Month: August 2017

Strategy, Architecture & Problem-Solving

Using Archimate for Business Motivation Model and MSP – Part 1

I spend a lot of time around programmes that are managed with Managing Successful Programmes. I’m either in a separate architecture function, advising on changes, or sometimes in the trenches of the programmes themselves. There’s often a disconnect between the tools and the techniques being used, especially when different team members are coming from different…
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Business Motivation - Goals - alancward.co.uk

Using Archimate for Business Motivation Model and MSP – Part 2: Goals and Benefits

The concept of merging standards and tools isn’t new, in fact my first professional role was to map the supplier’s tool (Oracle Designer) and method to the corporate methodology (Fujitsu Macroscope). So I’m approaching this, not with any apprehension of difficulty, but instead from a perspective of being concerned about the level of compromise necessary…
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Books

Where Do I Learn? – Part 2 – Books

If I’m driving, I’m listening to podcasts. If I’m travelling by train, then I’m reading. I typically read books that don’t directly relate to my profession, but those that I hope will change my approach to how I work with clients. For every client I go to, I end up mentoring business analysts, business architects,…
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textile

Enterprise Architecture as a household chore

If transformative change is the task of ironing, then Enterprise Architecture is the act of stretching the fabric across the ironing board beforehand. Ensuring that the creases that already existed are smoothed out, allowing the change to flow freely, instead of exacerbating the folds that were already present before the change. Experienced Enterprise Architects will…
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ticket

Charging Admission as an Example of Changing Strategy

We should all look at the thinking behind this article in Business Of Fashion; there’s a lot we can take away from it. It shows a level of innovation and shines light on so many values that we take for granted.   The Premise The author writes about the shift of a fashion store to charging…
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The Kano model can operate in reverse: exploring the travel industry

You may have come across the Kano model before. It’s an analytical technique for understanding what your customers want and, importantly, what they’ve come to expect as required. Exploration I was travelling on a local train last week with a largely empty carriage. I had the choice of seats. I am familiar enough with these…
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Sheep

Black sheep or Shepherd?

As a business architect, I feel like I’m sometimes the black sheep and sometimes the shepherd of the Enterprise Architecture function.   The Black Sheep 1: Uncovering the rationale I feel like the black sheep because I find myself regularly asking why. Why did you make that decision? Why did you choose that approach? Why…
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Zombie Hands

Be a Startup, not a Zombie

I’m just catching up on an episode of The Salesman Podcast hosted by Will Barron. The episode is about being the first sales person in a new company. While I agree with everything Vinnie has said, one thing came to mind. If you’re the first salesperson and you’re conducting product-market fit conversations, then you’re working…
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Revised Revenue Vs Confidence 4 box model

4 box model for deciding on the future – part 2

I finished the previous part of this article with a four box model that had two quadrants with the same outcome. With that article, I’d stated that the outcome you may want to choose would probably depend on the lifestyle you want to lead. That still applies, but I want to show what I do…
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RevenueVsConfidence

4 box model for deciding on the future – part 1

I regular make decisions about where I’m going to spend most of my working effort. A few years ago, I was sharing my ideas and potential options with a few friends and ex-colleagues. I used an extension to the typical four-box models. This simplified the thinking and forced me to recognise a few major questions…
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