SID: 2110123

ENTERPRICE ARCHITECTURE
ASSIGNMENT 3

A COMPREHENSIVE DISCUSSION OF EA
PRINCIPLES.
BY
MWANZA TENDAI
 INTRODUCTION
 According to TOGAF framework, the guidelines and rules that an organization
adheres to are called principles. These principles can be applied at distinct
levels across the enterprise and assist companies in maintaining efficiency.
 These principles help organizations to keep everything running
smoothly. Principles can exist at different levels throughout the
enterprise
 ARCHITECTURE PRINCIPLES
 Are the rules and guidelines specific to an enterprise's architecture
 According to TOGAF principles are divided into 4 parts and these parts have characteristics that
has to be respected:
• Business Architecture (deals with your business strategy and organization of
business processes)
• Data Architecture (deals with the management and structure of data resources)
• Application Architecture (deals with individual application systems and how
they work with each other)
• Technology Architecture (deals with tech requirements that are necessary to keep
the enterprise running smoothly)
An architecture principle always has the following characteristics:

1. Name - Clear, precise, and easy to remember.

2. Statement - Generally one sentence in length. Clearly tells you what the
principle is.
3. Rationale - Explanation of why the principle is important and how it will
benefit the business.
4. Implications - List of what is required to successfully carry out this principle
and how it could potentially impact the business.
 The following are the principles of EA or
Architecture principles: we shall use TOGAF
framework to discuss the principles:
1. Maximize Benefit to the Enterprise:
All decisions about information management MUST be made based on the benefit of the
enterprise.
That means that sometimes, what feels best for one organization within the enterprise
might not be what's best for the enterprise as a whole
2. Information Management is Everybody's Business:
According to this TOGAF principle, all enterprise groups must be involved in all areas of
the information environment.
This idea reiterates the value of collaboration across an organization. Everyone must accept
responsibility for maintaining their information and making significant decisions.
 Principles of EA
3. Business Continuity- According to this principle, business operations must
continue despite system interruptions. In other words, even while
we all rely on technology systems to complete our work, we still
need to be ready to maintain the business even if such systems fail.
4. Data as an Asset- All data is a tangible, priceless asset to an organization. It's a
true, quantifiable resource. Data must be carefully structured and handled
because data is the foundation for all business decisions.
 Principles of EA
5. Shared Data or Information- According to this principle, data should be
shared throughout the entire organization and stored in a single application.
This is crucial to ensure that everyone working for the company has access to
the information required to perform their duties.
6. Accessible Information- This implies that everyone in an organization needs
easy access to all its data. As a result, their work is made simpler.
One of the impacts of this principle is that there must be some degree of
flexibility to allow all the various company members to access data in the way
that suits them the best.
You can see how strongly these ideas—data as an asset, shared data or I
information, and accessible information—all relate to one another.
 Principles of EA
7. Easy-to-use Applications- The more people need to understand the technology
employed, the less productive they will be. The concept of ease of use encourages
people to use apps. It enables users to carry out their tasks within t he integrated I
information environment rather than using separate systems to carry them out in a
non-integrated corporate setting.
Most of the skills needed to use systems are pretty similar. Formatting is reduced
to a bare minimum, and risks of system misuse become minimal.
8. IT and Business Alignment- A more substantial alignment between IT and the business
must give the financial institution a competitive edge, which is what this concept means
by "service above all." Decisions based on the corporate perspective are more
valuable eventually than those found on the viewpoint of a particular group with a
specific interest.
 Purpose of EA principles

 TO define the rules across the business, information, technology, application,

security, governance.
 To enforce strict discipline and provide guidance on how information
technology recourses can be deployed to achieve the business vision.
 Enterprise Architecture principles guide the direction of IT architecture and
also enable the standardization of diverse business processes
 It provides a basis for making informed decisions about IT investments,
projects, and initiatives. By providing a comprehensive view of the
organization's IT assets and capabilities, EA enables stakeholders to make data-
driven decisions that align with business priorities.
 Uses of EA principles
 Decision Making: EA principles provide a basis for making informed decisions about IT
investments, projects, and initiatives. By providing clear guiding statements, EA
principles help stakeholders make consistent and aligned decisions that support the
organization's strategic objectives.
 Risk Management: EA principles help mitigate risks associated with IT investments and
decisions. By promoting adherence to best practices and industry standards, EA principles
help reduce the likelihood of project failures, security breaches, and other risks.
 Communication: EA principles serve as a communication tool for stakeholders
across the organization. By providing clear and concise guiding statements, EA
principles help communicate the organization's architectural vision, priorities, and
standards to stakeholders at all levels.