Enterprise Architecture Governance
(We all know we need it, yet no one takes ownership.)
Governance is a crucial component for any Enterprise Architecture program to be successful. It is something we struggle the most with at my organization and I wonder if other companies face the same challenges. EA does not have any authority, sufficient time, money or dedicated resources for governance.
At my organization, we do our best to influence our business partners into to doing the right thing for our enterprise. We however, do not have any authority to stop our business partners from deploying solutions that do not align with our strategic goals. This has been very frustrating for me personally and at times I have requested that upper management intervene. They decline, so I consider the matter closed. You have to know when to stop "influencing" otherwise you are seen as a hindrance instead of helpful.
Enterprise Architects are working on so many projects that often we don't have time to discuss what our governance program should even consist of. And for the handful of times we conducted governance discussions, we rarely agree on anything and because of that, nothing actually gets implemented. No one from EA is a dedicated resource to develop and enforce an EA governance program.
Our Client Data Governance team has been trying to get our business team who creates client accounts to also become our operational data stewards (ODS) for two years now. No budget ever includes money for ODS. Yet countless conversations and time has been spent on this topic and it always ends with, we should schedule some more time to discuss. It is nothing more that an elaborate game of hot potato.
At our company we have IT governance that deal with projects and operation request that come from the customer it is call demand request. It something we just started. there is a problem it does not incorporate business unit or stakeholders. all they care about is if we get it done, but we always run into problems with scope creep or they don't want to do it any more and all time and effort put into it goes down the drain. there is now roadmap or future state. its just hurry up and get it down because the business wants and since the hold the purse strings we do it. thanks for your post i enjoyed reading it
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