CONTENTS

• Strategic Modeling Workshop Phase

  • Purpose

  • Preparation

  • Activities

  • Governance Analysis

  • Duration

  • Deliverables

  • Scope

  • Participants

  • Format

• Enterprise Architecture Portfolio Plan (EAPP) Phase

  • Purpose

  • Preparation

  • Activities

  • Governance Analysis

  • Duration

  • Deliverables

  • Benefits

  • Scope

  • Participants

  • Format

• Project References

• Facilitator and Consultant

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STRATEGIC MODELING WORKSHOP

Purpose

The purpose of the facilitated Strategic Modeling Workshop is to develop an initial strategic data model for Enterprise Architecture in an organization, while also providing an introduction to the Enterprise Engineering concepts and techniques. This corresponds to the "Owner's View" for the Data ("What") column of the Zachman Framework for Enterprise Architecture.

Preparation

To prepare for the Strategic Modeling Workshop, the facilitator reviews the corporate Enterprise Architecture Strategic Plan, the enterprise Strategic Business Plan and/or the business plan for the Enterprise Architecture project area.

A Strategic Modeling Questionnaire may also need to be completed by the intended participants, 2 – 3 weeks before the start of the workshop. All questionnaire responses are consolidated under each question. This consolidated questionnaire is then distributed to all participants at the start of the workshop.

• Download Strategic Modeling Questionnaire
  (as zipped Word file)

Activities

During the Strategic Modeling Workshop, the Strategic Business Plan for the enterprise and Enterprise Architecture strategic plans are reviewed. An initial Strategic Data Model for the enterprise is developed in a facilitated modeling session. Management identifies priority business activities to be addressed first, so the organization can achieve its strategic objectives.

Governance Analysis (Optional)

The initial definition of a tailored Governance Analysis Framework can also be established during the facilitated session of the Strategic Modeling Workshop . This is later used in the Enterprise Architecture Portfolio Plan Report Phase to develop tailored Matrices for Sarbanes-Oxley Internal Control Reporting or other Corporate Governance Audit requirements.

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Duration

• 5 days, spread over an elapsed 20 days (or spread over an elapsed 25 days if an optional Governance Analysis Framework is also to be developed). The participants attend full-time for the first 2 days to develop a strategic model in a facilitator-led session.

• The facilitator refines the strategic model in a further 2 days, drawing on more detailed business knowledge from business experts of the project area as required.

• After this initial 4 days, the Enterprise Architecture Portfolio Plan Report is developed. This is discussed in more detail in Enterprise Architecture Portfolio Plan Report , next. In this phase, without the participants, the facilitator analyzes the strategic model using the Visible Advantage Enterprise Architecture modeling tool. The facilitator documents the result of this analysis in the Enterprise Architecture Portfolio Plan (EAPP) Report.

• Following the Enterprise Architecture Portfolio Plan Report phase, a Review Session is scheduled. This is the fifth day of the Strategic Modeling Workshop. The participants attend full-time again for this final day of the period to review the results of the strategic analysis and EAPP Report.

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Deliverables

Following the Strategic Modeling Workshop and the associated EAPP Report phase (see next), the following deliverables are produced:

• A strategic data map that is a graphical view of the organization's strategic plan as it relates to the Enterprise Architecture project area
• Documented business planning statements linked to the data in a strategic data model
• An Enterprise Architecture Portfolio Plan (EAPP) Report is documented that identifies priority subsets of the strategic model – for later development and delivery as priority databases and systems, for key implementation subprojects.
• Preliminary project plans for priority systems that are to be developed and delivered early.

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Scope

Depending on the scope of the project, the entire business enterprise, a unit, a division or an project application can be the scope of the Strategic Modeling Workshop.

Participants

Managers, business experts and IT staff of the project area.

Format

The workshop is a facilitator-led strategic modeling session for the project area.

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ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO PLAN (EAPP) REPORT

Purpose

The purpose of the Enterprise Architecture Portfolio Plan (EAPP) Report phase is to analyze and document the strategic model developed during the Strategic Modeling Workshop phase above. The EAPP Report documents the project plans for completing priority columns and rows (ie. cells) of the Zachman Framework for Enterprise Architecture. It is the basis for early delivery of priority databases and systems from more detailed project workshops and implementation phases that follow. 

Preparation

Completion of the first four days of the Strategic Modeling Workshop and development of an initial strategic data model, defined in a facilitator-led session with managers, business experts and IT staff of the project area.

Activities

During this Enterprise Architecture Portfolio Plan (EAPP) Report phase, the Visible Advantage Enterprise Architecture modeling tool is used by the facilitator to analyze the initial Strategic Data Model developed with the facilitator. Components of the strategic model are linked to relevant parts of the Enterprise Architecture Strategic Plan used to develop the model.

The Visible Advantage Enterprise Architecture modeling tool is then used by the facilitator to derive project plans from the strategic model for early delivery of priority databases and systems. The participants of the Strategic Modeling Workshop review these on the final day at the end of this EAPP Report phase.

