elemental links

brenda michelson's technology advisory practice

Enterprise Architect Friends: Your Insights Wanted – Survey on Event Processing

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I’m working with StreamBase on an Event Processing survey directed at the enterprise architecture community.  As a reader of elemental links, there is a high probability you are, work with, or lead enterprise architects.  Can you do me a favor?  Take the survey.  And then, ask your enterprise architect friends and colleagues to do the same.

In appreciation for your participation, you’ll receive:

  • Access to a pre-release version of our report for review and comment during this discovery phase of our research [everyone]
  • $10 Starbucks card or a $10 donation to Oxfam as a thank you for your time [first 50 completions]

For your results to count, you need to complete the survey by Friday, April 29th at 5pm UK time, 12 noon ET.

Thanks for the assist!  Take the survey.

 

[Disclosure: StreamBase is a client of my firm, Elemental Links.]

 

Enterprise Architecture Rant #4,892

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Last week was primarily about Cloud Connect for me. However, I did fit in a few other things, including a short rant inspired by enterprise architecture pundits.

As you all know, I believe in the value of enterprise architecture, and even more strongly, I recognize the unique talents and contributions of real-world (‘street-smart’) enterprise architects.

At the same time, I’m increasingly concerned about the macro-direction of our field, as we continue to suffer ivory tower enterprise architecture punditry, rigid frameworks and endless philosophical waxing.

A couple of weeks ago, I attempted to inject a little action / purpose / outcome orientation in the enterprise architecture conversation with the following tweet:

“Today’s word for Enterprise Architects: Utilitarian [u-til-i-tar-i-an]: designed to be useful or practical rather than attractive. “

Well, as you might expect, I got nit-picked parsed. That architecture by definition is attractive. [Aargh!] My intended point was “useful or practical”. Not easily defeated, I restated as follows:

“better stated, i think every needs to have a utilitarian perspective”

If you can’t answer “what is the purpose?”, that is an early warning indicator of folly, or worse. This “utilitarian” aspect is something I find myself circling back to more and more, especially in my work on business architecture.

Anyway, on Friday, after witnessing yet another definitional discussion on enterprise architecture, I tried to inject the utilitarian perspective again with the following on twitter:

“Ok, last time: It’s not what enterprise architecture IS that matters. It’s what enterprise architecture DOES that matters. “

This “pithy” missive hit the mark with real-world enterprise architects and pundits alike.

So remember, next time someone tries to drag you down a “what & how” conversation on enterprise architecture, steer them to “why & outcomes“. It’ll be more productive, in the moment, and for your long-term practice.

 

You’re not really an enterprise architect if…

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Yesterday afternoon, I fired off a series of "You aren’t really an enterprise architect if…" tweets. The tweets were inspired by real-life encounters. However, I won’t be revealing my muses. That would be rude.

So, without further ado, my  "You aren’t really an enterprise architect if…" tweet mini-rant follows:

you’re not really an enterprise architect if… change scares you #entarch #posers

you’re not really an enterprise architect if… you can’t envision and speak at conceptual level #entarch #posers

you’re not really an enterprise architect if… you get wigged out by ambiguity (dragons) #entarch #posers

you’re not really an enterprise architect if… you can only speak to one business or technical domain #entarch #posers

you’re not really an enterprise architect if… your stuff never gets off the whiteboard or out of the slide deck #entarch #posers

The fear change, conceptual level, and ambiguity ones garnered good retweet buzz from the enterprise architect community. Additionally, a few real enterprise architects chimed in with their own observations.

Sally Bean offered the following:

You’re not really an enterprise architect if the whiteboard is still blank at the end of the meeting #entarch #posers

EricStephens added a corollary:

You might be an enterprise architect if you hoard all the dry erase markers at the beginning of a meeting #entarch

[Each so true. I can’t think without a marker in my hand. My three whiteboards here are always full.]

Bob McIlree added two related to presentations:

You’re not really an enterprise architect if [business people] are checking Blackberrys, watches, or sleeping 5 min. into presentation. #entarch #posers

You’re not really an enterprise architect if IT/developers have you deep in the weeds 5 min. into your presentation #entarch #posers

How about you?  Have you observed any enterprise architect poser characteristics you’d like to share?  Please leave the muses out of it, they have enough challenges already. 😉

Brenda M. Michelson

Brenda Michelson

Technology Architect.

Trusted Advisor.

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