Enterprise Architecture Maturity Assessment Models are essential for evaluating an organization’s Enterprise Architecture (EA) function and planning its development. By comparing a business’ current EA practice to a mature one, an organization can identify necessary growth steps. Using a proven Enterprise Architecture Maturity Model to assess a company’s practice is crucial for enhancing its EA capabilities.
This guide discusses the definition of an Enterprise Architecture Maturity Model, the different stages, benefits, and how to measure the success of one.
Shortcuts:
What is an Enterprise Architecture Maturity Model?
The Benefits of Enterprise Architecture Maturity Models
5 Stages of Enterprise Architecture Maturity
What Makes a Mature Enterprise Architecture Team?
Different Enterprise Architecture Maturity Assessment Models
Key Criteria Used in Enterprise Architecture Maturity Assessment
Assess Your Own Enterprise Architecture Efforts Using Our Calculator
FAQs About Enterprise Architecture Maturity Models
What is an Enterprise Architecture Maturity Model?
An Enterprise Architecture Maturity Model (EAMM) is a framework used to evaluate an organization’s level of EA maturity—in other words, how well its IT systems are aligned with its business goals—and provide a pathway for improvement. By detailing an “ideal” EA implementation (usually fitting a set EA framework), an EAMM offers a reference point that can be used to gauge the effectiveness of its EA processes.
Creators of EA frameworks sometimes include Maturity Models to match them, while others develop them later (potentially even in framework-agnostic forms). Organizations that choose EA frameworks without “official” Maturity Models may choose to create their own to suit their unique circumstances.
The Open Group, creators of the popular TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework), includes the Architecture Capability Maturity Model (ACMM) within the TOGAF standard. The ACMM was developed by the US Department of Commerce, and considers the following nine architecture elements when scoring EA:
- Architecture Process: This covers how well architectural operations are defined, documented, and followed. A well-oiled organization will have EA practices that are rational, repeatable, and straightforward to follow.
- Architecture Development: This covers the methods and tools used for EA development, examining how well they function. What standards are being targeted? Are best practices being adhered to?
- Business Linkage: This covers alignment between IT investments and core organizational objectives (a key focus of EA work). Strong EA will have IT infrastructure that supports business strategies and returns clear ROI.
- Senior Management Involvement: This covers how effectively leadership is aiding EA development. Without influential figures offering time and sponsorship, EA projects can easily lose resources and run aground.
- Operating Unit Participation: This covers the degree to which different business units and departments are engaged in the EA process. High participation levels suggest good architectural integration and the level of collaboration needed for optimum performance.
- Architecture Communication: This covers how well EA processes are communicated within the organization. Effective communication will ensure that all stakeholders understand what they’re doing and why.
- IT Security: This covers how well cybersecurity concerns are met within the EA. Mature architecture offers robust security policies, including cost-effective practices to protect sensitive data and shield IT assets from threats.
- Architecture Governance: This covers the mechanisms and structures deployed to oversee and guide EA efforts. Lasting EA projects require the smart placement of roles to achieve consistent compliance, accountability, and innovation.
- IT Investment and Acquisition Strategy: This covers spending on IT systems, both those already in use and those being acquired to fill gaps or provide new capabilities. IT resource use should be strategic and economical.
With an EAMM, whether it’s the ACMM or another Maturity Model, an organization with aspirations to optimize its EA can evaluate the maturity of its architecture and find out where it needs to focus its efforts.
The Benefits of Enterprise Architecture Maturity Models
Traditionally, EA has been mostly isolated within IT systems and existed purely to serve operations or map applications. But this doesn’t have to be the case. Enterprise Architecture is a major asset that can help align IT and business strategy, extract additional value from your infrastructure and investments, and stay one step ahead of the competition.
Mature Enterprise Architecture teams are an integral aspect of the business, and so an EA Maturity Model will enable your organization to:
- Fully align IT with strategy to reach critical business goals.
