Frequently Asked Questions

Enterprise Architecture — General

1 What is Enterprise Architecture (EA)?
2 Why is Enterprise Architecture important to an organisation?
3 What are the main objectives of Enterprise Architecture?
4 What does an Enterprise Architect do?
5 What is the difference between Enterprise Architecture and Solution Architecture?
6 What is the difference between Enterprise Architecture and IT Architecture?
7 How does Enterprise Architecture support business strategy?
8 Who is responsible for Enterprise Architecture within an organisation?
9 Who are the key stakeholders in Enterprise Architecture?
10 What are the main components or domains of Enterprise Architecture?

EA Frameworks & Methodologies

11 What is an Enterprise Architecture framework?
12 What is TOGAF?
13 What is the difference between TOGAF and other EA frameworks?
14 What is the Zachman Framework?
15 What is the difference between TOGAF and Zachman?
16 What is an Architecture Development Method (ADM)?
17 Do we need to use a formal Enterprise Architecture framework?
18 How should an organisation choose an EA framework?
19 Can Enterprise Architecture frameworks be customised?
20 How does EA relate to Agile and DevOps?

Architecture Domains

21 What is Business Architecture?
22 What is Data Architecture?
23 What is Application Architecture?
24 What is Technology Architecture?
25 What is Security Architecture?
26 How do the different architecture domains work together?
27 What is a capability map?
28 What is a business process architecture?
29 What is an application portfolio?
30 What is a technology reference architecture?

Strategy & Transformation

31 How does Enterprise Architecture support digital transformation?
32 How does EA help organisations implement their business strategy?
33 How can EA identify opportunities for cost reduction?
34 How does Enterprise Architecture support mergers and acquisitions?
35 How can EA help with legacy system modernisation?
36 How does EA support cloud adoption?
37 How does EA support organisational change?
38 How can Enterprise Architecture help prioritise technology investments?
39 How does EA contribute to business agility?
40 How can EA help manage technical debt?

Governance & Decision-Making

41 What is Architecture Governance?
42 What is an Architecture Review Board (ARB)?
43 When should a project undergo an architecture review?
44 What is an architecture decision record (ADR)?
45 How are architecture standards established and maintained?
46 What happens when a project wants to deviate from an architecture standard?
47 How should architecture exceptions be managed?
48 How does EA influence investment and portfolio decisions?
49 How can architecture governance avoid becoming a bottleneck?
50 How should architectural risks be identified and managed?

EA Deliverables & Documentation

51 What deliverables should an Enterprise Architecture function produce?
52 What is an Enterprise Architecture roadmap?
53 What is a current-state architecture?
54 What is a target-state architecture?
55 What is a transition architecture?
56 What is a reference architecture?
57 What is an architecture principles document?
58 How should architecture documentation be maintained?
59 Which tools can be used to document Enterprise Architecture?
60 How detailed should Enterprise Architecture documentation be?

Cloud, Data & Modern Technology

61 How does Enterprise Architecture support cloud strategy?
62 What is a cloud reference architecture?
63 How does EA address multi-cloud and hybrid-cloud environments?
64 How does Enterprise Architecture support AI adoption?
65 How should AI solutions fit within the enterprise architecture?
66 How does EA address data governance and data quality?
67 What role does EA play in API and integration strategy?
68 How does EA support microservices architecture?
69 How should emerging technologies be assessed from an EA perspective?
70 How does EA address cybersecurity and resilience?

Measuring EA Effectiveness

71 How do you measure the value of Enterprise Architecture?
72 What KPIs should an EA function track?
73 How can EA demonstrate return on investment (ROI)?
74 How do you measure architecture maturity?
75 What does a mature Enterprise Architecture function look like?
76 How can EA improve project delivery outcomes?
77 How can EA reduce duplication across technology portfolios?
78 How can EA improve technology risk management?
79 How frequently should an Enterprise Architecture be reviewed?
80 How do you know when an Enterprise Architecture function needs to change?

Practical / Stakeholder Questions

81 Why do we need Enterprise Architecture if we already have architects?
82 How does EA benefit business leaders?
83 How does EA benefit project managers?
84 How does EA benefit developers and technical teams?
85 How does EA affect individual projects?
86 Does Enterprise Architecture slow down delivery?
87 How early should an Enterprise Architect become involved in a project?
88 What information does EA need from a new project?
89 Who approves an architecture?
90 What happens if there is no agreed enterprise architecture?

Strategic / Executive FAQs

91 What business problems is Enterprise Architecture intended to solve?
92 How does EA improve executive decision-making?
93 How does EA help align technology investment with business priorities?
94 How does EA help manage enterprise-wide risk?
95 How does EA support regulatory and compliance requirements?
96 How can EA help create a single view of the organisation’s technology landscape?
97 How does EA support long-term technology planning?
98 What are the consequences of not having Enterprise Architecture?
99 What should an organisation expect from its EA function?
100 What are the first steps to establishing an effective Enterprise Architecture practice?