Enterprise Architecture Course

Lesson 1 • History and Evolution of EA

Traces EA from early IT alignment efforts to modern practice. Provides context for why current frameworks and methods exist.

Lesson 2 • Business Value of EA

Examines how EA reduces complexity, cuts costs, and enables strategy. Connects EA investment to measurable organizational outcomes.

Lesson 3 • EA Domains Overview

Introduces the four primary EA domains: business, data, application, and technology. Sets the stage for deep dives in later chapters.

Lesson 4 • Defining Enterprise Architecture

Covers the core definition, scope, and boundaries of EA as a discipline. Grounds all subsequent learning in a shared vocabulary.

Lesson 1 • TOGAF Architecture Development Method

Covers the ADM cycle, phases, and key artifacts in TOGAF. Provides the most widely adopted EA methodology as a practical baseline.

Lesson 2 • Other Notable EA Frameworks

Surveys FEAF, DoDAF, SABSA, and Gartner's approach. Broadens awareness of domain-specific and sector-specific alternatives.

Lesson 3 • Selecting and Tailoring a Framework

Guides students through adapting frameworks to organizational size, culture, and maturity. Produces a defensible framework selection rationale.

Lesson 4 • Introduction to EA Frameworks

Explains what an EA framework provides and why structured approaches matter. Establishes criteria for comparing frameworks objectively.

Lesson 1 • Business Architecture Deliverables

Assembles capability maps, process models, and org charts into a coherent business architecture package. Prepares students for stakeholder review.

Lesson 2 • Organizational and Role Modeling

Captures organizational structures, roles, and accountability in architecture artifacts. Supports change management and operating model design.

Lesson 3 • Strategy and Business Model Analysis

Translates organizational strategy into structured architecture inputs. Links strategic intent directly to capability and process design.

Lesson 4 • Business Process Architecture

Models end-to-end processes using standard notations to expose inefficiencies. Connects process flows to capability and application layers.

Lesson 1 • Data Architecture Deliverables

Compiles conceptual models, governance charters, and flow diagrams into a data architecture package. Ensures traceability to business capabilities.

Lesson 2 • Data Modeling Techniques

Applies ER diagrams, UML class diagrams, and dimensional models to real scenarios. Builds hands-on modeling skills used throughout the EA lifecycle.

Lesson 3 • Data Governance and Stewardship

Establishes policies, roles, and processes that ensure data quality and compliance. Integrates governance into the broader EA operating model.

Lesson 4 • Information Flow and Integration

Maps how data moves across systems, processes, and organizational boundaries. Identifies integration points that application architecture must address.

Lesson 1 • Application Integration Patterns

Covers point-to-point, ESB, event-driven, and API-led integration styles. Equips students to select patterns based on coupling and scalability needs.

Lesson 2 • Application Architecture Deliverables

Produces application landscape diagrams, integration maps, and service catalogs. Ensures alignment with business capabilities and data flows.

Lesson 3 • Application Architecture Patterns

Surveys layered, hexagonal, CQRS, and event-sourcing patterns. Provides a pattern library for recurring architectural decisions.

Lesson 4 • Service-Oriented and Microservices Design

Contrasts SOA principles with microservices decomposition strategies. Guides service boundary definition aligned to business capabilities.

Lesson 1 • Cloud Architecture Patterns

Covers IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, and hybrid cloud deployment models. Guides cloud adoption decisions within an EA governance context.

Lesson 2 • Network and Security Architecture

Designs network topologies and security zones aligned to enterprise risk posture. Integrates security architecture into the technology layer.

Lesson 3 • Technology Architecture Fundamentals

Defines the scope of technology architecture and its relationship to other EA domains. Establishes infrastructure principles and standards.

Lesson 4 • Technology Architecture Deliverables

Assembles network diagrams, cloud blueprints, and technology standards into a coherent package. Ensures traceability to application and data requirements.

Lesson 1 • EA Operating Model Design

Defines how the EA function is organized, resourced, and integrated with delivery teams. Covers centralized, federated, and hybrid operating models.

Lesson 2 • EA Governance Principles

Defines governance as the system of decision rights and accountability for architecture. Distinguishes EA governance from IT governance and corporate governance.

Lesson 3 • Architecture Review Boards

Designs ARB charters, membership, and review processes. Equips students to run effective architecture reviews that add value without bureaucracy.

Lesson 4 • EA Metrics and Performance Management

Develops KPIs and scorecards that demonstrate EA value to executive stakeholders. Closes the governance loop with data-driven continuous improvement.

Lesson 1 • Change Management for EA Transformation

Applies change management principles to large-scale architecture-driven transformations. Addresses resistance, communication, and stakeholder alignment.

Lesson 2 • Roadmap Execution and Adaptation

Monitors roadmap progress, manages deviations, and adapts plans to changing conditions. Embeds continuous architecture review into delivery cycles.

Lesson 3 • Business Case and Investment Planning

Builds financial justifications for architecture initiatives using cost-benefit analysis. Links EA investments to strategic outcomes and portfolio prioritization.

Lesson 4 • Architecture Roadmap Development

Sequences initiatives, dependencies, and milestones into a multi-year roadmap. Balances quick wins with long-term strategic investments.