- Increase operational and digital agility to meet the challenges of the future.
- Improve IT and overall performance through scenario modeling.
- Increase agile development with a low-risk, experiment-driven approach to change, where EA is an enabler of agility and innovation, not an inhibitor.
- Increase collaboration, knowledge sharing, and creative new ways to use the valuable insights EA can provide.
These are some real examples of how some progressive organizations leverage Enterprise Architecture tools and techniques today.
5 Stages of Enterprise Architecture Maturity
An EAMM will assign a stage of maturity for each of the architecture elements it considers. And because there are numerous EAMMs, there are various ways to define and name those stages. For the sake of consistency, this section will cover the stages defined within the aforementioned ACMM.
Note that the ACMM nominally has 6 stages but only goes up to stage 5 because the first, stage 0, indicates a complete lack of EA development. Here are the 5 stages that apply to organizations that have at least begun investing broadly in EA work:
1. Initial
An architecture element in this stage has been identified as worth developing but not yet had any processes defined. It may have been tinkered with, but only in ad-hoc ways with no across-the-board support or awareness.
2. Under Development
An architecture element in this stage has begun being issued processes, tools, and methods for the purpose of EA optimization. It may even have some documentation completed, but work on it hasn’t yet been standardized or given consistent effort.
3. Defined
An architecture element in this stage is in active development, having been given a standardized and content-complete set of EA practices. It’s adequately aligned with core business objectives and supported by a competent EA team.
4. Managed
An architecture element in this stage has been developed to the extent that performance metrics have come into focus. The EA team, in tandem with upper management, is searching for additional ways to refine it and raise ROI.
5. Measured
An architecture element in this stage has been optimized as fully as the EA team could envision, making it an example for other elements. The priority now is to use rich data analysis to drive iterative loops, preventing stagnation from creeping in.
A New Way of Measuring Enterprise Architecture Maturity
Depending on the size and nature of your business, you might not even label this facet of your efforts “Enterprise Architecture.” Right now, you could be calling it “planning and execution,” “asset governance,” or “ IT estate management.”
Regardless of where you are in your EA journey, the industry is being disrupted. Many of your peers or competitors are going beyond looking at how Enterprise Architecture Maturity Models can benefit the business to identifying elements that aren't creating value and filling those gaps.
The good news is that historical efforts are not necessarily beneficial on this journey. Organizations are often weighed down by the manual maintenance and status diagrams of past experiments with EA. However, with the right tools and know-how, you can go from “Which apps do we have and how much do they cost?” to “How can we use data, automation, and visual storytelling to plan, prepare, and predict multiple futures?”
This is a whole new way of measuring maturity. Get your hands on the Updated Edition of the 7 New Rules of Enterprise Architecture and understand how the true value of EA will be measured from now on.
What Makes a Mature Enterprise Architecture Team?
Having a mature Enterprise Architecture team is a huge strength, but reaching that point requires a keen understanding of what such a team looks like. The following comparisons between levels of EA progress should provide some clarity.
An Agile EA Team Aligned to the Business
Undeveloped Enterprise Architecture: Responsibility is probably shared across the IT team, following traditional models and existing in a silo.
Mature Enterprise Architecture: The team is fully aligned with business strategy. Experimenters and adapters, they adopt roles and responsibilities across the ecosystem as and when required.
Better Situational Awareness
Undeveloped Enterprise Architecture: Uses many manual tools (like faithful old Excel) without much real-time insight. There is lots of mapping but few opportunities to tell the value story around it.
Mature Enterprise Architecture: Analytics allow you to measure market and operational trends, performance, and alignment with business drivers. This information can be integrated with your architecture to inform its evolution.
The Power to Prioritize Initiatives
Undeveloped Enterprise Architecture: Minimizing risk and disruption is the ultimate focus, even at the cost of pursuing new and better technologies.
