LJMU Enterprise Architecture Pilot (LEAP)

1. LJMU Enterprise Architecture Pilot (LEAP) John Townsend Deputy Director (Corporate Information Systems)

2. Background & Context • LJMU commitment to the European Foundation for Quality Management Excellence Model – winner of the 2008 UK Excellence Award • Associated implementation of Balanced Scorecard approach to strategic management • Well-established Development Programme using Managing Successful Programmes approach – coherent approach to managing all IS/Process projects – aligned with corporate strategy & Excellence Model requirement to manage by fact & process

3. Background & Context • Major investment in Oracle applications and technology • Existing Information Systems Architecture project taking first steps in EA development • New Governance structure with senior mandate to oversee Architecture & Principles

4. Pilot Objectives • to gain familiarity with the TOGAF approach • to incorporate existing work into the TOGAF approach • to apply TOGAF to the ‘Student Recruitment, Development and Support’ domain, completing first-cut Business, Information Systems and Technology architecture models for the area • to evaluate the success of the approach in engaging with senior management • to evaluate the success of the approach in aligning business objectives with information systems • to evaluate the success of TOGAF in supporting SOA approaches • to provide the basis for continuing EA/SOA work

5. Approach (emergent) • implement a Governance structure that mandates Architecture development, develops Principles and gives Executive Board level endorsement • start assimilating artefacts/learn about TOGAF • select a tool (BiZZdesign Architect) • model the EA across the whole organisation at a high level, to give context/connectivity • select a burning platform to go into detailed EA and demonstrate business value (in LJMU’s case, Student Recruitment, Development & Support – driven by a high profile two year project to transform student administration)

6. Key Areas of Activity • TOGAF: training & familiarisation, attendance at Open Group Conferences • Tools: review & evaluation of possible tools; deployment of selected tool • Business Architecture: review & assimilation of existing artefacts • Governance: promotion through Governance structure & development of Information Management Principles • Research: reading ref other/alternative approaches eg Enterprise Architecture As Strategy; Dynamic Enterprise Architecture; attendance at various events • e-Framework: workshop & familiarisation

7. TOGAF • TOGAF to EA like PRINCE2 to Project Management – seems too big, may be best treated as toolkit, use what works • Is a process – fairly neutral on what an EA may look like, what tools may be used, practicalities of modelling • The ADM seems to conflict with our use of MSP – from LJMU point of view, there is a point at which the ADM would hand over; equally, parts of the ADM seem to fall into the institutional strategic planning process • Trick seems to be to align what you’re already doing with the ADM and fill in the gaps, rather than start with a blank sheet of paper

8. Strategic planning/ Governance Programme Management

9. Tools • All research suggests a deployment of a comprehensive EA tool is essential • Reviewed various options – Telelogic, Oracle, Orbus – settled on BiZZdesign Architect • Based on the Archimate modelling language • BiZZdesign delivered training & follow up • Beginning to get to grips with using tool, developing models in the area of Student Recruitment, Development and Support • Using with Business • Seems to be right choice, as ‘easy’ as an EA tool gets, particularly good in managing relationships

10. LJMU Architecture

11. Governance • Critical in obtaining Senior Management buy-in • LJMU existing investment in new Governance structures • Ref workshop later

12. Monitoring Compliance Review Architecture Principles Information Management Steering Group Business Membership IT Membership Business Applications Needs Infrastructure IT Steering Group Business Membership Development Programme Business Membership Investment&prioritisation Methodologies: MSPITIL

13. Governance – IM Principles • 1. Information is a valuable shared institutional resource and must be managed appropriately throughout its lifetime. • 2. Information should be available to those who need it (ideally ‘anytime, anywhere, and anyhow’) subject to security and acceptable use policies. • 3. University information must be trustworthy (relevant, accurate, timely, secure) • 4 All members of the University community are personally responsible for managing the information they create and use. • 5. Information management should add value to the University community. • 6. The status of information sources (e.g. definitive/primary, derived/secondary) must be clearly defined and only definitive/primary sources should be updated. • 7. Information management must comply with external statutory and regulatory requirements. • 8. Information management principles will inform IT principles. • 9. There is a common vocabulary and data definition. • 10. The University is responsible for assisting staff to work in the most effective ways possible.

14. Research & Evaluation • Alternative approaches: Dynamic Enterprise Architecture (DYA) • Discussions with Oracle UK extending into meetings with Griffiths Waite, Oracle consulting partner & EA/SOA specialist • Engagement with EDUCAUSE EA constituent group (ITANA) & BCS Architecture Group • Interest in Dutch SaNS group, taking an EA approach to implementation of Oracle Campus Solutions

15. Outcomes/Next Steps • Overall high-level Architecture in place • Architecture for Student Recruitment, Enrolment & Development modelled in Architect • SUMS in relation to Enrolment in development for e-Framework • Architecture approach recognised as beneficial, further EA work mandated as part of major project to move from the Oracle Student System to Oracle Campus Solutions by 2010 • Working with Griffiths Waite, Oracle EA/SOA consultancy, to progress this

16. e-Framework/SUMs

17. e-Framework/SUMs

18. Questions/Issues • Need to establish specific EA resource – Enterprise Architect as staff role • Is Open Group membership necessary/beneficial for the future? • Will BiZZdesign Architect prove to be the best tool in the longer term?

19. Some Initial Conclusions • Good Governance is essential • EA is not something you do just to have one – needs to be applied where can deliver business benefits, if can’t, don’t bother • It’s the journey, not the destination!

20. “Whichever route you choose, remember that EA is a path, not a destination. EA has no value unless it delivers real business value as quickly as possible. One of the most important goals of any EA is to bring the business sides & the technology side together so that both are working effectively towards the same goals”. Roger Sessions, ObjectWatch, May 2007 http://www.objectwatch.com/white_papers.htm#4EA