Enterprise Architecture: Bringing Policy into the realms of Reality

Many policy makers spend their time in the strategic stratosphere, shaping policy, doctrine and initiatives with fellow policy makers. They dwell in the realm of politics and deliberate on concepts towards greater good of countries, regions and establishments together with think tanks, advisors and academic hubs. All important and highly valuable, however, there comes a point when questions need to be asked of these policies, how can they be evaluated and linked to actionable implementation.

Enterprise Architecture can provide a vehicle and a means to visualise the goals and objectives derived from these policies and when they are compared with capabilities of the existing initiatives that have been implemented it is possible to estimate costs and projected benefits.

One of the important questions that we pose to policy makers is for them to describe what they have in their mind in terms of ... what does "good" look like? How do they envisage their policies being implemented and start the journey of consideration of reality and implication.

From this analysis we look at the art of the possible. Everything has a cost, thus the question: what are the priorities? What are the timelines and what is the forecasted cash flow required to achieve these? Thus programme mandates are derived with traceability to required goals in fulfillment of policy. This is important evidence for helping to evaluate the effectiveness of a strategic business plan.

When we come across policy advisors who fail to make the connection to reality we have to ask where they are going and what, indeed are their own objectives and what is their agenda. It might be a good idea to do some background research into the goals and objectives of policy advisors to ensure that they align with those of the company.

We have come across advisors and researchers whose own business model lies on the basis of selling their own services, including PR exercises, Roadshows, Conferences and Conclaves and not necessarily on provision of advice that can be implemented in measurable, quantifiable programme initiatives. Enterprise Architecture and Analysis is therefore an important way to evaluate the coherence of these policies and a match with the enterprise resource capabilities and capacities.