Governance Analysis (Optional)

The analysis of the strategic model can also be optionally used to develop a Governance Analysis Framework as tailored Matrices for Sarbanes-Oxley Internal Control Reporting or other Corporate Governance Audit needs. These are initially defined as blank matrices tailored to the terminology of the enterprise. They are intended to be used for later completion of inter-relationships between: the data; activities and processes; locations; organization structure; business events; and business plans of the enterprise for Governance Analysis Internal Control Reporting.

This is described further in the Governance Analysis Framework Executive Summary and White Paper, which also includes a discussion of a typical Strategic Modeling project. These can be downloaded from the links below.

• Review Governance Analysis Framework Executive Summary

• Download Governance Analysis Framework Executive Summary

• Download Governance Analysis Framework White Paper

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Duration

• 15 days in an elapsed 20 days, or 20 days in an elapsed 25 days if Governance Analysis is included. This begins after development of an initial strategic model in the first 4 days of the Strategic Modeling Workshop.

• Without the modeling session participants, the facilitator analyzes the strategic model using Visible Advantage – an Enterprise Architecture modeling tool. The result of this analysis is documented by the facilitator in an Enterprise Architecture Portfolio Plan (EAPP) Report.

• Following this analysis period, the Strategic Modeling Workshop participants review the results of the strategic analysis and the EAPP Report in a 1-day Review Session.

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Deliverables

The EAPP Report is the deliverable. It documents the analysis of the Strategic Model, with detailed reports printed as Appendices from the Visible Advantage repository. It contains:

• An Executive Summary that describes the key aspects of the strategic business plan, the development of the strategic model, its strategic analysis, and recommendations from the analysis of priority business activities and business processes and their project plans.

• Key business planning statements and matrices from the strategic business plan, with detailed reports in appendices of planning statements and matrices from the repository for later use in a Governance Analysis Framework.

• Documented analysis of the strategic model, identifying shared data, business activities and business processes that are used in many parts of the project area. These typically are built and delivered first as databases and systems so they can be easily shared throughout the project area, as needed by the business.

• Project maps derived from the strategic model, indicating data, business activity and business process dependencies that define the progressive and early delivery of priority databases and systems for key implementation subprojects.

• Detailed strategic model documentation printed from the repository (in appendix reports), of priority databases and business activities or business processes that need to be implemented early for use by priority applications. 

• Governance Analysis Matrices - optionally created during the EAPP Report Phase for later completion of inter-relationships between: the data; activities and processes; locations; organization structure; business events; and business plans of the enterprise for Governance Internal Control Reporting. 

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Benefits

The EAPP Report provides a framework for managing complex Enterprise Architecture projects, for early delivery of priority databases, business activities and business processes. It provides guidance and project plans for key Enterprise Architecture implementation subprojects. It delivers the following benefits:

• Strategic and business planning statements, once captured in the Visible Advantage Repository, can be assigned to various parts of key project areas – for clear responsibility, accountability and implementation of business plans throughout the Enterprise. 

• A Governance Analysis Framework can optionally be created during the EAPP Report phase for later completion of inter-relationships between: the data; activities and processes; locations; organization structure; business events; and business plans of the enterprise for Governance Internal Control Reporting.

• Priority business activities, business processes and data are linked to relevant planning statements – so that systems for key implementation subprojects can be closely aligned with strategic directions and corporate goals.

• Priority databases and systems for key subprojects are identified and structured – so they can be implemented and delivered early and at lower cost.

• Project maps are derived from the strategic model – so that all dependent databases and systems for the key implementation subprojects can also be delivered early as required.

• A skills-transfer Tactical and Operational Modeling Workshop is later conducted to train project team members – both business and IT staff – in the Tactical and Operational Modeling methods for rapid delivery of priority systems and databases that are to be delivered first.

• Shared data and reusable business activities are identified – so they can be used easily in a later Activity and Process Modeling Workshop (if required). This skills-transfer workshop trains project team members – both business and IT staff – in these methods to define common, shared business processes for lower-cost development and lower future maintenance costs. 

• Common, shared business processes from Enterprise Architecture also enable common business skills to be used. These common business processes can be shared throughout the enterprise – for higher productivity and lower staff costs. 

• Courses can be conducted in technologies for rapid delivery of priority processes and databases. These technologies include (as needed): XML, Enterprise Application Integration (EAI), Enterprise Portals, Web Services, Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) and Business Process Management (BPM) languages and products.

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Scope

Depending on the scope of the project, the entire business enterprise, a unit, a division or a project application can be documented in the EAPP Report for the Strategic Modeling Workshop.

Participants

Only the facilitator and supporting client staff are involved during this EAPP Report phase, with some assistance from project team client staff knowledgeable about the project area.

Format

This stage is a facilitator-undertaken analysis and documentation of the initial strategic model produced during the first 4 days of the Strategic Modeling Workshop, for review by client management in the final day of the Strategic Modeling Workshop.