How can you create an enterprise architecture roadmap that maximizes value?

1 Define your scope and vision

The first step in creating an enterprise architecture roadmap is to define your scope and vision. This means identifying the scope of your roadmap, such as the business domain, the time horizon, the level of detail, and the audience. It also means articulating your vision, such as the strategic objectives, the value proposition, the benefits, and the risks. By defining your scope and vision, you can set the direction and boundaries of your roadmap, and communicate the purpose and value of your enterprise architecture to your stakeholders.

2 Assess your current state

The next step in creating an enterprise architecture roadmap is to assess your current state. This means analyzing your existing architecture, such as the business processes, the data flows, the applications, the infrastructure, and the governance. It also means evaluating your current performance, such as the efficiency, the effectiveness, the quality, the security, and the compliance. By assessing your current state, you can identify the gaps, issues, and opportunities for improvement in your architecture, and measure the baseline for your future state.

3 Design your future state

The third step in creating an enterprise architecture roadmap is to design your future state. This means envisioning your desired architecture, such as the business capabilities, the data models, the application portfolios, the infrastructure platforms, and the governance frameworks. It also means defining your future performance, such as the targets, the indicators, the metrics, and the benchmarks. By designing your future state, you can specify the requirements, outcomes, and value of your architecture, and align them with your business goals and vision.

4 Prioritize and sequence your initiatives

The fourth step in creating an enterprise architecture roadmap is to prioritize and sequence your initiatives. This means selecting and ordering the projects, programs, and activities that will help you transition from your current state to your future state. It also means considering the dependencies, constraints, risks, and resources that will affect your implementation. By prioritizing and sequencing your initiatives, you can optimize the value delivery, the resource allocation, and the risk mitigation of your roadmap, and balance the short-term and long-term benefits.

5 Validate and communicate your roadmap

The final step in creating an enterprise architecture roadmap is to validate and communicate your roadmap. This means reviewing and testing your roadmap, such as the assumptions, the scenarios, the feasibility, and the impact. It also means presenting and sharing your roadmap, such as the vision, the value, the roadmap, and the action plan. By validating and communicating your roadmap, you can ensure the quality, accuracy, and relevance of your roadmap, and gain the buy-in, support, and feedback of your stakeholders.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?