Beyond Enterprise Architecture Modeling – What are the Essentials to Support Enterprise Transformations?

Abstract

In recent years, many different modeling techniques and languages were developed in order to allow for an efficient and appropriate enterprise architecture management (EAM). Recently, EAM is no longer only seen as a means to ensure business/IT alignment but further as a means to support fundamental changes of the organization, often called enterprise transformation (ET). In a joint project with a group of practitioners we aim at developing a framework that provides guidance on how EAM can support such ETs and thus leverage the benefit of modeling. Our design results after more than one year of research reveal different types of EAM, areas of action in ETs and ET activities that can be supported by EAM. The findings show that modeling techniques or languages should focus on constructs like transitions, benefits or risks in order to increase their value for ET support.