Enterprise architecture alignment

An Enterprise Architecture (EA) is an instrument that focuses on coherence between business processes, information distribution, and technology infrastructure of an organization. In practice, we see that architects are not well equipped to manage the interrelationship between architectural business-, information- and technology-aspects in an integrated fashion. EA frameworks are mostly informal by nature, and there is a lack of knowledge and tools to support architects to check alignment formally. Due to the volume and complexity of holistic enterprise spanning architecture, it is increasingly challenging for organizations to maintain overview and coherence of architectural elements. This research enables automated, rule-based monitoring consistency and coherence between elements within an EA. It does so by creating an artifact that provides architects with the capability of monitoring validity within ArchiMate EA models. We validate models against formalized rules specified in Relation Algebra with which coherence can be mathematically proven. We also plot a set of applied rules onto a quality framework that calculates an overall alignment score of an EA model. Every single rule violation that influences the score is explicitly identified. Monitoring EA quality using formalized rules enables organizations to manage and control the process of EA change and thus contributes to Business/IT-alignment.