Introduction

The Unified Architecture Method (UAM) defines processes and tasks that result in the creation of a number of deliverables. These deliverables describe a target architecture (at some level of detail), describe a current architecture, or define architectural decisions. Governance of these architecture development processes is required, but governance is also required for the application of these deliverables and decisions to the enterprise (or subset thereof) IT environment. This roadmap describes these two aspects of governance.  Another roadmap provides some practical advice on the UAM processes and their use within an enterprise, see: Roadmap: Processes.  

Governance and UAM

As noted in introduction, governance of the IT architecture development processes is required; governance during the creation of the models. This governance is built into the Capability Pattern: IT Architecture Processes and the Delivery Process: IT Architecture Delivery in the form of specific activities (e.g., Start Architecture Project) and, architecture assessments and architecture reviews, where either peers or stakeholders participate in detailed re-examinations of the newly defined architecture models and other deliverables.

Key to the UAM is the definition and agreement of Architectural Decisions, these decisions document agreements regarding important aspects of the architecture; everything from architecture or design patterns to technical standards. A generic governance process for these important decisions is suggested in: Roadmap: AD Governance that involves peer and stakeholder reviews as well as an escalation process.

UAM processes include governance within their definitions, but once the IT architecture is defined, how is it used within the enterprise? This is done through the integration of governance fragments (defined below) within existing enterprise processes; the application of results. Therefore, besides Architectural Decision governance, there are two additional governance processes that need to be adapted and integrated into the enterprise processes: creating UAM models and application of results.

• Creation of Models - the use of the UAM process within an enterprise to define IT architectures, for the enterprise (EA), or portions thereof. 
• Application of Results - application of UAM IT architecture deliverables and decisions to the enterprise, or portion of the enterprise (i.e., the system).

Creation of UAM Models

The decision to apply the process to the enterprise (to use UAM) really revolves around a number of factors, not the least of which is management's view and acceptance of IT architecture. A delivery process is defined that details how to do UAM, see: Delivery Process: IT Architecture Delivery.

IT architecture is required and applied normally based upon the following goals and factors:

• Alignment - align IT with business needs and goals,
• Better, Faster, & Cheaper - definition of an IT environment that works better for the business, allows the business to work faster and is cheaper to operate and manage.

Management therefore needs to assess the current situation (with the help of IT architects) in relation to long and short-term business goals and make decisions regarding the application of UAM to the business—the need for a more comprehensive understanding of IT and how it supports the business. This is beyond the scope of this architecture method, but the reasons for doing UAM, defined above, should be used to make the decisions. Managers at all levels within the organization need to understand and support the application of UAM and the creation of IT architectures and the benefits derived from them.

Application of UAM Results (UAM in the Enterprise)

The deliverables from the UAM include a number of models in various contexts, and at various levels and detail, along with a set of Architectural Decisions. These deliverables have been developed to influence the direction of IT development within the enterprise. How are these models and decisions applied and made real? They are applied through governance at various points in the enterprise's IT governance processes. This section generically defines where UAM implementation (i.e. its application) governance needs to be applied. Also see: Delivery Process: UAM in the Enterprise.

There are three possible areas where UAM deliverables (and by extension the knowledge and expertise of the architects) may be applied to both advance the goals of the enterprise and to apply the architecture results within the enterprise. These three areas are:

• Enterprise Planning - target IT architectures along with a migration plans are used to make planning decisions. What projects will benefit the enterprise in the coming year, the coming quarter? This is obviously just one input, but an important one, into the enterprise business planning exercise. Recommendations are based upon the migration plan as well as new or revised Architectural Decisions,
• IT Projects - architectural reviews need to be built into the enterprise's project planning and project management processes,
• IT Evolution - the evolution (change management) of the IT environment needs to be in-line with the target IT architectures.

Each gate, or review point, defined in the figures below provides UAM input regarding the impacts of plans or opportunities presented by the plans. Possible impacts include:

• Changes to the enterprise's IT strategy,
• Additions or modifications to the IT architectures,
• Additions, deletions or modification to standards (defined in Architectural Decisions),
• Follow-on impacts from the above such as skills requirements, etc.

Possible opportunities include:

• Application of new or existing architectural patterns to the advantage of the enterprise and its plans,
• Application of new technologies to address new requirements or directions (both technical and business),
• Application of new technologies that will leverage plans or expand them, all to the advantage of the enterprise.

Now each of these three areas is looked at in more detail.

Enterprise Planning

Businesses have their own planning processes and need to decide the best point to have an injection of recommendations from their enterprise and domain architects. Architects can also provide guidance and advice regarding business plans, for example the size and scope of new strategies or business opportunities, and their impact on the enterprise's IT environment. A partial view of this is shown in the figure below, illustrating the various planning steps and the milestone reviews where architecture guidance and advice would be beneficial. See: Activity: Enterprise Planning

IT Projects

Projects are implemented by application of a project development cycle. Normally this development cycle, which is similar to the RUP lifecycle, includes a number of milestones or gates. Architectural reviews, built into these project management milestone/gate reviews, provide the governance required for ensuring that projects both leverage existing architectural definitions and conform to architectural and technical standards, as defined in architectural models and decisions. They are also excellent opportunities for architects to get feedback on the defined enterprise architecture and on existing architectural decisions. See: Activity: Project Life-Cycle

IT Evolution

The evolution of the IT environment needs to be managed, from an enterprise architecture perspective. Change requests define a need for change, which is a good point to inject enterprise standards and architectural patterns into the planning for the next steps. In other words, the change management process within the enterprise needs to include an architectural review prior to the initiation of a change implementation project. See: Activity: Change Management