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Certified Enterprise Architect Professional (CEAP) : Module 19.1 : Statement of Architecture Work

A "Statement of Architecture Work" in Enterprise Architect is a document that clearly defines the scope, objectives, approach, and deliverables of an architectural project within an organization, essentially acting as a contract between the architecture team and stakeholders, outlining the details of the planned architecture work and how it will be executed, often utilizing the TOGAF framework within the tool. 

Key elements of a Statement of Architecture Work:

1. Project Background and Request:

A brief description of the project's context, business drivers, and reasons for undertaking the architecture work. 

2. Project Scope:

Clearly defined boundaries of the architecture project, including what systems, components, and areas will be addressed. 

3. Architecture Vision Overview:

A high-level summary of the desired future state of the architecture, including key goals and principles. 

4. Approach and Methodology:

The chosen architecture development process, including any specific frameworks or methodologies like TOGAF. 

5. Roles and Responsibilities:

Identification of key stakeholders involved in the architecture project and their respective roles. 

6. Deliverables:

A list of specific artifacts that will be produced as part of the architecture project, such as diagrams, documents, and models. 

7. Acceptance Criteria:

Specific criteria that will be used to determine if the architecture work is considered complete and successful. 

8. Timeline and Milestones:

A project schedule outlining key milestones and deadlines. 

9. Change Management Procedures:

Guidelines for managing any potential changes to the project scope or requirements. 

Benefits of a Statement of Architecture Work:

10. Clear Communication:

Provides a common understanding of the architecture project among all stakeholders, minimizing misunderstandings. 

11. Project Alignment:

Ensures that the architecture work is aligned with overall business goals and objectives. 

12. Risk Mitigation:

Identifies potential risks and issues early on, allowing for proactive mitigation strategies. 

13. Measurable Success:

Defines clear acceptance criteria to evaluate the success of the architecture project. 

How to create a Statement of Architecture Work in Enterprise Architect:

Utilize TOGAF Profile:

Enterprise Architect provides a built-in TOGAF profile which includes templates and structures for creating a Statement of Architecture Work. 

Model the Architecture:

Use the modeling tools within Enterprise Architect to visually represent the architecture components, relationships, and dependencies. 

Document Key Information:

Populate the relevant sections of the Statement of Architecture Work document with detailed information about the project scope, approach, deliverables, and acceptance criteria. 

Example

Project Title: "Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System Architecture Development"

Project Description: To design and document a new CRM system architecture that integrates with existing enterprise systems, enabling efficient customer interaction management, sales pipeline tracking, and customer support functionalities.

Scope:

1) Business Scope:

Customer acquisition, lead management, sales process, customer service interactions, and reporting.

2) System Scope:

Development of a new CRM application with features including customer profile management, opportunity tracking, case management, and reporting dashboards.

3) Technology Scope:

Selection and integration of a cloud-based CRM platform, API integration with existing ERP and marketing automation systems.

4) Architecture Vision:

Key Principles: Scalability, flexibility, security, user-friendliness, and data integrity.

Target Architecture: A microservices-based architecture utilizing a cloud-based CRM platform, with modular components for core CRM functionalities and well-defined APIs for integration with other systems.

Deliverables:

Architecture Diagrams:

1) System Context Diagram

2) Container Diagram

3) Component Diagram

4) Deployment Diagram

5) Data Flow Diagram

Technical Documentation:

1) Architecture Decision Record (ADR) document

2) Technology Stack details

3) Integration specifications

4) Security design document

Project Plan:

1) Development roadmap

2) Milestone schedule

3) Resource allocation plan

Roles and Responsibilities:

1) Enterprise Architect: Overall architecture design, technology selection, and documentation.

2) Solution Architect: Detailed design of system components, interface definitions, and integration points.

3) Developer Team: Implementation of system components based on the architecture design.

4) Quality Assurance Team: Functional and performance testing of the architecture.

Change Management Process:

Change Control Board (CCB): Review and approval process for significant architecture changes.

Change Request Form: Standardized form for documenting proposed changes to the architecture.

Communication Plan: Regular updates to stakeholders on architecture changes and rationale.

Acceptance Criteria:

1) Completion of all architectural deliverables as outlined in the Statement of Architecture Work.

2) Approval of the architecture design by key stakeholders.

3) Successful completion of architecture reviews and validation processes.

Important Considerations:

Alignment with Business Strategy:

Ensure the architecture aligns with the organization's overall business goals and objectives.

Stakeholder Engagement:

Actively involve key stakeholders throughout the architecture development process.

Continuous Improvement:

Regularly review and update the architecture to adapt to changing business needs and technology advancements.

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