Enterprise Architecture Strategy

A client sought to develop a comprehensive understanding of its enterprise architecture and how it could be used to support business strategy.

A business division within a large US-based employer services provider realized that it had an incomplete understanding of its existing enterprise architecture and was not up-to-date on the firm’s overall architecture standards. The group wanted to create a next-generation enterprise architecture that would support overall business strategy and help drive desired outcomes.

Metis Strategy established a current-state understanding of the company’s enterprise architecture, developed a desired future-state vision, and crafted a strategy for implementation.

To help the client develop a future-state vision for its enterprise architecture, Metis Strategy undertook the following activities:

• To help the client develop a future-state vision for its enterprise architecture, Metis Strategy undertook the following activities:
• Determined EA objectives and tactics across the four EA domains: business, data, applications, and technology architecture
• Evaluated the division’s EA alignment to that of corporate and other business divisions
• Documented and assessed the division’s current architectural assets in terms of their ability to further the division’s business strategy and capabilities
• Identified and developed the desired future-state vision for EA via stakeholder conversations
• Determined skills and talent required to achieve future-state vision in accordance with the newly developed EA strategy

Metis Strategy presented a strategy roadmap to help business leaders move the company toward its future-state enterprise architecture vision and give stakeholders a holistic view of the firm’s EA.

Metis Strategy presented the client with documented recommendations for EA strategy and implementation, including:

• A three-year EA implementation roadmap that included next steps and key activities, an initial EA and technology strategy, and key issues to be addressed in order for the client to successfully achieve its goals
• A holistic current-state view of all EA elements, which helped educate incoming senior leadership and existing employees about the division’s technology landscape
• Desired future-state process diagrams and goals for EA, as well as comparisons with current-state architecture