Enterprise Architecture and your project
For any project that involves the University's IT core systems, we can help to align the project with the University's overall IT and data strategies. We can also advise as to whether the project can reuse any existing components, such as APIs.
It helps us if a project can engage Enterprise Architecture (EA) as early as possible, preferably when writing the project proposal or business case. We can advise on how the proposed project will fit into the University's overall architecture, and suggest ways that we can help.
How EA can help:
We can help a project team to:
- locate their work within the big picture of the University's business capabilities and IT core systems
- identify gaps and design a target architecture showing what the project needs to change
- ensure that IT processes align with, and enhance, business processes
- find existing systems, APIs, data sources, standards, and other components that may be useful for the project
- model the data used by the business processes and systems
- design components so that they may potentially be re-used by future projects
During the project, we can:
- advise on how the design of the new or changed system will integrate with other business processes and IT systems
- help with architecture modelling and data modelling
EA is not involved with the detailed implementation of a project, assuming the implementation follows the previously agreed design. If needed, EA can act as a point of escalation in the event of unforeseen problems.
The role of EA, in a diagram
Which projects can EA help?
EA is most relevant for projects that involve multiple IT systems or business units, or which use data from multiple systems.
Projects which involve the following must always engage with us:
- procurement of any new or replacement IT core system
- implementation of systems that affect multiple business areas
- development of new interfaces or APIs
- design of new datamarts for strategic reporting
- use of non-standard technologies (especially for authentication, integration, or data management)
Conversely, some isolated or routine projects will have little interaction with the overall architecture, and will not need any input from EA.
ISG Project Management Office
More detailed guidance is available for projects managed by the ISG Project Management Office. Contact us for more information, using the contact information below.
Contact Us
To find out more, please contact us.