Comments on: Businesses aren't machines, and enterprise architecture can't make them so http://www.mwdadvisors.com/blog/2008/07/businesses-arent-machines-and.html Thoughts on IT architecture, governance, technology trends and the business value of IT Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:25:03 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: The role of architecture, again « On IT-business alignment and related things http://www.mwdadvisors.com/blog/2008/07/businesses-arent-machines-and.html/comment-page-1#comment-807 The role of architecture, again « On IT-business alignment and related things Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:13:00 +0000 http://mwdtemp.wordpress.com/2008/07/23/businesses-arent-machines-and-enterprise-architecture-cant-make-them-so/#comment-807 [...] second is that (as I said a while ago here) Even where architecture is highly effective (and in many places it isn’t), it can at best only [...] [...] second is that (as I said a while ago here) Even where architecture is highly effective (and in many places it isn’t), it can at best only [...]

]]> By: Neil Ward-Dutton http://www.mwdadvisors.com/blog/2008/07/businesses-arent-machines-and.html/comment-page-1#comment-343 Neil Ward-Dutton Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:47:00 +0000 http://mwdtemp.wordpress.com/2008/07/23/businesses-arent-machines-and-enterprise-architecture-cant-make-them-so/#comment-343 Thanks for the comment Richard! As I said in reply to your original argument about "alignment" <a HREF="http://www.mwdadvisors.com/blog/2006/07/it-business-alignment-its-process.html" REL="nofollow">all the way back in July 2006</a>, when we talk about alignment, we're talking about a continuous process of moving towards better alignment - not permanent fixed synchronisation of IT and business. What's important to focus on is the journey, not the destination. I still stand by that - we've done a lot of work in this area and the thesis still stands up. Thanks for the comment Richard! As I said in reply to your original argument about “alignment” all the way back in July 2006, when we talk about alignment, we’re talking about a continuous process of moving towards better alignment – not permanent fixed synchronisation of IT and business. What’s important to focus on is the journey, not the destination. I still stand by that – we’ve done a lot of work in this area and the thesis still stands up.

]]> By: Richard Veryard http://www.mwdadvisors.com/blog/2008/07/businesses-arent-machines-and.html/comment-page-1#comment-340 Richard Veryard Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:00:00 +0000 http://mwdtemp.wordpress.com/2008/07/23/businesses-arent-machines-and-enterprise-architecture-cant-make-them-so/#comment-340 I completely agree. There is a fantasy that Enterprise Architects are architecting the enterprise, when they are at best architecting systems of systems to support the enterprise. <br/><br/>The people who are really making structural decisions about the business organization itself are not called enterprise architects, they are called CEOs or COOs or something like that. And you can bet they aren't playing Zachman bingo.<br/><br/>Meanwhile, I remain doubtful that the word "alignment" makes sense to describe the relationship between IT and business, and I think your argument just reinforces my doubts on this. I completely agree. There is a fantasy that Enterprise Architects are architecting the enterprise, when they are at best architecting systems of systems to support the enterprise.

The people who are really making structural decisions about the business organization itself are not called enterprise architects, they are called CEOs or COOs or something like that. And you can bet they aren’t playing Zachman bingo.

Meanwhile, I remain doubtful that the word “alignment” makes sense to describe the relationship between IT and business, and I think your argument just reinforces my doubts on this.

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