Architect's Corner!

An idea for the Architecture Excellence Awards – part II

I know this is an exciting news to have an award associated with the legendary John Zachman. Actually, the idea came from the co-chair of the jury, Manoj. During last week of March when I was having coffee with John, I couldn't stop asking him if we could institute an award with his name. It was definitely a moment of elation and delight when John agreed to the request.

So friends, starting this year, "Zachman award for Enterprise Architecture" will be awarded every year along with other architecture awards. Both iCMG and Zachman International will work closely to ensure that award is managed and delivered with equanimity. Hopefully, with time it should become Oscar for the Enterprise Architects.

Though the idea of enterprise architecture was seeded nearly 30 years back, only recently we find that there is growing acceptance and demand for this discipline. It'll be interesting to see the response for the award. Hopefully, it'll be refreshing to go through some of the work, which is being carried across different parts of the world rather than reading through the diatribe about enterprise architecture in various discussion forums.

We have started to work on the "evaluation criteria" for this award. This would be slightly different from what we plan to use for other award categories.

BTW, we have got John P. Zachman as a member of the jury. Jr. Zachamn ( sorry! JPZ for addressing you like that) has brought a lot of visibility and clarity with his initiatives at Zachman international in the last 12 months itself. It will be definitely great to work with him on this assignment.

John (Sr. Zachman) is interested in seeing primitive models for different cells in the framework. As you will know, "primitive models" are the architecture artifacts while "composition models" are for manufacturing. I do agree it's not going to be easy to create all the primitive models for the framework. But, that's the real challenge of your creativity, vision & architecture knowledge ;-).

It'll be interesting to look at how organizations have been using enterprise architecture for solving different kinds of problems.

So, if you have used the framework for solving your problems, be it

1. -- Driving innovation.
2. -- Support short release cycle
3. -- Ensure "big" but "lean" enterprise
4. -- Mega mergers.
5. -- Application consolidation
6. -- Leading IT strategy and road map
7. -- Process automation strategy
8. -- Business strategy worldwide
9. -- Cost savings
10. -- Effective resource utilization ( people & machine)
11. -- Driver for marketing and R&D
12. -- Ensuring enterprise-wide standards
13. -- Modernization initiatives.
14. -- Large integration efforts
15. -- Using technology for global competitiveness
16. -- Faster time for "design to production", or something more interesting ...

Let's look at other way, if you have solved any of these problems (mentioned above) effectively ( i.e. benefits lasted for considerable time period), there are GREAT chances that you might have used the rules and structure of Zachman Framework knowingly or un-knowingly.

Don't believe that ? write to me and will show you "how".

It's basic, fundamental just like periodic table. You can't have a compound (chemical) which doesn't follow the rules of Periodic Table ( ontology). Similarly, every enterprise problem has to follow the "Periodic Table for the Enterprise" i.e. "Zachman Framework" i.e. ontology i.e. consistent & coherent set of structural elements, which exist in nature.

If you have a success story with Zachman Framework, which has made a difference to your enterprise & business, nominate yourself for this very prestigious award. We do agree that such an implementation is a daunting task with opportunities to fail lurking in many places.

Please do share your experience of implementation, problems and some great advice on how to overcome. You could be the winner of the prestigious enterprise architecture award.

The world's most prestigious architecture award - open for your nominations.
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