Lesson 64 - Classic Alternatives Strategy of Enterprise Architecture

Summary

In lesson 64 of 'Software Architecture Monday,' Mark Richards discusses the classic alternative strategy of enterprise architecture. Unlike the prescriptive approach, this centralized strategy allows business units to choose from multiple approved standards, providing flexibility while maintaining governance. Richards highlights the benefits, such as using the right tools for the job and improved satisfaction, but also notes the increased design time and higher costs. The lesson sets the stage for exploring decentralized strategies in future sessions. For more details and related training, visit developerToArchitect.com.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ The lesson discusses the classic alternative strategy in enterprise architecture, focusing on a centralized approach with multiple approved standards.
• 🔍 Enterprise architecture strategies describe the overall team structure and how standards are applied and governed across the enterprise, which can be technology, architecture, methodology, or process-based.
• 📚 The central enterprise architecture team in this strategy defines and governs standards, but unlike the prescriptive strategy, they provide multiple approved standards for business units to choose from.
• 🌈 Business units have the flexibility to choose from multiple approved standards, such as Java, .NET, Spring, Scala, MongoDB, DB2, Oracle, Agile, and Lean, allowing them to tailor their solutions to specific needs.
• 🛠️ The classic alternative strategy promotes the right tools for the right job, giving business units more control over their choices and potentially leading to better satisfaction.
• ⏱️ However, this strategy can increase design time as teams need to evaluate different options, potentially leading to more proof of concepts and analysis to determine the best standards to use.
• 💰 The strategy can also result in higher overall costs due to supporting multiple standards and the increased design time for each business unit.
• 🚫 Despite the flexibility, teams are not allowed to make their own choices that could influence the enterprise architecture team, and variance models may be used to influence decisions.
• 📈 The central enterprise architecture team forms the standards, maintaining control over the enterprise architecture while allowing some flexibility for business units.
• 🔎 The next lesson will explore decentralized models or strategies of enterprise architecture, contrasting with the centralized approach discussed in this lesson.
• 📚 For more information, the speaker recommends reviewing previous lessons on enterprise architecture strategies and the prescriptive approach to understand the differences between various strategies.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video script?

The main topic of the video script is the classic alternative strategy of enterprise architecture, which is a centralized approach with multiple approved standards applied across the enterprise.

Who is the presenter of the video script?

The presenter of the video script is Mark Richards, a hands-on software architect and the founder of developer to architect.com.

What is the difference between the prescriptive strategy and the classic alternatives strategy discussed in the script?

The prescriptive strategy is a centralized approach where the enterprise architecture team defines and governs specific standards that must be followed by all business units. In contrast, the classic alternatives strategy allows business units to choose from multiple approved standards, providing more flexibility.

What are the advantages of the classic alternatives strategy over the prescriptive strategy?

The classic alternatives strategy promotes the right tools for the right job, giving each business unit more control over their choices, which can lead to better satisfaction and improved context fit.

What are some potential downsides of the classic alternatives strategy mentioned in the script?

The downsides include increased design time due to more proof of concepts, the possibility of incorrect choices by business units, and higher overall costs due to supporting multiple standards and increased design efforts.

How does the classic alternatives strategy affect the role of the enterprise architecture team?

In the classic alternatives strategy, the enterprise architecture team still defines and governs the standards but allows for more flexibility by providing multiple approved options for business units to choose from.

What are some examples of the multiple approved standards that a business unit can choose from in the classic alternatives strategy?

Examples include different programming platforms like Java and .NET, various frameworks such as Spring and Scala, and database options like MongoDB, DB2, or Oracle.

How does the script suggest teams can influence the enterprise architecture team's decisions?

Teams can influence the enterprise architecture team's decisions through variance models, which may suggest alternative approaches or standards that could be considered.

What is the next lesson that Mark Richards will cover after the classic alternatives strategy?

The next lesson will cover the distributed strategy of enterprise architecture.

Where can viewers find more information on enterprise architecture strategies and related training classes?

Viewers can find more information on Mark Richards' website under 'Software Architecture Monday' and explore the training classes and upcoming events sections.

What are some of the other topics Mark Richards covers in his training classes and conference talks?

Mark Richards covers topics such as software architecture, microservices, and analyzing software architecture in his training classes and conference talks.