Disintegrated-EA?

how to fight against fragmentationof the architectureTom Graves, Tetradian ConsultingIntegrated EA Conference, London, March 2016

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Hi.Im Tom Graves.(thats the introductions done.)

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Things work betterbecause they work together,on purpose.The key to all architecture:

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IntegratedEnterprise Architecture!

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What a great idea!CC-BY cornelii via Flickr

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Bridge tall silos at a single bound!CC-BY St_A_Sh via Flickr

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Rebuild old legacy systems

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with modern building-blocks!

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Functional replica of the Antikythera devicecreated in LegoAll the pieces fit together

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everything runs like clockwork!CC-BY mikemccaffrey via Flickr

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Miracles worked every day!CC-BY yashna13 via Flickr

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A wondrous performance!CC-BY usfwsmtnprairie via Flickr

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After all that, youd take a bowCC-BY-ND rosengrant via Flickr

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to rapturous applauseCC-BY Incase via Flickr

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even senior management take notice!CC-BY rquinett via Flickr

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Thats how its supposed to go,isnt it?

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So hows it really going, so far?CC-BY milos milosevic via Flickr

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(Dont all cry at once)CC-BY-SA skippyjon via Flickr

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If we cant fix thisour prospects may not look too good.(image source not known)

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Right now,its a bit like a video-game

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It looks easy enough at the start, butimage from Lara Croft Go, Square Enix Montreal

soon were sidestepping sawbladesimage from Lara Croft Go, Square Enix Montreal

having to think and act aheadimage from Lara Croft Go, Square Enix Montreal

searching for solutionsimage from Lara Croft Go, Square Enix Montreal

dodging disasters every dayimage from Lara Croft Go, Square Enix Montrealimage from Lara Croft Go, Square Enix Montreal

and fending-off furious faunaimage from Lara Croft Go, Square Enix Montreal

In short:it aint as easy as it looks

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So often it seems as soon asweve designeddevelopeddeliveredthe perfect architecturealong comes something elseto knock it all down once more!

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We work with the Squiggleas a model and metaphor of change

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Were busy joining the dotsuncertaincertainbut meanwhile, someone else

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is busy dotting all the joinsuncertaincertainbreaking up the architecture again!

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Why is it thatan integrated EAso often seems likean impossible dream?

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More to the point,what can we do about it?

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We need to understandthe pressurestowards fragmentation

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On one side,everywhere theresuncertaintyinherent in what we do,with different aims, goalsand drivers

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from warfightingCC-BY-NC-ND defenceimages via Flickr

counter-insurgencyCC-BY-NC-ND defenceimages via Flickr

peacekeepingCC-BY-NC-ND un_photo via Flickr

disaster-recoveryCC-BY civmilcoe via Flickr

disaster-reliefCC-BY dvids via Flickr

response against pandemicsCC-BY-NC-ND dfids via Flickr

or all of these roles, togetherCC-BY-NC-ND un_photo via Flickr

and all of those interactionswith others, includingother armed-forces, civil authorities, health-workers, border-agencies, environment-agencies, NGOsand many more

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And we also have our owninternal forcestowards fragmentation

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Complexity and uncertaintyCC-BY jurvetson via Flickr

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nocoherencystory?senseoforThe Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, GentlemanSt James Theatre, Tristram Shandyshared

mismatches between theoryBrickmania via Google Image Search

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CC-BY-NC VAGuardPAO via Flickrand real-world practice

an inability to understandthat information about a thingis not the same as the thing itself?

silo-thinkingCC-BY-SA kickize via Flickr

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(the other silo-thinking)CC-BY-SA jurvetson via Flickr

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unchecked assumptionsCC-BY morten812 via Flickr(Maginot Line)

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back-to-front business-models(classic Taylorist top-down management-metaphors wont fit well to the needs of most modern contexts)

misplaced efficiency(people and enterprises are not machines)CC-BY Todd Hudson via Flickr

misplaced attempts at controlCC-BY-ND archeon via Flickr(targets always create perverse-incentives)

communication gapsNOW!beforecertainuncertainPLANPOSIWIDmuddled chaosinexplicable political impacts(imaginary worldof sanitised info)

