Rethinking the Role of Enterprise Architects in Agile Transformation

CIOs often have mixed feelings about enterprise architecture. While architects are crucial for selecting platforms and developing technical standards, they frequently struggle to demonstrate tangible business outcomes, leading to repeated explanations of their value to stakeholders.

According to the "State of Enterprise Architecture 2023," only 26% of respondents felt their architecture practice provided strategic benefits like improved agility and faster time to market. 

As CIOs face growing demands for competitive capabilities and security, it’s vital to rethink how enterprise architects can drive these strategic outcomes.

Redefining how enterprise architects interact with agile teams is essential to improve collaboration between business and IT. Architects can enhance their effectiveness by adopting agile roles and reshaping executive perceptions.

Organizations often create program charters that outline leadership roles for strategic initiatives. 

Key roles include a product manager, a delivery leader, and a program sponsor, with the latter responsible for securing funding and demonstrating business value.

1. Product Manager for Technical Debt  

Enterprise architects can take on product management roles to address technical debt effectively. They should define a vision, propose prioritized roadmaps, and oversee agile backlogs to ensure improvements are delivered.

2. Delivery Leader for Extendable Platforms  

CIOs should leverage enterprise architects with software backgrounds as delivery leaders for platform engineering initiatives. These architects can guide teams in developing secure and efficient platforms while ensuring agile teams adopt these solutions.

3. Sponsor for Operational and Risk Management Solutions  

Enterprise architects can act as sponsors for initiatives aimed at mitigating IT risks. By prioritizing investments in data governance and AI ethics, they can connect problems to solutions effectively.

4. Expert Advisor in Developing Standards  

Architects should serve as advisors, providing best practices to support self-organizing agile teams. By collaborating closely, they can empower teams to innovate while ensuring compliance with architectural standards.

5. Change Agent in Governing Citizen Development  

Assigning enterprise architects a role in governing citizen development programs can help them align more closely with departmental objectives. This involvement enables them to promote best practices while supporting innovation and productivity.

While these roles focus on leadership, enterprise architects can also actively contribute as team members. By collaborating with product owners and agile analysts, they can document non-functional requirements and engage in agile user stories.

CIOs looking to enhance the value of enterprise architecture should provide architects with agile leadership roles that align them with effective delivery models. This approach can bridge the gap between idealized standards and practical execution, ultimately improving outcomes for digital transformation initiatives.