Business strategy and drivers for change

What has a greater impact on Digital Transformation?

Enterprise Architecture VS Business Architecture.

Around this time 12 months ago Gartner predicted that half of EA Business Architecture initiatives in 2018 would focus on defining and enabling Digital Platform Strategies. While there hasn’t been follow up research to prove whether this prediction has come true, anecdotal evidence would suggest that the real situation is pretty close.

Does Agile need Architecture to be successful?

On a recent Agile training course, the instructor opened the session by saying “Agile without a plan is just chaos!” I would like to propose that Agile without effective Architecture will eventually lead to chaos, particularly if organisations try to scale their Agile practices without some form of guiding framework.

Business Architecture in an Agile World – the What and the How.

My current, favourite question for Executives and Architects is “How do you see Architecture operating in an Agile environment.” This question usually elicits a wry smile and a response along the lines of “I will need to get back to you on that!” Many people are wondering how Architecture will fair in the world of Agile. My answer is I believe very well!

How to Design a Target Operating Model – Part 2

In my last article, I talked about some of the key aspects you must consider when defining a target operating model. In this follow up piece I have delved a little deeper and will look at how TOM initiatives can vary across different types of businesses; from large corporates to start-ups and government organisations.

Teams that train together, win together.

Football, basketball and hockey are all popular team sports played around the world. All push the ‘team spirit’, play to win and watch the competition fiercely. They also have fans, enemies and investors watching and criticising their every move, pushing them to increase their performance at every single stage. To ensure they are achieving peak performance, the teams train hard day in and day out. They develop customised training programmes to enhance the unique skill sets of each individual, but understand that the overall performance derives from the individuals working together as a team. That’s why they implement and focus on team training, they ensure each member is working to the same framework, communicating on the same level and working together to achieve the same result. They understand that the combined effect is greater than the individual.

The same approach goes for businesses. While it’s important to nurture and enhance the unique skills of each individual, the greatest benefit will be seen when your team is trained as a whole. When they are working from the same framework, communicating on the same level and working together to achieve the same result.

[GUEST BLOG] How to design a Target Operating Model that delivers tangible outcomes

The term Target Operating Model (or TOM) has been used a lot in many of the organisations that I have worked for all around the world over the years. Many 100s of millions of dollars in business change budget has been invested in these projects along with many 1000s of people, man hours and resources.

Having been involved in numerous initiatives, I’ve seen all manner of possible outcomes. Some have succeeded in delivering very beneficial outcomes for their organisations. Some have failed to deliver anything. There can be many reasons for this; they couldn’t raise the budget, they couldn’t get the buy-in needed from stakeholders, or they were based on the wrong motivations and outcomes to begin with. With this background in mind, I thought I’d share some insights from my experience around this discipline and try to answer to very important questions:

  • What is the Operating Model?
  • What is a Target Operating Model?

I will also describe how an organisation can really reap the benefits of a successful business transformation programme, or project, that is designed to deliver a Target Operating Model.

ANNOUNCEMENT – EA Learning Launches new Operating Model Design course

This week, EA Learning is proud to announce the latest course to be added to our expanded Architecture and Design training curriculum, Applied Operating Model Design. The course is authored by Julie Choo, an experienced Business Architecture practitioner and thought leader who has also delivered our Applied Business Architecture course over the years. Julie has been working on the course for a year or so as part of a book she is writing called the Strategy Journey which looks at the 5 keys stages of strategy development from defining a strategy to executing on that strategy.

In a room full of competent business professionals, what makes you stand out?

Have you ever invested the time to work out what it is about yourself that got you to where you are today? Or taken it a step further and more importantly worked out what it is about yourself that will get you to where you want to be in the future? In a room full of competent business professionals, what makes you stand out? What is your point of difference? What is your Unique Selling Proposition?

At first, identifying your Unique Selling Proposition may seem relatively simple. You’re most likely well educated, have a desire to want more and have a grand ability to solve problems. But so does the person sitting next to you, and the person sitting next to them… so what is it that really makes you unique when it comes to the business world?

Data Analytics: The fine line between success and failure in the Data-driven Economy

Trying to understand how you can integrate a data-driven vision into your strategic agenda? Or perhaps you understand the need for a data-driven vision but need some tools to successfully implement it in your organisation. In this article, I will closely examine 5 core factors for an organisation’s success or failure in the data-driven economy, some of which you may find surprising.

[GUEST BLOG] Design Thinking & Knowledge Management

A couple of weeks ago I participated in a “Design in Business” course run by Enterprise Architects , co-created with DesignChain and facilitated by the inimitable Helen Palmer.

I had previously undertaken some reading in Design Thinking and started a MOOC on the subject which I didn’t complete, so I wasn’t going in completely blind but I wanted to see how this (concept, framework, method) would assist in my role as a knowledge manager. I think I came out with so much more…