Architecture Strategy
A strategic document that captures the organization's architecture
principles, policies, and high-level direction. Combines Considerations (governance
rules) with Visions (future-state descriptions) to articulate how IT investments
should be guided. Typically produced annually or when business strategy changes
significantly.
Target Purposes: Deciding, Informing
Sections
1. Architecture Principles & Policies
Governing rules and constraints for IT-related decisions.
2. Business Capability Assessment
Current business capabilities and their IT support maturity.
3. Target State Architecture
Desired future state of the IT landscape aligned with business strategy.
4. Strategic Roadmap
Sequenced transition plan from current state to target state.
Technology Strategy
A document that defines the organization's technology standards,
approved technology stack, and rationalization roadmap. Combines Standards
(approved technologies) with Landscapes (current state) to identify optimization
opportunities and plan technology evolution.
Target Purposes: Governing, Deciding
Sections
1. Technology Reference Model
Approved technologies organized by functional area with lifecycle status.
2. Current Technology Landscape
Inventory and assessment of the current technology estate.
3. Compliance Assessment
Gap analysis between current landscape and approved standards.
4. Rationalization Roadmap
Sequenced plan for technology consolidation and modernization.
Technology Reference Model
A structured catalog of approved technologies organized by functional
area. Each technology entry includes lifecycle status (invest, maintain, contain,
retire), ownership, and usage guidelines. The primary Standards artifact.
Target Purposes: Governing
Sections
1. Technology Categories
Functional areas and their approved technology options.
2. Lifecycle Status
Current lifecycle status of each technology (invest, maintain, contain, retire).
3. Migration Guidance
Guidance for transitioning from deprecated to approved technologies.
Solution Brief
A concise document produced during the Initiation phase that
describes a proposed initiative at a high level — business context, proposed
approach, key assumptions, and estimated effort. Used to secure initial
approval and funding for further architecture work.
Target Purposes: Deciding
Sections
1. Business Context & Drivers
Business need, strategic alignment, and key stakeholders.
2. Proposed Approach
High-level solution concept and key architectural decisions.
3. Estimates & Assumptions
Effort estimates, key assumptions, risks, and dependencies.
Solution Overview
A document produced during the Initiation phase that describes
the proposed solution at a level sufficient for investment decisions. Includes
the solution concept, options assessment, standards compliance check, and
recommended approach. The primary Outline artifact.
Target Purposes: Deciding
Sections
1. Business Context
Business need, strategic alignment, scope, and stakeholders.
2. Solution Options
Alternative approaches with pros, cons, costs, and risks.
3. Standards Compliance
Assessment of each option against approved standards and principles.
4. Recommended Approach
Selected option with rationale, trade-offs, and conditions.
5. Implementation Roadmap
High-level delivery plan, milestones, and dependencies.
Solution Design
A detailed document produced during the Realization phase that
specifies the solution architecture at a level sufficient for implementation.
Includes component design, interface contracts, data models, deployment
topology, and non-functional requirements. The primary Design artifact.
Target Purposes: Designing
Sections
1. Solution Context
Business context, scope, constraints, and reference to the approved Solution Overview.
2. Component Architecture
Solution components, their responsibilities, and interactions.
3. Interface Contracts
APIs, message formats, protocols, and integration patterns.
4. Data Architecture
Data models, data flows, storage, and data governance.
5. Deployment Architecture
Infrastructure topology, environments, scaling, and resilience.
6. Standards Compliance & Exemptions
Compliance with approved standards, any exemptions requested, and remediation plans.
Architecture Principles Document
A document that captures the organization's architecture principles
and policies — the Considerations artifacts. Principles are high-level governance
rules that guide all IT-related decisions. Policies are specific mandatory rules.
Typically maintained by enterprise architects and approved by the steering
committee.
Target Purposes: Governing
Sections
1. Architecture Principles
High-level principles with rationale, implications, and examples.
2. Architecture Policies
Mandatory rules with scope, enforcement mechanism, and exceptions process.
3. Governance & Compliance
How principles and policies are governed, reviewed, and enforced.
Roadmap
A time-sequenced plan showing the transition from current state to
target state. Combines strategic direction (Visions) with current reality
(Landscapes) to produce a phased investment plan. Typically maintained
quarterly and presented to business and IT leadership.
Target Purposes: Deciding, Informing
Sections
1. Current State Summary
Key aspects of the current IT landscape relevant to the roadmap scope.
2. Target State
Desired future state aligned with business strategy.
3. Transition Phases
Sequenced phases with initiatives, dependencies, and milestones.
4. Investment Priorities
Prioritized initiatives with estimated costs, benefits, and risks.
