Context Analysis and Principles Study. Phase 1 - Client Report (Part 1) Architecture Practice Study

Abstract : Large organizations are becoming increasingly dependent on the reliability, adaptability and interoperability of information-intensive systems to conduct their business operations successfully and profitably. These qualities are now prerequisite for organizations' survival in the ever-changing national and international markets. For the last two decades, architecture, despite its diverse definitions, has been considered by Information Technology (IT) practitioners and researchers, as playing critical roles during the life cycle of systems and their infrastructure. The roles include, firstly, providing a sound foundation on which quality information-intensive systems are developed or evolved, secondly, capturing the necessary knowledge to aid in the understanding about these systems, and thirdly, guiding the development of enterprise infrastructure needed to support the creation of such knowledge. This report concludes that large organizations, including the Australian Defense Organization (ADO), must commit themselves to establishing and managing architecture as an inseparable practice embedded within their overall IT management and practice. Such recommendation, once implemented, will ensure that the identified roles of architecture are performed, sustained and continually improved. To pave the way towards this objective, a conceptual model is introduced to help in the planning and guidance of the development and incorporation of architecture practice within ADO.