How Do Governments And Private Firms Business Architecture Programs Compare?
CIOs in public and private sector organizations often rely on enterprise architecture (EA) programs to align technology strategy with business goals. But as technology becomes an increasingly critical factor in enabling transformation and innovation, post facto alignment is not good enough. Business and technology subject matter experts must collaborate to develop optimal business architectures (BAs) that take the best advantage of technology’s capabilities. Recent Forrester research uncovered structural differences between private sector and government approaches but also revealed common success factors: IT credibility based on a history of high-quality service delivery, formal governance mechanisms, and a business-oriented communication style. The US federal government’s approach to BA and that of the province of Alberta, Canada, exemplify government’s top-down approach to BA within an EA program: formal, well-planned, comprehensive, and inclusive. Alberta’s best feature is an early
