Enterprise architecture and the ways of wickedness

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Harrell, J. Michael | Sage, Andrew P.

Affiliations: The Aerospace Corporation, Chantilly, VA, USA | Department of Systems Engineering and Operations Research, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA

Note: [] Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: The concept of enterprise architecture arose as technologies emerged which made it possible to interconnect all the information technology within an enterprise. Before these internetworking technologies existed, systems were stovepiped by necessity. Any connection to another system or component had to be specifically designed and developed. However, once internetworking technologies became widely available and economically feasible, suddenly, stovepiped systems were no longer necessitated by the constraints of technology and economy. If anything can connect to everything, then the range of enterprise solutions becomes vast and there arises an overwhelming need to manage that solution space. However, managing this solution space is fraught with challenges arising from wicked problems, complexity and an enterprise learning curve that evolves slower than the technology the enterprise is attempting to manage. This paper attempts to addresses these challenges and suggests enterprise architecture needs and challenges.

DOI: 10.3233/IKS-2010-0166

Journal: Information Knowledge Systems Management, vol. 9, no. 3-4, pp. 197-209, 2010