Enterprise Architectural Dynamics in Action – Challenge and Response

Business corporations need to confront a bewildering variety of new provocations, through emerging global trends and technological trends.

In this context, Enterprise Architecture can be understood as a practical apparatus – for recognizing, focusing, and activating organizational redirection, in view of a properly desired dimension and a properly determined scale. There can be well-structured provisions for establishing an aspirational vision, for anticipating a range of participation, for respecting the logical and physical technological components, for setting a workable agenda, and for keeping activities aligned with ultimate intentions.  

But here is a central challenge, reflecting on the practice of Enterprise Architecture, especially with regard to innovation and organizational transformation.

Tim Brown, with the IDEO design firm, had originally written the first, definitive book evangelizing the benefits of Design Thinking.  So, Change by Design was published in 2009.  But then, just about three years ago, both IDEO CEO Tim Brown and IDEO Chief Creative Officer Paul Bennet appeared together at the annual Creativity and Commerce exposition in Montreal, C2MTL, in 2016.  Quite surprisingly, they confessed that they had never been together on the same stage previously, for this type of conversation. 

Paul Bennet admitted that he had initially hated Change by Design, by his business partner Tim Brown, when the book was first published.  The two even avoided speaking with each other for several years, even though they both continued to work with the same company.  According to Paul Bennet, the world needs Thinking Designers, not Design Thinking.  

The process of Innovation cannot really be fully captured or canned with a system. It is actually very difficult a team of people to move through all of the different phases and different demands of a full cycle of effort.  And, only the extensive experience and broad awareness of a Thinking Designer will be meaningful.  But Tim Brown and Paul Bennet eventually came to terms with their differences. The IDEO firm remains at the forefront of progress around this approach.   

Similarly, authentic success with Enterprise Architecture requires an experienced and refined awareness of a full spectrum of different factors.  Without focused dedication and serious commitment toward an understanding of many potentially conflicting elements and components, Enterprise Architects and Enterprise Architecture will not achieve the fullest potential.

Not unlike the Thinking Designer, the Well-Tempered Enterprise Architect can potentially bring forward an acceptance for the best possible kinds of contributions, and encourage more beneficial creation, with less distortion or distraction.

Authored by John Roth