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and bureaucracyCC-BY striatic via Flickr

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more bureaucracyCC-BY Christian Schnettelker via Flickr www.manoftaste.de

and cluelessnessCC-BY duncanh1 via Flickr

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Which we could summarise as:- trying to controlthat which is not controllable- inability to keep trackof what is sort-of controllable- persistent failureto understand the difference

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Linked to all of this, another cause of problems ispoor sensemaking disciplineacross the overall context.For example

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Technology-adoption lifecycle(Everett Rogers et al, crossmapped to reversed SCAN frame)

Crossing the Chasm(Geoffrey Moore, Crossing the Chasm, 1991)The Big Scary Chasm(between Early Adoptersand Early Majority)(invention)(towards end of useful life)

Over-hype creates the Chasm(Gartner Hype-Cycle crossmapped to Crossing the Chasm)

Big-consultancies and big-vendorsrush to the rescue!We have a solution for you!- a bridge across the Chasm!(Its proprietary, of course.)

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Bridging across the Chasm(solving a problem caused by their own over-hype?)

Our clients demand a futurethat is fully proven.(direct paraphrase from quote by big-consultancy principal)Delusions of certainty:

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The vendors solution(of which at times almost none is really true)

A better option:get rid of the darn hype!

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What can we do about this,in practice?

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Answer: it all depends onCC-BY grotuk via Flickr

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(as seen in this kind of discipline)CC-BY-ND oldschoolrocker via Flickr

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(or this kind of discipline)CC-BY eschipul via Flickr

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CC-BY-SA hernanpc via Flickr(or this discipline, if you prefer)

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Behind each discipline,what we most need here arefour distinct meta-disciplines

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Four distinct meta-disciplinesMore detail: Sensemaking and the swamp-metaphor, http://weblog.tetradian.com/sensemaking-and-swamp-metaphor/

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Four distinct meta-disciplinessense (Artist)make-sense (Technologist)decide (Scientist)act (Believer)

recursively, fractally, indefinitelyweave through, around, between each other

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Four distinct meta-disciplinesArtist emphasiswhat do I/we feel?Technologist emphasiswhat can I/we improve?Scientist emphasiswhat do I/we know?Believer emphasiswhat do I/we do?

Simple two-axis matrixdriver: value truthcontext: outer inner

More detail: Sensemaking and the swamp-metaphor, http://weblog.tetradian.com/sensemaking-and-swamp-metaphor/ (aligned with the Squiggle)

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with distinct modes and rolesArtist modenew ideas, experiencesTechnologist modetools for practical useScientist modeclarity, consistencyBeliever modemeaning, certainty, action

Dont play mix and match!modes are different and distinct

More detail: Sensemaking modes and disciplines, http://weblog.tetradian.com/sensemaking-modes-and-disciplines/ Modes support each otheridea, hypothesis, theory, law

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These meta-disciplines represent abstract-modes,not individual people.To emphasise this,well use old-fashioned images hereto denote the respective modes.

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The Artist disciplineexplore the Not-known

Role is ... to notice, to pay attention, to elicit new ideas, new information, new experiencesManages ... that which is inherently unique, one-off, with no apparent connection to anything elseResponds via ... a sense of inner value, whatever feels right in the momentAction-loop via do or not-do sense reflect/reviewThe Artist disciplineMore detail: Sensemaking modes and disciplines, http://weblog.tetradian.com/sensemaking-modes-and-disciplines/

Rules of the Artist disciplineAnything goes there is no right or wrongThe feeling or response is its own truth: it is what it isThe response exists only in the moment if we try to hold onto it, it will disappearThe response must be real-ised in some form of expression, usually in the momentThe response is personal it does not necessarily mean anything, it just isMore detail: Sensemaking modes and disciplines, http://weblog.tetradian.com/sensemaking-modes-and-disciplines/

