Oliver — well-written article, thanks!

I agree with your statement:

“…as long as (Enterprise Architecture) moves beyond internal IT castle and moat thinking and embraces ecosystem thinking then it isn’t dead. If it remains sat in the internal IT function just concerning itself with standards and governance then yes ultimately it will be displaced by other roles. The discipline of Enterprise Architecture won’t go away but the latest buzzword for it (and how it is resourced and delivered) will of course change.”

Unfortunately, I think you have described the majority of “enterprise architecture” functions. Which are in no way “enterprise” and have no enterprise-level strategic planning capability. Even for technology. And most enterprise architecture teams don’t do — or understand how to do — business architecture. They don’t do it, they don’t know how to do it, and they’re not interested in learning. And yet they claim to “align IT investments with business strategy”. Horsefeathers.

I suspect the proliferation of organisations adopting “agile” methods globally may be due to the fact that business executives have finally realised that “agile” gives them a ready-made justification for freeing the cold, dead hands of “IT” and “IT architecture” from the stranglehold it has had on business innovation and change.

Agile — when done as intended — puts the business in command. And that’s a good thing. Emphasis on “when done as intended”. Which, from evidence, is not often the case. Every solution creates a new set of problems.

The discipline of Enterprise Architecture is rarely executed in a way that justifies the investment. The business has become impatient and are going after “Enterprise Architecture” with pitchforks and torches. Justifiably so.

I think “Design Thinking” and “Agile” are rudely shoving “Enterprise Architecture” out of the picture. Business executives love that stuff.

Maybe enterprise architecture needs to die.