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  • 1.  Enterprise Architecture Certifications

    Posted 10-01-2023 01:21 PM
    What do people recommend as certifications for Enterprise Architects ? Thanks.

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    Tony Mills
    Solution Architect
    IP Australia
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  • 2.  RE: Enterprise Architecture Certifications

    Posted 17-01-2023 10:37 AM
    Hi Tony,

    That's an interesting question. The role of an enterprise architect is often loosely defined by organisations. When I look at hiring EAs, they all come from different backgrounds (e.g. solution architects, infrastructure architects, information architects, business architects, business analysts etc). The one unifying thing that I find that enables them to transition to EA is a common language and concepts of portfolio management and capability design. The two most common frameworks for these are TOGAF and Zachman. Others are used in specific industries (e.g. FEAF, DODAF). They all try to break down the concept of business capability in a way that can be catalogued, decomposed, analysed and designed. I see some certifications for products or domains (e.g. SABSA for security, ITIL for service management) sometimes listed in relation to EA. In my view these are reference models for specific capabilities, which an EA should be able to adopt and weave into the more general capability framework they use. 

    To me, any generalised EA framework is fine, as the concept of abstraction is what is important, not the specific certification/framework. If a person has demonstrated the application of a structured approach to capability analysis and design, that indicates they have the abstraction and analytical aptitude to be an EA. They should be able to adopt whatever framework happens to be used in any specific industry/organisation, and not be tied to just one practice. This reflects my personal approach to EA, which is to use whatever works for the specific organisation I am trying to assist, and to fit the EA practice to their maturity level and culture.

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    Geoff Manning
    Lead Enterprise Architect
    Australian Federal Police
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Enterprise Architecture Certifications

    Posted 18-01-2023 11:09 AM

    Hi Tony, 

    I agree with @Geoff Manning. I've done both TOGAF and Zachman (and luckily with John Zachman himself!). Both are really good frameworks for EA. It's really about the ability to conceptualise, zoom out to the very high-level picture and then zoom into the detail of one space using the more specific frameworks (which is where the subject matter experts and more specialised architects [e.g. security] come into play in architecture work). It's also very beneficial if your business architects have BPMN certification/experience because it enables more meaningful conversations with business analysts that use a sound and recognised framework when doing transformation work - especially if said transformation will/may involve external providers, including any of the big APS agencies who are more likely to use BPMN. 

    regards
    Paula 

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    Paula Halstead
    Product Manager
    Department of Education
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    Original Message