A major theme at the 2019 Gartner IT Symposium/XPO was “The Power of And”. Last month I wrote on the urgency to articulate how TOGAF can be integrated with the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe). By next month’s newsletter, I’ll publish an initial article on this topic at EAPJ.org, a uniquely valuable, free resource for EA practitioners. There are some very coherent and symbiotic connections essential for both frameworks to be optimized.
Also building on “The Power of And” is the great catalyst I’ve discovered for maturing architecture practices: weaving together TOGAF and ArchiMate in a single week’s class (for foundational knowledge transfer, including approximately 10 hands-on exercises).
Back to SAFe, though, for a moment: The SAFe for Architects course, which EA Principals is uniquely qualified to offer for actionable utility, truly requires a sound foundation beforehand in Agile and Lean thinking. Whereas the SAFe Agilist course would also be helpful, EA Principals strongly recommends its Digital Transformation Essentials (DTE) course built on The Open Group’s DPBoK (Digital Practitioners Body of Knowledge).
Not only will the DTE course provide critical information needed for the SAFe for Architects course, it also sets the stage for a valuable DPBoK Certification (passing a short proctored exam will be required after the Digital Essentials course to become certified).
Again building on “The Power of And”, EA Principals is working on modeling selected SAFe constructs using ArchiMate. Samples of this work will be in next month’s newsletter.
Fortunately, the DTE and/or the SAFe Agilist course combined with the SAFe for Architects course can be completed in a single week (2 days + 3 days). The SAFe courses must be done face-to-face, but the DTE course, which costs much less than the other courses, can be done online as well as face-to-face. Because of its low cost and convenience, more people can benefit and be included in a single offering, even if one doesn’t take the SAFe courses right away or at all.
The Digital Era demands urgent mastery of the subject matter just addressed. EA Principals is eager to help you and your team quickly establish critical skills and credibility for Agile, Lean, and SAFe soon, so contact us for a best value proposal for a private course or regarding planned public offerings.
Update on the Customer-Centric Architecture Method Book (CCAM) Book
One of the richest parts of Dr. Else’s CCAM book is the number of highly informative graphics interwoven throughout it. However, many are difficult to see in detail. Therefore, we have created a digital addendum that ensures easy to access visuals.
The Addendum will be sent to all who have purchased the book already and be included with any future purchases, all at no additional cost. While the hard copy book is offered through Amazon, a $30 coupon plus the Graphics Addendum and a digital format are available by purchasing the book on the EA Principals Website.
EAP’s Business Architecture Course
EAP teaches The Open Group’s Business Architecture (BA) course, which prepares professionals to earn a professional credential in this increasingly demanded knowledge and skill set. It is a 2-day class and includes hands-on activity to create some of the key BA views. It is extremely valuable for Business Analysts to begin the transition to thinking and contributing like an architect, but for anyone, including TOGAF-trained folks wanting a deeper dive in BA. It is also a good class to take prior to taking the full TOGAF training. Finally, a combination of the BA class with the Digital Transformation Essentials one would be a knowledge-packed, synergistic way to go.
Written by Dr. Steve Else, Chief Architect & Principal Instructor