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This talk page is open as of 29 October 2009. It is dedicated to building community consensus around the topic of Enterprise Architecture as a Profession. When a reasonable level of consensus is obtained on this page, the content will be used to create a Wikipedia article: Enterprise Architecture Profession. The objective of this activity is to inform interested persons (readers) about the professional practice of Enterprise Architecture. Eaproadv (talk) 18:09, 29 October 2009 (UTC)

On 26 April 2010, I updated and replaced the original text with the draft article text. Review, edits, comments and feedback are welcomed. Please follow Wikipedia guidelines in all instances.

Note, this text has also been placed on the Wikipedia Articles for Creation review queue. I'll update status here as it comes in.

Thanks for your interest. Eaproadv (talk) 21:47, 26 April 2010 (UTC)

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Introduction

The title of this article implies that there is, in fact, a profession titled "Enterprise Architecture". Actually, it may be somewhat premature to state this as a fact. First, there are a series of challenges to meet, as identified by Andrew Abbott in his seminal book The System of Professions, where he states that professionalism is how modern societies institutionalize expertise. Later in the book he identifies various ways in which persons, organized into associations, have achieved recognition as professionals who practice in a recognized profession. This process is underway for the practice of enterprise architecture (EA), as described in the following article.

Environment

Enterprise architecture as a field of practice dates from 1987 when John Zachman published a paper titled A Framework for Information Systems Architecture. Although this initial paper was built around information systems, it actually encompassed a much broader scope, addressing the entire enterprise. Today, it is recognized as the first description of what EA is, and how it benefits complex organizations. A current definition, paraphrased from MIT’s Center for Information Systems Research is; "enterprise architecture is the organizing logic for key enterprise process and information technology capabilities reflecting the integration and standardization requirements of the enterprise’s operating model".

There are a number of other definitions; however, as with other complex ideas it is not profitable to get too involved with precise definitions. What's necessary is a basic understanding and recognition of complexity. A useful perspective is found in Thomas Davenport’s discussion of knowledge where he states; "Knowledge is a fluid mix of framed experience, values, contextual information, and expert insight that provides a framework for evaluating and incorporating new experiences and information." Later in the book, Davenport goes on to note that "… knowledge is not neat or simple, … it is intuitive and therefore hard to capture in words or understand completely in logical terms." Much the same can be said about definitions of enterprise architecture.

In the more than 20 years since the publication of Zachman’s paper, EA has had an increasing impact on enterprises small and large, but so far it has not achieved recognition as a profession. The Center for the Advancement of the Enterprise Architecture Profession (CAEAP) seeks now to bring together the necessary intellectual and organizational capital to change this situation, resulting in general recognition of EA as a profession.

Goal

In the preceding 20+ years there has never been an organization that has as its goal the creation of a recognized enterprise architecture profession, which is an advocate for the profession, and which has brought to focus the necessary efforts to move the profession towards recognition. Abbott (1988), in his study of the system of professions identifies a number of critical issues that delineate the path towards professional recognition:

1. The definition of the linkage between a profession and its (recognized) area of work; that is, its jurisdiction. Abbott argues that this is the central focus for development of a profession; a profession’s jurisdiction must be defined and agreed, most often through competition among organizations that seek to represent the profession.
2. The external events that led to the initial jurisdictional boundaries, and how continuing events have forced changes in jurisdiction.
3. The internal events that occurred and caused changes; how competition among groups took place, the results.
4. The level of abstraction found in the knowledge domain (or jurisdiction) of the profession; too high a level leads to boundaries that cannot be defended; insufficient abstraction leaves practitioners vulnerable to objective task change -- the work becomes common-place or obsolete.

This is an ongoing story; we can see the present, seek to understand the past, and use our powers of observation and analysis to seek a path forward.

From these points, the primary goals emerge:

1. Definition of the EA knowledge domain / jurisdiction.
2. Agreement on appropriate levels of abstraction in EA’s jurisdiction.
3. Narrative of key events, both external and internal, leading to professional identity.
4. Recognition and acknowledgement of the above by other significant parties.

Achieving these goals implies organization and purposeful action. Such are the subjects of the following sections.

Strategy

Recognition as a profession means changing the minds of people to get their agreement and support of the concept that EA is a profession. A number of steps must occur to cause such a change of mind. In her study of this process, Professor C. S. Martin identified a set of necessary actions leading to recognition of a profession:

1. Professional organization membership allows networking with others engaged in the same work, creates a sense of community and offers a means to include and / or exclude individuals based on their abilities to perform professional tasks.
2. Name change allows members to create distance from a past that may not be as distinguished or sophisticated as the practices has become.
3. Code of ethics indicates to both the practitioners and the public that the practice has standards that must be met and that the practice will police itself to maintain quality and earn respect [and recognition from public and concerned enterprises].
4. Educational requirements ensure a knowledge base as a preparatory step for entering the profession or for maintaining membership through continuing education (see below).
5. Comprehensive examination through a juried process tests abstract knowledge and reinforces the professionalism of the profession by protecting the public through ensuring that a minimum level of competency is met to practice as a professional.
6. Legal recognition / regulation secure[s] official and public acknowledgement of the practice and its right to engage in jurisdictional work to the exclusion of all others and clearly indentifies for the public professionals who are qualified to protect their health, safety, and welfare.
7. Continuing education ensures that the practitioners advance their knowledge base to remain competent professionals.