Mature Enterprise Architecture: An agile approach with advanced insights allows for low-risk, measured, and strategically aligned experimentation with business goals.
It’s All About the Execution
Undeveloped Enterprise Architecture: The burden of risk avoidance means every problem or suggestion needs to be justified — sometimes multiple times.
Mature Enterprise Architecture: Transparency, analysis, and common understanding enable you to bring insights not just into IT or operational strategy but the whole business.
There is a marked difference in how data is managed and the role of the Enterprise Architecture team in a relatively immature EA data model compared to an organization with a very mature practice. While there are numerous Enterprise Architecture Maturity Models and frameworks that will offer a reliable way forward for your EA team, remember that these efforts are also considerably limited by your organization's choice of EA platform.
It is critical to invest early and wisely in a dynamic, data-driven Enterprise Architecture platform that will support the business from early EA practice and offer the flexibility to scale as the company naturally does over time. Too often, EA teams are limited by the functionality and scalability of their tools, making it harder to explain EA data processes or insights.
Democratizing data and access to EA insights is key to successfully embedding EA in the business's everyday operations and improving decision-making in the wider organization.
Learn more about how to execute Enterprise Architecture Strategy in our 5-step plan for change.
Different Enterprise Architecture Maturity Assessment Models
There are many ways to rate EA maturity. As is the case with EA frameworks, any business looking to usefully assess its infrastructure must first decide which Maturity Model is the best fit. It’s important to consider not only the relevance of the proposed elements and stages but also how easy it is to rate them.
The following is a brief breakdown of some of the most prominent assessment models with a focus on how conveniently and productively they can be deployed:
1. Ardoq’s Enterprise Architecture Maturity Assessment
Accessibility is a core strength of the Ardoq platform, and it’s also what makes the Ardoq Enterprise Architecture Maturity Assessment such a powerful tool. Operating through a quiz that takes just a few minutes to complete, it offers straightforward insights with practical recommendations for future EA projects.
2. TOGAF’s Architecture Capability Maturity Model
As noted earlier, TOGAF includes the ACMM, a Maturity Model that lays out a thorough structure for rating an organization’s architectural capabilities. Because it doesn’t feature a specific tool, however, it requires the talents of an Enterprise Architect, making it best suited for organizations with EA experience.
3. The NASCIO Enterprise Architecture Maturity Model
Designed for use by state governments, the NASCIO Enterprise Architecture Maturity Model naturally considers public sector needs and challenges. It’s not suitable for use by non-governmental organizations, but it’s highly regarded within its niche, having clear criteria that help align IT resources with vital policy projects.
4. Gartner IT Score for Enterprise Architecture & Technology Innovation
Gartner IT Score for Enterprise Architecture & Technology Innovation is a robust assessment tool aimed at Enterprise Architects and senior managers. Its strength lies in its detailed guidance, and Gartner provides strong support to aid its usage, but it’s still an intimidating prospect for stakeholders who want to focus on broad objectives and/or don’t have the time to delve into the technical details.
5. The Standard CMMI Appraisal Method for Process Improvement (SCAMPI)
As part of the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), SCAMPI is an extensive method for evaluating EA maturity. It calls for a lengthy process that encompasses on-site investigations and post-rating actions, making it a big commitment, but one that can pay off for a large enterprise eager to leave no stone unturned.
Note that every approach to assessing Enterprise Architecture maturity has its pros and cons, so there’s no single solution ideal for every type of organization.
Key Criteria Used in Enterprise Architecture Maturity Assessment
Though every EA Maturity Model splits architecture into unique categories, the underlying elements are mostly the same. The key criteria used to assess Enterprise Architecture maturity are as follows:
Technology
IT lies at the core of EA as a whole. As an organization’s IT infrastructure matures, its technological systems get better at furthering the goals of EA (namely driving core business objectives) and supporting EA development. Rating an organization’s use of technology will thus reveal much about how well it’s running.
