Monday, December 31, 2012

ARCHITECTURE MATURITY MODEL ("CRIB NOTES")


Architecture Maturity Model   

In the past years, the Capability Maturity Models have been extensively used by many organizations, for assessing their status and guiding the improvement of their IT related processes, mainly in the software and systems engineering areas.

« Such models provide the following benefits :
  • They describe the practices that any organization must perform in order to improve its processes
  • They provide a yardstick against which to periodically measure improvement
  • They constitute a proven framework within which to manage the improvement efforts

The various practices are typically organized into five levels, each level representing an increased ability to control and manage the development environment. »

TOGAF 9 does not provide an « official » Maturity Model for Enterprise Architecture. It does provide, however, a quite detailed example, taken from the US Department of Commerce.

US DoC Architecture Maturity Model  

The DoC ACMM consists of six maturity levels and nine architecture elements.

The six levels are :
0 – none
1 – initial
2 – under development
3 – defined
4 – managed
5 – measured

The nine enterprise architecture elements are 
  • architecture process 
  • architecture development 
  • business linkage 
  • senior management involvement 
  • operating unit participation 
  • architecture communication 
  • IT security 
  • architecture governance 
  • IT investment and acquisition strategy   

The table below describes in a brief way the maturity levels 1 to 5. Level 0 means « no enterprise architecture program ; no enterprise architecture to talk about. »  


Enterprise 
Architecture
Aspect 
Level 1:
INITIAL
Level 2: UNDER DEVELOPMENT  Level 3:
DEFINED
Level 4:
MANAGED
Level 5: 
MEASURED

architecture process 

Ad hoc; dependence on individual efforts ("heroes"). 

Clear roles and responsibilities are defined
EA process is largely followed
EA process is part of the culture. Quality metrics are captured.

EA process is under constant improvement effort
architecture development  Ad hoc, localized
Vision; principles; baseline and target architecture; TRM; standards framework 

Gap analysis and migration plan are completed. Standards profile is fully developed 
EA documentation is regularly updated. All architectures comply to standards. Standards and waivers process encompasses all IT decisions
business linkage  Minimal  Explicit linkage to business strategies  EA integrated with CAPEX and investment control
CAPEX and investment control take EA as key input. Periodic re-examination of business drivers.
Business is involved in the continuous EA process improvement
senior management involvement  Minimal Senior management is aware of EA effort  
Senior management actively supports EA process and standards
Senior management directly involved in EA review process.
Senior management is involved in the continuous EA process improvement
operating unit participation  Minimal Clear roles and responsibilities are defined
Most elements support and actively participate in EA process 

The entire unit supports and actively participates in EA process 
Feedback from unit drives EA process improvement
architecture communication  Documentation is
on the web 

Related web pages are kept up to date with EA deliverables

EA own web pages; they are kept up to date with EA deliverables
EA documentation is regularly updated
Architecture documentation is used by every decision maker in IT
IT security  Ad hoc, localized Clear roles and responsibilities are defined
IT security architecture standards profile fully developed
Performance metrics are captured
Feedback from IT secutiry drives EA process improvement
architecture governance  No governance 
Some adherence to existing standards profile

Explicit governance of majority of IT investments
Explicit governance of all IT investments

Standards and waivers process encompasses all IT decisions
IT investment and acquisition strategy   Minimal participation of EA Some adherence to existing standards profile
IT acquisition strategy complies with EA; cost benefit analysis of projects
All planned IT acquisitions are governed by EA No unplanned IT investment or acquisition activity


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