“We do not believe in Werewolves: The Enterprise Architects’ Manifesto”
As Enterprise Architects we are polymaths, sociologists, change agents, diplomats, influencers, pattern seekers, dreamers, disruptive thinkers and are naturally fearless. An engineer says “I see how it works in principle but how does it work in practice”, we say “if that’s how it works in practice, how does it work in principle?” What is an Enterprise Architect? Someone who knows when they are right and can influence others to implement the necessary change? We are pattern seekers, abstractionists and like all dutiful polyhistors, take inspiration from eclectic sources. Our core characteristics are business acumen, open mindedness, persuasiveness, and the discipline and courage to say “why” before “how”.
[source: Steve Nimmons]
Adaptive Enterprise Architecture
We believe in trust, events, data, people, values, policy and process. We believe in codified wisdom, in Information Systems over IT Systems, in the ‘splendour of patterns’ and the ‘sagacity of anti-patterns’. We crave innovative business models; yet equally appreciate business change, process modelling, and data design. We believe that a panacea is the ultimate anti-pattern. We disavow architectural fundamentalism, are metaphorically ecumenical and believe in hybridisation and controlled heterogeneity. We do not believe in werewolves!
Our lives and work are governed by a simple manifesto:
1 – Solve the right problem
The fusion of Systems Thinking and Enterprise Architecture is an alchemical wedding: We believe in hypothesis led problem solving, in challenging the basic premise of any problem. Solution hypothesis before problem hypothesis is an anathema; one is a cart, the other a horse and the optimal order is governed by the laws of mechanics. Problems are multi-dimensional and must be viewed from sufficiently varied juxtapositions to surface tensions and contradictions. We believe in Hickam’s Dictum over Occam’s Razor, and an Enterprise like any patient can have as many simultaneous ‘diseases’ as it pleases! We believe that problem followed by solution hypothesis must be rigorous and scientific as diagnostic medicine. In homage to Frank Lloyd Wright “the physician can bury his mistakes, but the architect can only advise his client to plant vines.”
2 – EA Begins at the Beginning
We are simultaneously evolutionists and creationists: We believe in evolution, not revolution. After light, came enlightenment: enlightenment thinking creating the operating model, business strategy, and market objectives. The CIO is apostolic, an evangelist preaching the canon of strategic scripture. We are the guardians of the Information System hermeneutic.
3 – Believe in Codification
Codification that is ‘literally’ antediluvian: We are genial totalitarians and value strategic aims over short-term gain. We consider the maxim “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush” paradoxical. We believe in the codification of Enterprise law. When the law is broken we believe in fines and Enterprise Debt apportioned to project budgets. We believe that principles are piranha not goldfish.
4 – The Freudianism of ‘Big Framework’
We are sufficiently self-assured and sophisticated to avoid Freudian clichés of ‘big framework’: Our aesthetics derive from ancient Greece. Death by TOGAF is the mousetrap of another tribe, the Engineering Architect. Cumbersome, complex collateral and diagrams (often resembling electrical engineering blue prints) make us gasp with exasperation, not captivation. We believe that activity must be carefully refined to ensure its miscibility with success.
5 – Patterns Matter!
From fractals to the double helix, superior patterns formulate superior structures: Lovelace said of Babbage’s mechanical computer “The Analytical Engine weaves algebraic patterns just as the Jacquard loom weaves flowers and leaves.” We are the pattern seekers. There are equally patterns in harmony as melody. We listen for counterpoint, discord, the tension and release of the harmonic structure of the Enterprise Symphony. Ours is a vision of trend.
6 – Oh Wondrous and Sagacious Anti-Patterns
An invaluable contribution to knowledge is defining how it shouldn’t be done: Received wisdom contains anti-patterns and these must be separated, as the chaff from the wheat. The relationship between patterns and corresponding anti-pattern(s) is often subtle. “It’s always been this way” amplifies the noise and makes the anti-pattern harder to discern. An anti-pattern discovered must be made captive and jailed within the rogues’ gallery. Wisdom not captured and codified slips through the hands like water. We believe the ‘new broom sweeps cleanest’ a dangerous thought. We equally believe that ‘patterns go bad’ and we must be courageous to recognise the decay of previously held beliefs. Maturity advances, thinking advances, technology advances, and as a result many patterns have shelf-lives. Anti-patterns are sagacious chameleons, yet often hard to spot amongst the Enterprise Foliage.
7 – Silver Bullets Kill Werewolves!
We admire the cinematic allegory of ‘The Wolf Man”, yet consider it fictitious: We do not believe in werewolves, we do not believe in silver bullets or their application. If the weaponry of Enterprise anti-patterns were ever to be decommissioned, a plentiful supply of such munitions would be unearthed. We do not believe in the portmanteau of Marchitecture.
8 – Everything is hybrid!
Perfection is well-balanced heterogeneity: We do not fear hybrid architectures. Heterogeneity is an evolutionary fact. Architecture should segue gracefully from generation to generation. Historic approaches contain patterns and anti-patterns; we use ‘selection’ to dilute the latter.
9 – Everything is organic!
The mouse’s exercise wheel or the treadmill of constant change: Enterprises are in constant flux as numerous catalysts drive competition and change. Technological advancements parallel the complex business environment constantly pressuring businesses to adopt innovative business models and to seek to exploit new technologies for those aims. The velocity and impact of change must be carefully managed, business cases and costs must be controlled, systems must be governed and correct decisions must be made quickly. We ensue pace of change prevents competitive stagnation.
10 – The Web is Wise
The web works, it is architecturally simple, agile, scalable and intuitive: The web is an exemplar pattern. It works because of its simplicity, extensibility, uniformity and ubiquity. It is a framework on which we have built a bewildering array of application services and business models. ‘Inside is Different’ enterprise thinking should be marched through the anti-pattern ‘security’ scanners. Check its pockets, twice!
Rules of Life…
As has been eruditely enshrined in our ‘rules of life’, we believe in creativity, pragmatism, innovation, substantiation, strategic thinking and asymmetric communication (how more edifying to listen than speak).
Be open, create trust, avoid spaghetti-wiring diagrams, use Enterprise Architecture as your command and control tool, be the trusted and diplomatic change agent. Challenge the problem before hypothesising the solution, disbelieve everything, and let your words and actions be defined by principles and patterns.