Those assessing an organization’s technology use should investigate the capabilities, cost and accessibility of its applications. Is its application stack rightsized? Is it taking advantage of industry innovations? To what extent are automations contributing? Is it making progress straightforward for the EA team, or is it getting in the way?
Data
Data is a critical criterion in any EA Maturity Assessment. A strong organization should collect high-quality data, format it rationally, store it in compliance with regulations, and use it to yield actionable insights. And since metrics are needed to keep EA projects moving in the right direction, bad data use is a negative indicator.
Assessing data systems can be hugely challenging due to the quantity of data handled at the enterprise level, but it’s important to commit enough time (and enough resources) to do it properly. Only then can you be confident that the findings are reliable.
Organization
EA transformation is only possible through an organization-wide effort. Committed collaboration with shared processes and a consistent culture keeps efforts aligned, aids morale, and stakeholders happy with progress. Assessors need to look at how deeply EA awareness has become entrenched across the board.
It’s also helpful to look at overall structure, as how an organization is built will impact the efficacy of its EA initiatives. If employees are given inadequate training, for example, it will reduce their ability to handle the tasks assigned to them.
Use Cases
Despite a major intention of EA development being to align IT resources with business goals, the complex nature of some EA projects can result in vague or unclear EA practices. Time and effort can go into the production of documents that might look impressive but don’t actually offer any value.
If an EA team isn’t working to prioritize use cases that take advantage of the changes they’re making, it suggests a lack of understanding of the true value of EA and hampers the ability to achieve iterative improvement.
Assess Your Own Enterprise Architecture Efforts Using Our Calculator
Enterprise Architecture maturity is crucial for aligning IT with business objectives and fostering transformation. Advancing through EA maturity levels improves understanding of IT landscapes and enhances decision-making. This progression is shaped by organizational culture, leadership, and technology.
By understanding the dimensions and stages of the Enterprise Architecture Maturity Model, organizations can identify their current state and develop strategies for growth.
An Enterprise Architecture Maturity Model becomes a core component of an organization's foundation, promoting innovation and agility against a constantly changing market.
The qualities discussed in this article highlight a few ways mature Enterprise Architecture manifests within organizations, with most teams falling somewhere between these extremes.
Invest a few minutes in the Enterprise Architecture Maturity Model Calculator to discover how your EA efforts stack up and receive a comprehensive report on areas for improvement.
FAQs About Enterprise Architecture Maturity Models
What is Enterprise Architecture Maturity?
Enterprise Architecture maturity refers to how established and optimized an organization’s EA practices are. The more mature an element of EA gets, the more it contributes to business goals, and the more easily related tasks can be accomplished.. Optimized EA practices are well-documented with clear use cases and standardized terms, ensuring that they’re easy to justify and implement.
Why Does Enterprise Architecture Maturity Matter?
Enterprise Architecture maturity matters because it reflects an organization’s ability to effectively develop its infrastructure, ensuring it’s able to endure industry changes, factor in new technologies, and shore up areas of weakness. EA that has not delivered promised value can be a serious problem that needs fixing.
What is Enterprise Architecture Maturity Assessment?
Enterprise Architecture Maturity Assessment is the process of systematically evaluating an organization’s EA capabilities. For comparison, each assessment uses a defined Maturity Model that shows an ideal EA implementation; generally, the more closely the actual EA project resembles the ideal, the better. Completion of an assessment provides a clear idea of what an organization needs to do to reach the next level of EA maturity.
How Are Business Capabilities Linked to Enterprise Architecture Maturity Models?
Enterprise Architecture Maturity Models effectively gauge how well the organizations they rate are serving their business capabilities through their EA commitments. EA is fundamentally built around syncing IT departments with the wider business, so any EA element that isn’t clearly doing something worthwhile is a waste. With guidance from a maturity assessment, organizations can improve their architecture more quickly than they otherwise could.
