(Work in progress)

A blueprint for the optimal and target-conformant placement of resources in the IT environment for the ultimate support of the business function.

1. Business Silios: where companies look to maximize individual business unit needs or functional needs.
2. Standardized Technology: providing IT efficientcies through technology standardization and, in most cases, increased centralization of technology management.
3. Optimized Core: which provides companywide data & process standardization as appropriate for the operating model.
4. Business Modularity: where companies manage and reuse loosely IT-enabled business process components to preserve global standards while enable local differences.

1. Fundamentals
2. Stategic
3. Local
4. Urgent
5. Architectural

1. Considerations
2. Standards
3. Visions
4. Landscapes
5. Outlines
6. Designs

Is a lists of individual work packages that will realize the Target Architecture and lays them out on a timeline to show progression from the Baseline Architecture to the Target Architecture. The Architecture Roadmap highlights individual work packages' business value at each stage. Transition Architectures necessary to effectively realize the Target Architecture are identified as intermediate steps.

A few lessons learnt while rolling out the process:

1. Focus on the basics and stay grounded: Well defined roadmaps abstract the details while highlighting significant capabilities, However, while reviewing roadmaps across an organization, Architects should examine and synch up the details.
2. Plan for a continuum of reviews: Business domains evolve, strategies get updated, and new capabilities are periodically introduced in organizations. Therefore, the roadmaps will periodically become obsolete, and must be updated and reconciled.
3. Stakeholder engagement: Reconciling roadmaps at a large organization does not happen in isolation. One must engage Architects and stakeholders from across functional and business boundaries which may present logistical challenges. Engaging teams that are geographically dispersed will require consulting and change management skills.
4. Consultative more than directive: A roadmap review should take into account organizational (human) dynamics and organizational constraints. The reviews and reconciliation should be consultative, although some aspects - like external vendor inputs or Technology Debt - may have to be directive.