This means..., This proves...[blurring Artist with Scientist or Believer]This has no purpose, This feeling is wrong[blurring Artist with Technologist or Believer]I should not feel this..., I ought to feel...[blurring Artist with Believer, or overdose of ego]The feeling I had here last time was[blurring Artist with Scientist]Signs of dubious Artist disciplineMore detail: Sensemaking modes and disciplines, http://weblog.tetradian.com/sensemaking-modes-and-disciplines/

The Technologist disciplineseek always to make it work better

Role is ... to use, and to question useand usefulnessManages ... that which is inherently ambiguous uncertain, requiring adaptation, with cause-and-effect often identifiable only in retrospectResponds via ... a sense of outer value, experimenting to find what feels appropriateAction-loop via experiment sense evaluateThe Technologist disciplineMore detail: Sensemaking modes and disciplines, http://weblog.tetradian.com/sensemaking-modes-and-disciplines/

There is no truth only usefulness or not-usefulnessBeliefs, feelings, objects, facts, everything is a tool to a purposeAs above, so below everything contains everything else; reality is fractal, recursiveEmphasis on effectiveness, and on valueEthics and integrity take priority over truth rule of personal responsibility for actionsRules of Technologist disciplineMore detail: Sensemaking modes and disciplines, http://weblog.tetradian.com/sensemaking-modes-and-disciplines/

The way to do it is...[blurring Technologist with Believer or Scientist]Itll be the same as last time...[blurring Technologist with Scientist]The end justifies the means...[allowing Believer truth to override value-assessment]Get the job out the door, any old way will do[weak handling of values trade-offs, also failure to bridgeto Scientist and Artist to aid in improving quality]Dubious Technologist disciplineMore detail: Sensemaking modes and disciplines, http://weblog.tetradian.com/sensemaking-modes-and-disciplines/

The Scientist disciplineensure consistency and certainty

Role is ... to verify the truth of things in relation to othersManages ... that which is inherently certain or knowable everything interlinked through complicated chains of cause-and-effectResponds via ... a sense of outer truth, measuring, monitoring, assessing factors that make up chains of relationshipAction-loop via ... enquire sense analyse/assessThe Scientist disciplineMore detail: Sensemaking modes and disciplines, http://weblog.tetradian.com/sensemaking-modes-and-disciplines/

Rules of Scientist disciplineOnly facts are real opinion is permitted only where vetted and verified by peer-reviewEverything must be anchored in facts,in turn anchored in shared standardsProof depends on repeatability by othersThings are true only if verified in formal logicAll parameters must be defined and declaredExperiments should change only one parameter at a timeMore detail: Sensemaking modes and disciplines, http://weblog.tetradian.com/sensemaking-modes-and-disciplines/

Emotional attachment to any supposed fact[blurring Scientist with other modes, usually the Believer]Must be..., Its obvious..., Of course...[failure to bridge to Artist or Technologistto cross-check for logic-holes]The exception proves the rule...[blurring Scientist formal-logic with Technologist heuristics]The only possible truth...[blurring Scientist analysis with Believer The Truth]Dubious Scientist disciplineMore detail: Sensemaking modes and disciplines, http://weblog.tetradian.com/sensemaking-modes-and-disciplines/

The Believer disciplinefollow the work-instructions

Role is ... to focus, and to act, usually via and in line with predetermined beliefManages ... that which is inherently known delving ever deeper into the meaning of a known universal truthResponds via ... a sense of inner truth, acting on a clear certainty of right and wrongAction-loop via ... sense categorise act/reflectBeliever disciplineMore detail: Sensemaking modes and disciplines, http://weblog.tetradian.com/sensemaking-modes-and-disciplines/

There is only one TruthThere are definite boundaries between true and not-true, between right and wrongConsistent focus on the one Truth will provide all the answers neededBelief is the force that holds everything together dont doubt!Rules of Believer disciplineMore detail: Sensemaking modes and disciplines, http://weblog.tetradian.com/sensemaking-modes-and-disciplines/

