How to Initiate an Enterprise Architecture Effort in an Austere Environment

http://www.architectureandgovernance.com/content/how-initiate-enterprise-architecture-effort-austere-environment

This article focuses on enterprise architecture for federal government organizations, which has been mandated since the 1996 Clinger-Cohen Act. The article points out that sometimes the true intention of the mandates is often lost because EA products are often created to pass reviews, but there is no intent to use them as part of the decision-making process.

Some of the key takeaways from the article are: 1. Recommended key startup activities for a successful EA effort, how to realize immediate value-add while overarching vision is being set, and how to perform architecture analysis without a formal architecture tool in place. The article stresses one shouldn't always focus on the final end product of the EA and that immediate values can be realized in short term. In addition, an architecture tool should not be the primary focus or a limiting factor at the start of an EA effort.