Role: Enterprise Architect
This role is responsible for enterprise level architectures, being involved in all the significant decisions regarding structure, behavior, interfaces, constraints and trade-offs at the enterprise level.
Role Sets: IT Architects
Relationships

Analyze Business OpportunitiesAnalyze Options and Pick SolutionAnalyze the ArchitectureAssess the ArchitectureCapture Common VocabularyConsult with StakeholdersDefine a Migration PlanDefine an Architectural DecisionDefine Business ActorsDefine Business Entity ModelDefine Business LocationsDefine Impacts of SolutionDefine Logical Entity ModelDefine Logical Locations ModelDefine Logical Process ModelDefine Logical Roles ModelDefine Objectives of the IT Architecture ProjectDefine Simple Architecture ModelsDefine System Scope & ContextDefine Technical Entities ModelDefine Technical Locations ModelDefine Technical Process ModelDefine Technical Roles ModelDefine Technology Change ImpactsDefine the Business ProcessesDevelop a Training CourseExisting Architecture AnalysisRefine Problem DefinitionReview a Training CourseReview an Architectural DecisionReview an ArchitectureReview RequirementsScan Architectural DecisionsTarget vs. Existing Gap AnalysisUpdate an Architecture PerspectiveArchitectural DecisionArchitectural Decisions SummaryArchitecture GlossaryArchitecture Review RecordArchitecture SummaryBusiness PerspectiveContext and ObjectivesGap AnalysisLogical PerspectiveMigration PlanSimple Logical PerspectiveSimple Technical PerspectiveTechnical PerspectiveEnterprise_Architect
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    Main Description

    The enterprise architect has overall responsibility for IT architecture at the enterprise level. This includes identifying and documenting the architecturally significant aspects of the enterprise under the scope of the enterprise architecture exercise.

    The rationale for the main architecture decisions involves finding the right balance between competing factors, including the concerns of various stakeholders, risks, costs, constraints and technologies. The models developed and decisions made need be agreed upon, validated and communicated to all the interested parties at the enterprise level. 

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    Skills

    A person acting in this role must be a good facilitator and have excellent communication skills. The IT architect also needs to have the ability to comprehend and makes sense of a large body of knowledge (i.e. IT technologies and the business) and create the IT architecture models that capture this information. Excellent knowledge of the business of the enterprise is therefore essential, along with an extensive knowledge of IT technologies. The enterprise architect needs to be familiar with the tools used to capture the models of the architecture and with the main technological aspects of potential solutions.

    An enterprise architect should be prepared to:

    • Assess the current situation of the enterprise (technically and otherwise);
    • Understand the enterprise's requirements, strategies and goals; 
    • Facilitate modeling of the target enterprise architecture;
    • Discuss and facilitate a business re-engineering effort, if needed; 
    • Understand the technical sides of the solutions;
    • Take part in defining IT architectures and solution approaches for resulting systems.
    Assignment ApproachesDepending upon the size and scope of the enterprise, consider assigning the Enterprise Architect, and Domain or Business Line Architect roles to the same person. However, in large organization with large business domains or business lines, separate IT architects will be required.
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