Predicting the future is hard work, especially when it comes to EA. But that’s what we have tried to do in the pages of the latest Architecture & Governance Magazine with three articles that examine what may be on the horizon.
In the first article, Robert Byrd explores how “too many business leaders” are dismissive of enterprise architecture. He notes that “our challenge is to create understandable architectures with the right balance of business and technology focused on delivering important enterprise outcomes.” He also says that the ideal “enterprise architect is a highly skilled business analyst, system behavior expert, and technology standardization leader.” This, he suggests, should be the skills of tomorrow’s enterprise architect.
Turning to the emerging practice around DevOps, veteran technology writer Christopher Calnan discusses how DevOps supports the need to synchronize EA with the practice of maintaining software. The latest solutions are “cross-functional” in nature and promote “a more compartmentalized form of EA.” The end result is promising, according to Calnan, who writes that “companies are frequently combining the organizational benefits of EA with the collaborative approach of DevOps to maintain quality while quickly delivering the latest software products.”
Lastly, consider the article on how GDPR, scheduled to come into force in May 2018, poses unique challenges to EAs. GDPR applies to any organization—regardless of size or geography—that processes or stores data containing personally identifiable information of European Union citizens, writes author Matt Middleton-Leal. He says that “short of time or money to invest, enterprises are casting around for suitable candidates to take on the EU-designated role of Data Protection Officer.”
While we are on the subject of timelines, you may also want to pencil in the dates for the next Planview Horizons customer conference. It’s October 10–12, 2018. And the good news is it returns to Austin this year. Keep tabs on the agenda and registration option by visiting horizons.planview.com/global. A&G
George S. Paras is editor-in-chief of A&G and an EA mentor at EAdirections. Read his blog at eadirections.com.
