2. Enterprise Architecture in a Nutshell

The previous chapter provided an overview of EAM, including its objective, to establish and maintain a “good” Enterprise Architecture. Delving deeper into the latter concept, this chapter provides an overview of Enterprise Architecture. We start with clarifying basic terminology, like “system,” “architecture,” and the difference between Enterprise Architecture (EA) and Enterprise Architecture Management (EAM). We also revisit the concept of system complexity and how it relates to parameters like standardization of the IT landscape. Afterward, we provide a short summary of existing EA frameworks and methods for structuring the digital ecosystem into layers and views. Next, basic principles for structuring socio-technical systems are laid out, like the forming of hierarchies and aligning the structures of organizational and digital systems. Finally, we describe core parameters of the Enterprise Architecture. These include, for example, the degree of standardization, centralization, and integration of the ecosystem, but also the desired degree of innovativeness, risk appetite, outsourcing, and cost and quality priorities.