Scenario:
Please read this scenario prior to answering the Question
Your role is that of Lead Enterprise Architect within a vacation property management firm that has
been growing through acquisition. The firm manages over 200 resort properties across North
America. Many of the resort properties use the same internal IT systems that they used before they
were acquired. Until recently, the only requirement that has been placed on each property is that
they use a standard financial reporting system to report their financial results to the headquarters
on a weekly basis.
The CEO has stated his concerns about the inefficiencies of the current approach and identified the
need to change. He has defined a new strategic vision that will enhance the business by
standardizing its operations across the network to provide consolidated financial, human resources,
logistics, sales and marketing, and yield management. He has also stated that he expects results by
the end of the current fiscal year.
These changes will provide the company with improved utilization of its capacity and more efficient
operations. The addition of a corporate-wide data warehouse will provide analytics that will enable
the marketing group to improve its ability to target advertising into key markets to improve yields.
The firm has a mature enterprise architecture practice and uses TOGAF 9 as the method and guiding
framework. The CIO is the sponsor of the activity.
In planning this change, the Chief Architect engaged the services of a well-known consulting firm
that specializes in business strategy. An initial study has been conducted to identify the strategic
changes needed to implement the CEO’s vision. This recently completed with approval of a strategic
architecture encompassing the entire firm, including detailed requirements and recommendations.
Based on the recommendations from the initial study, the firm has taken the decision to adopt a
packaged suite of integrated applications that is tailored to the needs of the hospitality industry.
Refer to the scenario
You have been asked by the Chief Architect to justify the best approach for architecture
development to realize the CEO’s vision.
Based on TOGAF 9, which of the following is the best answer?
A.
You recommend that the target architecture is defined first, followed by transition planning. This
is because the vision is well understood and the strategic architecture agreed. This will ensure that
the current problems and inefficiencies of the baseline architecture are not carried forward, and that
the proposed solution addresses the requirements identified in the initial study.
B.
You recommend that the team focus on architecture definition, with a specific emphasis on
understanding the strategic change parameters of the business strategy. Once understood, the team
will be in the best position to identify the requirements, drivers, issues, and constraints for this
engagement. You would ensure that the target architecture addresses non-functional requirements
so as to ensure the target architecture is robust and secure.
C.
You recommend that the team focus on defining the target architecture by going through the
architecture definition phases (B-D). This is because the initial study identified the need to change.
This will ensure that the change can be defined in a structured manner and address the
requirements needed to realize the vision.
D.
You recommend that this engagement define the baseline Technology Architecture first in order
to assess the current infrastructure capacity and capability. Then the focus should be on transition
planning and architecture deployment. This will identify retirements to ensure that the projects are
sequenced in an optimal fashion so as to realize the vision.
True, D.
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why?
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My answer C
19.4 Approaches to Architecture Development
Two approaches can be adopted within the ADM for the development of architectures:
– Baseline First: In this style, an assessment of the baseline landscape is used to identify
problem areas and improvement opportunities. This process is most suitable when the
baseline is complex, not clearly understood, or agreed upon. This approach is common
where organizational units have had a high degree of autonomy.
– Target First: In this style, the target solution is elaborated in detail and then mapped back
to the baseline, in order to identify change activity. This process is suitable when a target
state is agreed (the packet suite recommended by the consulting firm) at a high level and where the enterprise wishes to effectively transition to the target model.
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I think answer is ‘A’
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I go for A. The justification given in A is more convincing than the one given in C.
A-C-B-D
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Answer is “C”.
Defining target architecture should be followed by defining baseline architecture not transition planning thus eliminating A.
Reference:
TOGAF Doc – 9.1; Chapter – 19.5.2 Iteration within an ADM Cycle –
Architecture Iteration 1
Development (Target First) Define the Target Architecture.
This iteration comprises a pass through the Business Architecture, Information systems Architecture and Technology Architecture phases of the ADM, focusing on definition of the target. Opportunities, solutions, and migration plans are also considered to drive out the focus for change and test feasibility.
Iteration 2 Define the Baseline Architecture and gaps.
This iteration comprises a pass through the Business Architecture, Information Systems Architecture and Technology Architecture phases of the ADM, focusing on definition of the baseline and analyzing gaps against the target. Opportunities, solutions, and migration plans are also considered to test viability.
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Answer D, since the package suite of applications are already tailored and finalized. It is just to validate the present infrastructure capability and capacity to identify the needs of technology architecture to roll out the application. “C” talks about changes where this is a project not a change request. “D” is talking about projects placed in sequencing to realize the business value.
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This is like question Q53, while in opposite side, I will choose D as well, please review 19.3 Classes of Architecture Engagement page 183
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Hi Guys,
I just came from the exam, I got this question , answered with B and got 100% in the exam result.
so dont think after B
D is wrong because it is talking about BASELINE Technology arch, while here we start with Target Arch
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Sorry Guys, I mean A is right
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