CAEAP, as a professional organization, is committed to implementing a strategy that achieves the above steps, focusing on a 10 year timeframe. A roadmap for achieving professional recognition is available on the CAEAP website. The roadmap follows the outline, above, to present a workable and achievable strategy for the enterprise architecture profession, and also identifies metrics, challenges, and necessary alliances along the path to professional recognition.

Objectives

The general strategy outlined above leads directly to a set of clear objectives. These include:

1. Creation, organization, and registration (USA: TX) of the Center for the Advancement of the Enterprise Architecture Profession (CAEAP), a professional membership organization.
2. Development of a Registered Enterprise Architect title, with associated education, experience, and formal testing requirements.
3. Development of the Enterprise Architect’s Professional Oath and Doctrine, the tenets of enterprise architecture professionals.
4. Specification of accreditation requirements for educational programs that address the knowledge base, standard examinations, and continuing education required of professional enterprise architects.
5. Creation of mentoring and related professional leadership programs for new and practicing enterprise architects.
6. Development of ongoing advocacy activities for the enterprise architecture profession.

Status

CAEAP is addressing these and related actions through a variety of targeted work streams. Details of current workstream objectives and status are available on the CAEAP website and the CAEAP Access Portal.

The objectives listed above are progressing as well:

1. CAEAP is registered as a non-profit corporation in the State of Texas. It is committed to fulfilling the necessary role of professional membership organization for practicing enterprise architects.
2. Registration to use the Registered EA title entails completion of basic requirements, including:
   1. Education.
   2. Experience.
   3. Examinations.
   4. Commitment to ethical standards.
      

Multiple organizations are working cooperatively to research, document, and create the Registry and it underlying foundation requirements.

1. These basic tenets for enterprise architects have been developed and ratified. More than 1,400 practicing enterprise architects, world-wide, have formally registered their support of the tenets, and have committed their compliance with them.
2. There is an active work stream focused on specification of accreditation requirements for educational programs that address the knowledge base, standard examinations, and continuing education required of professional enterprise architects.
3. There is an active work stream focused on creation of mentoring and related professional leadership programs for new and practicing enterprise architects.
4. There multiple activities focused on advocacy for the enterprise architecture profession.

Specific topics for further research include:

• CAEAP Vision, Mission, and Goals
• EA Professional Oath
• EA Professional Doctrine
• EA Profession Roadmap
• EA Profession Value maps
• EA Professional Practices Guide
• EA Leadership
• Mentoring for the EA Professional

CAEAP seeks inputs from interested parties and endeavors to work constructively with other organizations that are focused on the practicing professional enterprise architect. With dedicated, coordinated effort and support from the community of enterprise architects and those who depend on it, progress towards full recognition of enterprise architecture as a profession is a goal that can be achieved.

Organizations

This section lists organizations that are concerned with enterprise architecture, along with contact information. This list is dependent on publically available information, and is in alphabetic order.

1. Association for Open Group Enterprise Architects
2. Center for the Advancement of the Enterprise Architecture Profession
3. Enterprise Architecture Forum
4. FEAC™ Institute
5. Institute For Enterprise Architecture Developments
6. International Enterprise Architecture Center
7. SowellEAC (Enterprise Architecture Certification and Customization)
8. Zachman Institute for Framework Advancement

Sources

• Abbott, A. (1988). The System of Professions: An Essay on the Division of Expert Labor: Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
• Martin, C. S. (2007). Interior Design from Practice to Profession: Washington, DC: ASID.
• Davenport, T., & Prusak, L. (1998): Working Knowledge: How Organizations Manage What They Know: Boston, Harvard Business School Press.
• McCafferty, C. (2010). Interview with Center for the Advancement of the Enterprise Architecture Profession (CAEAP): http://enterprisearchitectureforum.com/content.php?121-Interview-with-Center-for-the-Advancement-of-the-Enterprise-Architecture-Profession-(CAEAP): Enterprise Architecture Forum (online): accessed 12 April 2010.
• Lane, M. (2010): CAEAP Access Portal: http://ug.gitca.org/sites/CAEAP/default.aspx: Center for the Advancement of the Enterprise Architecture Profession (online): accessed 12 April 2010.
• Lane, M. (2010): Official CAEAP Website: http://caeap.org/: accessed 14 April 2010.
• Zachman, J.A. "A Framework for Information Systems Architecture." IBM Systems Journal, Volume 26, Number 3, 1987.
• MIT Center for Information Systems Research, Peter Weill, Director, as presented at the Sixth e-Business Conference, Barcelona Spain, 27 March 2007, http://www.iese.edu/en/files/6_29338.pdf, accessed 14 April 2010
• Sessions, R. (May 2007). “A Comparison of the Top Four Enterprise-Architecture Methodologies:” Microsoft Developer Network Library: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb466232.aspx (accessed 14 April 2010. Start of EA in 1987, J. Zachman article in IBM Systems Journal).

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Comments and Feedback

Please place comments and feedback in this section. Eaproadv (talk) 01:55, 5 March 2010 (UTC)