Dubious Believer disciplineIs this the right way to [do this, be this]...?[getting lost in self-doubt]This is true for me, therefore true for all[blurring Believer (subjective) with Scientist (objective)]People of different beliefs are lesser worth[overdose of ego, also blurring Believer with Technologist using truth for value-judgements]I am the Great One who causes change...[blurring Believer self-certainty with Technologist action]More detail: Sensemaking modes and disciplines, http://weblog.tetradian.com/sensemaking-modes-and-disciplines/

Move between disciplines, continuously, with awareness

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A discipline of integrationthe discipline of linking the disciplines together

Know the role and function of each disciplineEach moment, know which discipline youre in Artist, Technologist, Scientist, BelieverUse the discipline correctly,following its own rules and decision-sequenceBridge cleanly between the disciplinesWatch continually for warning-signsof dubious disciplineA discipline of integrationMore detail: Sensemaking modes and disciplines, http://weblog.tetradian.com/sensemaking-modes-and-disciplines/

Disciplines link to each othera distinct if implicit sequence within the change-process a discipline of disciplines

What happens if we dont watch the discipline?

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A call to action!We must stand firm againstthe Seven Sinsof Dubious Discipline:#1: The Hype Hubris#2: The Golden-Age Game#3: The Newage Nuisance#4: The Meaning Mistake#5: The Possession Problem#6: The Reality Risk#7: Lost in the Learning LabyrinthMore detail: Seven sins of dubious discipline, http://weblog.tetradian.com/seven-sins-of-dubious-discipline/

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#1: The Hype Hubrisa triumph of marketing over technical expertisestyle becomes more important than substancethose who do the real work are misused, derided, plagiarised, then ignoredrelentless pursuit of glamour Cloud! Big-Data! IoT! the Golden Age!

More detail: Seven sins 1: The Hype Hubris, http://weblog.tetradian.com/seven-sins-1-the-hype-hubris/

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#2: The Golden-Age Gamea bizarre blend of super-science and super-beliefminimal evidence anywhere in real-world cultural analoguespsych drivers: nostalgia, narcissism, hiraethfocus on the future or past to evade realities of the present?

More detail: Seven sins 2: Golden-Age Game, http://weblog.tetradian.com/seven-sins-2-the-golden-age-game/

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#3: The Newage Nuisancenewage it rhymes with sewage, discarded remnant of what was once nutritiousdilettante disneyfication of real issuespsych: enthusiasm overrides sense, self-honestyarbitrary jumps between distinct forms of truth in art, science, technology and belief-systems

More detail: Seven sins 3: The Newage Nuisance, http://weblog.tetradian.com/seven-sins-3-the-newage-nuisance/

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#4: The Meaning Mistakehalf-baked, overcooked or just plain inediblehalf-baked characteristic of newageovercooked characteristic of careless practice or poor scienceinedible all too many examples in these fields

More detail: Seven sins 4: The Meaning Mistake, http://weblog.tetradian.com/seven-sins-4-the-meaning-mistake/

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#5: The Possession Problemneither places nor ideas are commodities to be possessedno separate domains its a continuumpsych: a childish mine!deconstruction and privileged worldviewswhat worldviews are privileged in EA?

More detail: Seven sins 5: The Possession Problem, http://weblog.tetradian.com/seven-sins-5-the-possession-problem/

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not real or imaginary, but real and imaginary both at the same timepsych implications reality as anarchy, risks of panicNot-known is imaginary and real both the good and badreal dangers like playing with matches in a firework factory

#6: The Reality RiskMore detail: Seven sins 6: The Reality Risk, http://weblog.tetradian.com/seven-sins-6-the-reality-risk/

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#7: Lost in the Learning Labyrinthgoing round the bendall skills-development follows a predictable pattern but its not lineartheres only one path, yet many ways to get lostcharacteristic learning-mistakes that canlead to other Sins ofDubious Discipline

More detail: Seven sins 7: Lost in the Learning Labyrinth, http://weblog.tetradian.com/seven-sins-7-lost-in-the-learning-labyrinth/

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The labyrinthine path to skillMore detail: Seven sins 7: Lost in the Learning Labyrinth, http://weblog.tetradian.com/seven-sins-7-lost-in-the-learning-labyrinth/

What should we do about these?respect the mystery, yet keep it realneed to balance our passion with care and quiet disciplinelearn from the past to apply in the presentuse all of the senses and a bit of common-sense!

