About Author: Chris

Description
Chris Lockhart has more than nine years of experience in architecting, implementing, and testing technical solutions for large multi-line corporations representing several different industries. Chris has provided technical advice and thorough implementation strategies for highly complex integrated systems comprising security, middle-tier Web application components, messaging, collaborative middleware, and back-end data sources. He has focused on providing solutions that take advantage of portal technologies and service-oriented architectures (SOAs) to solve real-world problems for clients.

Posts by Chris

  • Frankly there is no way for IT to devise an IT solution if the business doesn't know what they do, how they do it, or what they want to do in the future (i.e. the capabilities they want enabled). If those things are in place, the technology part can be incredibly easy.

    The Business & BPM

    Frankly there is no way for IT to devise an IT solution if the business doesn't know what they do, how they do it, or what they want to do in the future (i.e. the capabilities they want enabled). If those things are in place, the technology part can be incredibly easy.

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  • The business shouldn't be in the tool business. And for IT, when you come to believe that a solution is a tool, or when you buy into a situation where the business has purchased a "solution" in the form of a tool, then it is time to hand in your enterprise architect credentials.

    The Luddite’s Dilemma

    The business shouldn't be in the tool business. And for IT, when you come to believe that a solution is a tool, or when you buy into a situation where the business has purchased a "solution" in the form of a tool, then it is time to hand in your enterprise architect credentials.

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  • The best technical solution is useless if it can't be communicated by its creator or effectively championed in the face of opposition. Architecture places a premium on the ability to effectively analyze, design and communicate the architecture to those who would actually build it. Sadly too many in our profession have the title of architect while lacking this essential ingredient.

    The Right Stuff

    The best technical solution is useless if it can't be communicated by its creator or effectively championed in the face of opposition. Architecture places a premium on the ability to effectively analyze, design and communicate the architecture to those who would actually build it. Sadly too many in our profession have the title of architect while lacking this essential ingredient.

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  • If you're being measured against the standard of business success, why wouldn't you want to perform as best you can in support of those metrics? If I'm the application architect, it should be in my self-interest to promote the best solution available to meet the requirements put forth by the business. Why would I actively pursue some other plan that ultimately does nothing to enhance my value to the organization?

    We Are All The Business Now

    If you're being measured against the standard of business success, why wouldn't you want to perform as best you can in support of those metrics? If I'm the application architect, it should be in my self-interest to promote the best solution available to meet the requirements put forth by the business. Why would I actively pursue some other plan that ultimately does nothing to enhance my value to the organization?

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  • When the demonstrable benefits of using an enterprise approach are self-evident to project teams, magic happens. There is this notion of street cred when it comes to how this stuff operates. I call this the soft power approach. It is very socially intensive. It involves a lot of time spent building relationships with project teams, business owners and segment leaders. It is all about invisible metrics.

    The Soft Power of EA

    When the demonstrable benefits of using an enterprise approach are self-evident to project teams, magic happens. There is this notion of street cred when it comes to how this stuff operates. I call this the soft power approach. It is very socially intensive. It involves a lot of time spent building relationships with project teams, business owners and segment leaders. It is all about invisible metrics.

    Continue Reading...