on developing the EA road map. I have decided to assess a road map that was developed in my previous organization using this Gartner Article “Use Road Maps to Chart a Course to the Future-State Architecture”

Gartner identifies two types of conceptual level road maps:

•            Asset-change-focused road maps

The road map presented to our senior executive has included a model that shows how different enterprise functions, enterprise solutions and governance can be developed and leveraged at the different states of how information technology is used in the enterprise (Growing from a support role to an enabler role to a differentiator role). The transition in the state of the asset was highlighted along with its area of impact. This has enabled the leadership team to identify common transition strategies and the added value that comes with. This one single model helped build a unified mental picture that prioritizes future potential initiatives within the executive team

•            Project-timing-focused road maps

This road map also included proposed implementation approaches along with the associated timelines options for key near term projects (mainly projects in the coming 24 months). Different options were explored in a manner that is much more detailed than the Asset-change-focused model, yet it was still at the conceptual level.

Sub projects and key stages were assessed along with their dependencies. All of the options were assessed against an evaluation criteria and the recommended option was presented.

From above you can see that both road map models were used in the same presentation. Each of these models answers the “why-what-how-when'' questions from a different viewpoint.  The road map continued to be the basis on which our EA initiatives were identified.

 Two years later we considered updating the road map, only to find that it is still relevant so we decided to develop an addendum to it to include new emerging trends and consider new risks.

Why was is it still relevant two years later?!!! Well, that’s another story!