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Get out of that armchair!Talk is pleasant, but we dont learn anything newDilettante flitting through domains gives shallow appreciation, but not much depthCrucial details may only be visible in the field

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Using the disciplines-setwithin the change-process

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Making the Squiggle our friendalso shows us which of the disciplinesto apply, where, when, and why

Squiggle is also recursive, fractal

We need toolsets that help usmake the Squiggle our friend(which mostly they dont)

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Most current EA-toolsets coveruncertaincertainonly the easy bit of the EA spaceTypical scope ofEnterprise-Architecture tools

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We can find various toolsuncertaincertainthat sort-of cover the whole Squiggle

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but they dont link up together!Disconnected tools / toolsets are a key causeof fragmentation in EA, by dotting the joins

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To help us make more sense of the Squiggle, heres a question:

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Why is it thatso-called hard-skillsare (relatively) easyyet so-called soft-skillsare so darned hard?

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Soft-skills and the SquiggleSoft-skills are essential in managing human uncertainty, both intrapersonaland interpersonal such as we always have in new developmentuncertaincertain

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We especially need soft-skillsto work with the human element

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If we dont have those soft-skillsCC-BY-ND chatirygirl via Flickrwe may rediscover that stakeholder has an older, more-worrying meaning

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We also need to tacklethe human-element early if we leave it too late,well also get into a fight

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Group Dynamics sequenceForming(Purpose)1

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Performing(Process)Storming(People)Norming(Preparation)Adjourning(Performance)(there are well-researched reasons why its this sequence)Clashes of ideas, intent and experience are expectedSoft-skills applied to resolve clashesOnly minor clashes still occur during production, and quickly resolved

as fractal Five Element cycle(adapted from classic Group Dynamics project-lifecycle and VPEC-T framework)(Start here)Trust

What happens when wetry to skip the People-stuff,and go straight to the plan?A common mistake:

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Start with predefined solution(We probably never doget it into production)

Start with predefined solutionForming(Purpose)1

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Storming(People)Norming(Preparation)Adjourning(Performance)Clashes of ideas, intent and experience are not expectedPlanning collapses into analysis-paralysisfollowed by recriminations and blame about delayFIGHT!

What happens when wetry to skip both People and Plan,and go straight to Process action?Another common mistake:

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Go straight into production(We bounce straight out again into endless arguments)

Go straight into productionForming(Purpose)1

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Performing(Process)Storming(People)Clashes of ideas, intent and experience are not expected, nor allowedProduction may start well, but soon collapses into chaos and confusionBIG FIGHT!

Remember the Squiggle is fractal

If we do it the right way roundthe Storming gets smaller each time.agreed solution

If we do it the wrong way roundthe Storming gets worse and worseimposed solution

Theres a reasonwe do it that way round,in that Five Element sequencedont try to skip overthat Storming stage!

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We also need tools that providean emphasis on meta- on context before content

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I never met a meta-that I didnt likeall of it fractal and recursiveTools for metadisciplines

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every point expresses the patternCC-BY usfwsnortheast via Flickr

Some examples(okay, some of this is a bit of a sales-pitch,but theyre all non-proprietary)

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Whole-enterprise dimensionsMore detail: Assets and services, http://weblog.tetradian.com/assets-and-services/

Five Element strategy-cycleMore detail: posts on Five Element framework, http://weblog.tetradian.com/tag/five-elements-model/

SCORE to assess strategyMore detail: Using SCORE to reframe the business-model, http://weblog.tetradian.com/using-score-to-reframe-the-business-model/

