Value Propositions of Enterprise Architecture Management

As part of the 2014 SITIC Symposium, architects from sixteen different companies gave thought to what promotes the impact of enterprise architecture in companies. The key findings of this exchange were summarized in the «Lenzburger Manifest». The core statements of this manifesto are still valid.

The breathtaking development of information technologies in the last few years and the resulting penetration of IT into almost all corporate areas and value chains has softened the boundaries between business and IT on the one hand and created opportunities for new business models on the other.

This merging of business and IT poses numerous challenges to organizations, which are increasingly becoming perceptible in SITIC with two overarching questions:

The SITIC 20th Anniversary Event, mentioned on top of the side bar, translated these strategic «Enterprise Architecture Management (EAM)» questions into practical EAM questions, such as

• What are the expectations of the various stakeholders for EAM?
• What are the challenges of EAM and its fields of action for the future?
• How is EAM positioning itself to meet the challenges of the future in an increasingly fast-changing environment?
• How can EAM achieve more impact and create value for stakeholders and internal customer segments, respectively?

While answering these questions, it became increasingly clear:
The value, organizations attribute to EAM, is related to the goals that key stakeholders share with EAM. Value co-creation is encouraged if the EAM’s contribution is perceived as relevant to achieving common objectives. EAM has its greatest impact when its value propositions are used in value-co-creation with the relevant stakeholders.

The core team identified five fundamental common goals which stakeholders share with the EAM, highlighted in the following chart on the left-hand side.
The right-hand side outlines how the EAM will help achieve each of these goals.

To deepen the understanding of how EAM Value Propositions help to achieve common goals, the core team decided to focus on four stakeholder groups, namely Innovators, Strategists, Changers and Operators.

«Value Propositions» are clear and concise statements that outline the unique benefits and advantages products, services, or solutions offer to its (internal) target customers. They explain why a customer should choose particular EAM offerings over (external) alternatives or autonomous approaches.

In our context, «Value Proposition Canvases» are used to identify the fit between the «EAM Value Map» and the «EAM Customer Profile», as depictet in the following chart.

By analyzing the connections and relationships between the content of two sections of the same color, EAM professionals can refine their value propositions to better align with customer needs and preferences, simply put, to clearly focus on his gains, pains and jobs to be done.

It helps in designing EAM products and services as well as education and communication strategies that effectively address customer demands and create value for them.

Heading for own developments of EAM value proposition canvases, SITIC recommends to take note of the following background information:

Substantial value proposition canvas templates are provided, addressing the four roles innovators, strategists, changers, and operators.

An empty canvas template is also provided.
Please elaborate your own canvas for your organization and your most relevant roles.

The following SITIC poster including the fundamental value propositions of EAM and value proposition canvases for the roles innovators, strategists, changers, and operators is also available in the download section, printable on paper format A3 or more:

SITIC suggests EAM representatives the following procedure to talk with internal customer segments about making best use of EAM, applying SITIC’s value proposition canvas templates.

Prepare a Meeting

1. Contact a well-disposed, ideally EAM-savvy representative of a customer segment.
2. Ask for a meeting to share EAM expectations to support him and the organization to reach the next level.
3. Encourage him to invite a few of his clients as well.
4. Make sure that he has a basic understanding of a value proposition canvas concept (may be you want to provide upfront a short summary and a few links).

Conduct the Meeting

1. Explain the five fundamental EAM missions as propagated by SITIC.
2. Listen patiently to concerns, expectations, wishes and hopes.
3. Use the value proposition canvas templates to ask and discuss questions in a way, so they are aligned with the context and terminology of your organization and your counterparts.
4. Note relevant items on “post-its” und put them onto an empty value proposition canvas, physically or digitally.

Approach Additional Customer Segments – Communicate Insights and Progress

1. Repeat the procedure above with other customer segments.
2. Communicate insights and progress on the way to the next level regularly.

Develop and Maintain the EAM Big Picture for Your Organization

1. Consolidate all canvases into one EAM big picture for your organization (if required ask SITIC for advice and/or a “print order” as offered below).
2. Share the big picture with all customer segments and the management team.
3. Review and update the big picture regularly.

Think about eye-catchers for EAM at hot spots in your organization.
An attractive poster with canvases, as hard copies and/or as a digital artefacts.
For a meeting room, the coffee corner, a website.

Your EAM poster may include one to four canvases, plus any other items as you wish.
The paper size depends on the number of post-its and the expected minimal reading distance.

How to proceed

1. Please send your print request to info@sitic.org
2. You get a questionnaire to specify your requirements, including request for applicable policies of corporate communication.
3. Based on your requirements you get an offer with a digital poster sample within 15 working days.
4. You suggest changes and you get a new offer with a digital poster sample within 10 working days (up to three iterations).
5. You approve the sample, including the number of required hardcopies.