Business Architecture: A Practical Guide

by Jonathan Whelan

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)1 defines architecture as:

The fundamental organization of a system embodied in its components, their relationships to each other, and to the environment, and the principles guiding its design and evolution. Whelan, Jonathan. Business Architecture: A Practical Guide . Ashgate Publishing Ltd. Kindle Edition.

The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF)2 defines business architecture as:

a description of the structure and interaction between the business strategy, organization, functions, business processes, and information needs. Whelan, Jonathan. Business Architecture: A Practical Guide . Ashgate Publishing Ltd. Kindle Edition.

The Business Architecture Special Interest Group3 defines business architecture as:

a blueprint of the enterprise that provides a common understanding of the organization and is used to align strategic objectives and tactical demands. Whelan, Jonathan. Business Architecture: A Practical Guide . Ashgate Publishing Ltd. Kindle Edition.

One of the reasons that Apple7 products are popular is that their underlying technical complexity is hidden from the user by simple, intuitive interfaces. In other words, organizations introduce ‘layers’ to shield customers from the complexity of their operations and, also so that they can be more flexible or agile.

Organizations are full of people, so organizations must be designed to maximize the human potential as well as the technology.