Tag: transformation

Strategy, Architecture & Problem-Solving

dart in dartboard

Be Prepared To Squirm

I’m back in the startup world. We’re building a software solution and an associated consultancy. It’s early days for both, however we’ve been consulting for years (well, decades) before this so that’s not new to us, but the alignment and focus is new. We’re helping organisations of any size or sector achieve better alignment. There…
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Could gyms adopt a GCP pricing model?

We’re at that time of year where the gyms are full of resolutioneers. I have no problem with that. It’s well-known that the influx is short-lived. But it’s a messy business model and I’ve written before about possible changes to the business models of gyms based on features and quality. There are a few reasons for…
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Tanker

Sunk cost

During the last few weeks of writing my last book, I realised that a related message to a different audience would be better delivered by video. So I started writing a training video. Then I stopped. I’d thought more about what I wanted to complete, who the customers would be and focussed on that. The…
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Jumbled music

Devolving Decision-Making through Frameworks

If you create an appropriate framework, people can understand what to do when you haven’t told them the details. All too often, organisations define rules that do not need defining. They may choose to set criteria for approvals, or host panels in order to evaluate submissions. A better approach in many cases is to create…
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RigourAndCreativity

Art requires rigour, science requires creativity

I heard this quote the other day, but I didn’t catch who originally said it. Art requires rigour, science requires creativity The first point is that it’s contrary to the standard view. The second point is that both perspectives are valid and that there shouldn’t be that much of a difference. It then made me…
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Business Motivation Model for GDPR

GDPR: The White Knight or The Elephant in The Room

I’m going to use GDPR as an example of how prioritised goals can make a big difference in how an organisation responds to change. I’ve no wish to jump on the consultancy bandwagon that is GDPR; I’m definitely no expert on the subject. However, GDPR will serve as a good example in this content as it’s…
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Enterprise Architecture and Business Architecture as Peers

The Maturing of Business Architecture

In Black Sheep or Shepherd, I introduced the idea that Business Architecture isn’t aligned with Enterprise Architecture as well as we may expect from looking at traditional structures for Enterprise Architecture. I’ve had several conversations about that topic since, all raised by the person I was talking with, rather than me asking them. And we’re…
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The Washroom Principle - Revised

The Washroom Principle – The Easiest Way to Evaluate a Company

There are plenty of methods for conducting due diligence, whether for partners, customers, suppliers or mergers. They’re lengthy and they’re expensive. There are times for adopting principles of formal Business Architecture, such as capability matching in M&A situations. But no matter what the deliverables indicate, there’s a useful and quick check to perform as a…
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high-heeled-shoes

High-heels, guitars and cultural expectations

Expectations can run deeper than you may at first think, especially if those expectations are based on decades of cultural information/misinformation. This may affect attitudes towards quality or acceptance of new ideas, including industry innovations. If we’re aiming to make changes in an organisation, we should look out for the deep-rooted expectations of what’s acceptable.…
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taco

The Taco of Business Architecture – What’s the Purpose of Business Architecture?

As a profession, Business Architects are in danger of becoming defined by just one of the products that they create. Unfortunately, it reduces the value that the profession can provide to organisations and limits expectations of prospects and clients. What went wrong? Imagine a fine-dining chef who makes tacos once at the request of a…
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