More detail: posts on SCAN framework, http://weblog.tetradian.com/tag/scan/

SCAN (and its feedback-loops)NOW!certainuncertainSimple(ENACT)Not-known(EXPLORE)edge of panicComplicated(EVALUATE)Ambiguous(EXPERIMENT)edge of uncertaintyedge of innovationedge of actionbefore

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Backbone and edgeMore detail: Architecting the enterprise backbone, http://weblog.tetradian.com/architecting-the-enterprise-backbone/

Communication-flowNOW!certainuncertainPRACTICETHEORYedge of actionbeforePLANACTIONMore detail: Auftragstaktik and fingerspitzengefhl, http://weblog.tetradian.com/auftragstaktik-and-fingerspitzengefuhl/

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Enterprise Canvas elementsMore detail: posts on Enterprise Canvas framework, http://weblog.tetradian.com/tag/enterprise-canvas/

John Boyds OODAMore detail: Wikipedia on OODA loop, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OODA_loop

VPEC-T framework(developed by Nigel Green and Carl Bate, as per their book Lost In Translation [Evolved Technologist Press, 2007])

Causal Layered Analysis(developed by Sohail Inayatullah,as per Metafuture website:http://www.metafuture.org/Articles/CausalLayeredAnalysis.htm )

Wardley value-chain mapsby Simon Wardley: e.g. see CIO, http://www.cio.co.uk/insight/strategy/introduction-wardley-value-chain-mapping-3604565/

- tools and methodsthat explore architecturesin a fractal, recursive, meta- wayand many, many others,from many different sources(yet also grounded in and work well withthe messiness of real-world practice)

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To wrap up this tale

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Things work better overallwhen everythingworks togetheron purpose.The key to all architecture:

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- whilst countering those forcesthat are still so busy dotting the joinsTo do that,keep joining the dots!

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Or, to summarisemore in black-and-white

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Think of this as a wake-up call

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Dont suffer in silence

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even in the cause of our art

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Dont hide in the backroom!

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(and yes, just doing so can bring real joy!)get out to meet with people!

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No more blundering in the dark

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listen out for whats going on

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its easy to miss those that matter mostdont ignore the warning-signs

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can at times seem overwhelming in sizeEven though our architectures

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can seem even harderand to get right people involved

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yet whilst were a bit unusualat once both engineers and artists

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part of our job is to see things differently!we have an important job to do

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good innovations come from many places!and help others do so too

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Be disciplined about the disciplinesArtistTechnologistScientistBeliever

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and vigilant against the Seven Sinsperhaps especially in ourselves!

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As we develop our models

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dont drown people in documents!

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settle for snapshots and summariesinstead, wherever practicable

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give the right guidance

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make it engaging

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thought-provoking

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new direction where needed

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to greater heightsinspiring everyone

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wherever needed, in real-world conditions.and ensure its all readable

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Communicate well with others

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inspire people, from lethargy

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to exuberant action!

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dont avoid the Storming stage!And remember the soft-skills

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there could be consequences!

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between silos and worldsBridge across the chasms

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ride with its moves, dont try to control itlearn to dance with the Squiggle

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that help to shape the world we needuse the right tools for the job

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and remember to celebrate!

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Thats how we createan integrated EA.

Integrated Enterprise Architecture conference, London, 2016

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Thank you!

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Further information:

Contact:Tom GravesCompany:Tetradian ConsultingEmail:info@tetradian.comTwitter:@tetradian ( http://twitter.com/tetradian )Weblog:http://weblog.tetradian.comSlidedecks:http://www.slideshare.net/tetradianPublications:http://tetradianbooks.comBooks:The enterprise as story: the role of narrative in enterprise-architecture (2012)Mapping the enterprise: modelling the enterprise as services with the Enterprise Canvas (2010)Everyday enterprise-architecture: sensemaking, strategy, structures and solutions (2010)Doing enterprise-architecture: process and practice in the real enterprise (2009)

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