ICT 301: Enterprise Architecture Assignment: Solutions and Analysis

This document presents a comprehensive solution to an Enterprise Architecture assignment, addressing key concepts and questions from the ICT 301 course. The solution provides detailed explanations and examples for each question, covering topics such as the definition of Enterprise Architecture, its components, and artifacts; the differences between programs and projects; outcome and output measures; the EA3 Cube framework; elements of EA documentation and approaches; the values of EA; and the capital planning and investment control process. The assignment also examines common challenges in EA implementation and provides a step-by-step process for establishing and maintaining an EA program, including detailed explanations for each step.

Answer to question number 1
Enterprise Architecture: The conceptual blueprint which is used for defining the structure and the
operations of an organization is known as enterprise architecture. The main intention for
enterprise architecture is determination the effectiveness of the current and future objectives of
the organization.
EA component: The three most important components of EA are data sharing, data context and
data description.
EA artefact: The spate documents which combines together to form the Enterprise architecture is
known as the EA artefact. The description of an organization from the perceptions of the
different actors involved in the deskinning making and IT system implementation are provided
by EA artefact.
Answer to question number 2
Difference between program and project:
Program Project
Program success are measured in terms of
business benefits and capabilities.
Project success is measures in the terms of
deliverables.
Programs have a wide scope Projects have a tight scope
Program associates with a number of
functional unit.
Project associates with a single functional
unit.
Program usually have a longer time span. Project have a shorted time span.

Outcome measures: The midterm results are known as outcome measures, which are not yielded
immediately but certainly over the course of a project. For example, in a human rights workshop
the participants starts to mobilize their community the effect would be yielded at end of the
project.
Output measures: The measures which yield results immediately after being implemented are
output measures. For example, in a human rights workshop the participants are made aware of
the issues in human rights immediately.
Answer to question number 3
EA cube framework:
Goals and Initiative: This layer is associated with the strategic planning and measuring the
performances of the project.
Product and Services: This layer is associated with the business plans, investment portfolio and
business process management.
Data and Information: This layer is associated with the Information and data which are required
to be flow within the organization and managed efficiently.
Systems and Application: This layer is associated with the business system and support system
installed for the project.
Network and Infrastructure: This layer is associated with the hardware and LAN technologies.
Security Solution: This layer is associated with the security program and data privacy.

Answer to question number 4
EA documentation:
EA components: The three most important components of EA are data sharing, data context and
data description.
EA views: It described as the convention for addressing the concerned stakeholders with regards
to an enterprise architecture.
Future EA views: The change in the application level and systems within a specified timeframe
are defined by this element.
EA Management: This element is helpful in achieving the business alignments for the
organizations.
Answer to question number 5
EA Approaches:
Architecture Governance: This element is used for the identification, planning and decision
making of the process which are taken into consideration for EA. This would determine the
development and maintenance of EA.
Architecture Framework: his element identified the scope of the overall architecture and the
relationships with the different layers in the architecture.
Implementation methodology: This element performs the specification for the steps of
establishing and maintain an EA program.
Associated Best Practices: This element provides proven ways for the implementation of the
parts and the sub parts of overall architecture.

Answer to question number 6
EA values:
Strategic and Political: This enables the governance and the compliances of the management and
enhances the management of the IT and business capabilities. For Example: Improves the overall
business IT alignment.
Economic: It reduces the overall cost of the business of the organization and improves the
overall business efficiency. For example: reduces operational and IT costs.
Integration and interoperability: The systems and process of the organization are integrated
together to work towards the improvement and betterment of the organization. For example, the
IT and human dimensions are integrated with EA.
Knowledge management: The facilities of between communication and efficient information
utilization is done by EA for the betterment of the organization. For example, requirement
elicitation.
Answer to question number 7
Capital planning and investment control:
A systematic approach to selection, management and evaluation of the information technology
investments is known as Capital planning and investment control.
Select: It is important that best options are selected for the investments.
Pre-select: Identification of the business need for the organization is very important.
Evaluate: The evaluation of the deliverables based on the investments are done.

Control: It is ensured that the project delivers the benefits intended from the investments made.
Answer to question number 8
Stakeholders have no understanding of enterprise architecture, and therefore will not support it:
It is often found the that the stakeholders do not participate in the programs effectively and
hence, the management question the values of the implemented architecture. This becomes a
huge risk. For example, if customer’s feedbacks are not addressed properly, the reputation of a
company might be hampered.
A chief architect who is an ineffective leader: There people who understand EA well however,
lack the leadership skills. This might lead to a chaotic architecture design. For example, if there
is no sufficient communication in between the leaders and other team members, they would not
be able to understand the essence of the architecture for the company.
Communication problems: Often there is an indirect value for a EA, therefore, without efficient
communication the architecture might fail. For example, if the owners of a project are not
conveyed the long term benefits, they might drop the project.
Focus only on technology: The EA has a broader scope of approach than the technical
architecture. Hence, only focusing on the technical architecture might lead to failure of a project.
For example, an organization needing better customer relations can not only focus on the
response times.
Answer to question number 9
Program Establishment: The need for the development of an architecture is established here.
EA framework selection tool: The EA framework tools are evaluated and one is selected.

Documentation EA: The architecture is documented for the stakeholders.
Use and maintenance of EA: The architecture is used and maintained efficiently.
Answer to question number 10
Information security: The data and confidentiality information of the architecture are to be
maintained so that external users do not get access to the data.
Personnel Security: The Security personnel such are DBA and network engineers are required to
seal all the access points to the architecture.
Operational security: he security policies should be well defined and the employees should
strictly follow the security of the company.
Physical security: The physical documentations and network peripherals are to be guarded
against the external agents to the EA.