6: Usage
Use the Enterprise Architecture Other Information:
Using the EA to implement new projects provides a positive impact on the enterprise. If the EA is not successfully used, the
entire development effort to this point is for naught. In this section, the emphasis shifts to integrating use of the EA across
multiple activities and organizational groups. Success depends on active management, proactive architects, and receptive project
personnel. It also depends on integrating the EA process with other enterprise life cycle processes, particularly the CPIC
process. Establishing the EA captures the state of the enterprise and the plan for its future -- literally a snapshot of the
enterprise and its plans for improvement. For the EA to provide the strategic information asset base as intended, it should
become a crucial tool for decision support and communication in the mainstream of daily business operations. Accepting and
applying this asset in the Agency's operational paradigm is a technical and cultural challenge. The EA is managed as a program
that facilitates systematic agency change by continuously aligning technology investments and projects with agency mission
needs. The EA is updated continuously to reflect changes in operational and investment priorities that may arise due to legislation,
budget constraints, or other business drivers. It is a primary tool for baseline control of complex, interdependent enterprise
decisions and communication of those decisions to agency stakeholders. The sequencing plan provides a strong guide for agency
decision-makers to use as they consider proposed projects. If a project is not represented in the sequencing plan, it should
either be denied funding, since it is not aligned with the agency strategy as embodied in the EA, or it should be granted
a waiver if it is a legitimate deviation driven by valid changes in the agency's environment which have not yet been reflected
in the EA. It should be noted that it is crucial that the EA represent the current agency strategies and imperatives as closely
as possible, since any lag in the EA may constrain the agency's ability to effectively execute its mission until a waiver
is issued or the EA is adapted. In cases where a waiver is granted, the cause of the waiver should be examined and appropriate
changes to the EA considered if the cause represents a valid and ongoing gap in the EA.
Objective(s):
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