Method, system, and storage medium for creating and maintaining an enterprise architecture

• US 20040098392A1
• Filed: 11/19/2002
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dill, Robert D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,120,643 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/70 Software maintenance or management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method, system, and storage medium for creating and maintaining an enterprise architecture over a network. The system comprises at least one client system; a server operably coupled to the client system via the network; a plurality of business applications executable via the server; a data storage device in communication with the server via the network; an enterprise architecture assessment model executing on the system; and a maturity model map generated via the enterprise architecture assessment model. The maturity model map comprises a process component, an organization component, a business component, and a technology component. The maturity model map is generated using information stored in the data storage device. Other embodiments of the invention include a method and storage medium for implementing enterprise architecture assessment model.

Claims

1. A system for creating and maintaining an enterprise architecture over a network, comprising:

at least one client system;

a server operably coupled to said at least one client system via said network;

a plurality of business applications executable via said server;

a data storage device in communication with said server via said network;

an enterprise architecture assessment model executing on said system; and

a maturity model map generated via said enterprise architecture assessment model, said maturity model map comprising;

a process component;

an organization component;

a business component; and

a technology component;

wherein said maturity model map is generated using information stored in said data storage device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said process component, said organization component, said business component, and said technology component further comprise a plurality of elements selectable by a business enterprise.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said maturity model map comprises a graphical representation, said graphical representation illustrating assessment levels of said plurality of elements resulting from said information stored in said data storage device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said information stored in said data storage device includes:

an issues database;

a root cause database; and

a pattern database.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein data in said issues database is linked to data in said root cause database and data in said pattern database.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said data in said issues database includes problems related to said plurality of elements determined to be of concern to said business enterprise.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said data in said root cause database includes root causes of said problems.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said data in said pattern database includes relationships and patterns detected in said data stored in said issues database and data stored in said root cause database.

9. The system of claim 8, where said data in said pattern database further includes a plurality of said maturity model maps generated over a period of time.

10. The system of claim 4, wherein said information stored in said data storage device further includes a business impact database, wherein further data stored in said business impact database includes documented effects of addressing said problems stored in said issues database, said documented effects operable for assisting said business enterprise in prioritizing said problems.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said data stored in said business impact database is linked to said data stored in at least one of:

said issues database;

said root cause database; and

said pattern database.

12. The system of claim 4, further comprising a best practices database, wherein said data stored in said best practices database includes recommended actions for resolving said problems based upon analysis of said data stored in at least one of said:

issues database;

root cause database; and

pattern database.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said data stored in said best practices database is linked to said data stored in at least one of said:

said issues database;

said root cause database; and

said pattern database.

14. The system of claim 4, wherein said information stored in said data storage device further includes a statistical database, wherein data stored in said statistical database includes information obtained from repeated assessments operable for assisting said business enterprise in providing size, industry, and related correlations in reports.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said data stored in said statistical database is linked to said data stored in at least one of said:

issues database;

root cause database; and

pattern database.

16. The system of claim 5, further comprising an Issues to Root Causes report generated by said enterprise architecture assessment model, said Issues to Root Causes report including said problems stored in said issues database and corresponding root causes of said problems stored in said root causes database.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising an Action Plan comprising prioritized problems and selected courses of action for resolving said problems.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising surveys, said surveys comprising:

an initial survey operable for receiving feedback on immediate impressions relating to the efficacy of said action plan; and

future surveys operable for receiving feedback on results of one or more action plans on said enterprise architecture.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein results of said feedback causes said business enterprise to modify said action plan.

20. The system of claim 2, wherein elements associated with said process component relate to primary processes managed by an information technology organization to support enterprise architecture definition, evolution, and usage for said business enterprise.

21. The system of claim 2, wherein said elements associated with said organization component relate to primary organization roles and constructs used across said business enterprise to manage, evaluate, and support said enterprise architecture.

22. The system of claim 2, wherein said elements associated with said business component relate to how said business enterprise is operated, potential imminent changes, and primary success criteria.

23. The system of claim 2, wherein said elements associated with said technology component relate to primary areas in which said business enterprise has been determined to have significant issues, said primary areas categorized by:

a decision making support category;

a repeatability category;

a business linkage category; and

a defined architecture category.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said decision making support category includes:

a principles element;

a selection criteria element; and

a success criteria element.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein said repeatability category includes:

a patterns element;

a standards element; and

a technologies element.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein said business linkages category includes:

a process model element;

a data model element; and

an event model element.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein said defined architectures category includes:

a delivery architecture element;

an application integration architecture element; and

an application architecture element.

28. A method for creating and maintaining an enterprise architecture over a network, comprising:

gathering information relating to elements determined to be relevant to the success of said enterprise architecture, said information including detected problems;

storing said information in an issues database;

mapping said information in said issues database to root causes of said problems, said root causes stored in a root cause database;

utilizing results of said mapping to generate a maturity model map;

prioritizing said results according to selected criteria;

generating an action plan; and

implementing said action plan.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

generating an Issues to Root Causes report based upon said mapping said information in said issues database to said data stored in said root cause database, wherein said Issues to Root Causes report lists said problems and at least one associated root cause.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

prioritizing said problems and said at least one associated root cause provided in said Issues to Root Causes report.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

mapping data in said Issues to Root Causes report to data in a pattern database, said pattern database storing;

a plurality of maturity model maps; and

relationships and patterns of problems and corresponding root causes.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

generating an action plan based on said mapping said data in said Issues to Root Causes report to said data in said pattern database, said action plan including recommended actions for resolving said problems.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

generating at least one survey; and

utilizing results of said survey determining whether to modify said action plan.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

utilizing results of said survey to update databases associated with said results, said databases including at least one of;

said issues database;

said root causes database;

said pattern database;

a business impact database;

a best practices database; and

a statistical database.

35. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for creating and maintaining an enterprise architecture over a network, the storage medium including instructions for causing said network to implement a method, comprising:

gathering information relating to elements determined to be relevant to the success of said enterprise architecture, said information including detected problems;

storing said information in an issues database;

mapping said information in said issues database to root causes of said problems, said root causes stored in a root cause database;

utilizing results of said mapping to generate a maturity model map;

prioritizing said results according to selected criteria;

generating an action plan; and

implementing said action plan.

36. The storage medium of claim 35, further comprising instructions for causing said network to implement:

generating an Issues to Root Causes report based upon said mapping said information in said issues database to said data stored in said root cause database, wherein said Issues to Root Causes report lists said problems and at least one associated root cause.

37. The storage medium of claim 36, further comprising instructions for causing said network to implement:

prioritizing said problems and said at least one associated root cause provided in said Issues to Root Causes report.

38. The storage medium of claim 37, further comprising instructions for causing said network to implement:

mapping data in said Issues to Root Causes report to data in a pattern database, said pattern database storing;

a plurality of maturity model maps; and

relationships and patterns of problems and corresponding root causes.

39. The storage medium of claim 38, further comprising instructions for causing said network to implement:

generating an action plan based on said mapping said data in said Issues to Root Causes report to said data in said pattern database, said action plan including recommended actions for resolving said problems.

40. The storage medium of claim 39, further comprising instructions for causing said network to implement:

generating at least one survey; and

utilizing results of said survey determining whether to modify said action plan.

41. The storage medium of claim 40, further comprising instructions for causing said network to implement:

utilizing results of said survey to update databases associated with said results, said databases including at least one of;

said issues database;

said root causes database;

said pattern database;

a business impact database;

a best practices database; and

a statistical database.