Comparing Business Architecture Frameworks, Methodologies, and Certification Approaches
Organizations and practitioners have many Business Architecture frameworks, methodologies, training programs, and certification approaches to consider.
The important question is not simply which approach is most recognized. It is what the approach teaches, what practitioners are expected to demonstrate, what resources are provided, and what Business Architecture results the organization can actually use.
Business Architecture Center Of Excellence™ compares these approaches from a practitioner perspective, including courses, certification, deliverables, methodology, and resulting Business Architecture outcomes.
Compare How Business Architecture Practitioners Are Trained
BACOE™ distinguishes between approaches centered primarily on course material and examination, and practitioner-based education where participants perform Business Architecture activities during training.
The comparison below reflects BACOE's existing evaluation of those approaches.
Category
Franchise / Technology-Based Approaches
Practitioner-Based BACOE™
Course Format
More than 75% lecture
Less than 25% lecture, with the majority focused on workshop and practice
What the Course Provides
Information about Business Architecture
Step-by-step Business Architecture Methodology and Project Plan, together with a broader knowledge base
Course Outcome
Exam results, static models, or material that may not move into practice
Business Capabilities, initiatives, and paths for moving the organization toward its desired state
Post-Course Resources
Limited website access or no continuing resource
Complete Workshop video material for review and reinforcement
Supporting Tools
Generally purchased or sourced separately
Business Architecture methodology and supporting tool included
Project Examples
Classroom-based examples
Real-world examples
Deliverable Direction
Primarily Information Technology oriented
Designed to enable Business Strategy
Learning Focus
Modeling activities
Modeling together with communication and listening skills
Intended Participants
Primarily people with modeling experience
Management, non-management, and experienced professionals
Certification Evidence
Multiple-choice examination performance
Business Architecture activity developed and demonstrated during the Workshop
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BACOE's practitioner-based position is that Business Architecture certification should demonstrate an ability to perform the work rather than measure knowledge only through an examination.
Compare Business Architecture Deliverables
A Business Architecture approach should also be evaluated by the form, usability, relationships, and business value of the deliverables it produces.
Category
Franchise-Based Approaches
Practitioner-Based BACOE™
Basis of Deliverables
Complex technology-focused representations
Human-consumable Business Architecture representations
Nature of Deliverables
Primarily static
Support "What-If" Analysis
Business Value
Primarily directed toward future development efforts
Support Business Capabilities that enable Business Strategy as well as future development
Relationships and Traceability
Relationships may not be explicit or traceable
Linkage and traceability from conceptualization through stakeholders
Compare Business Architecture Methodologies
A framework and a methodology are not the same thing.
A framework provides a structure or frame of reference. A methodology defines how the work is performed through methods, activities, techniques, roles, deliverables, and relationships.
BACOE recommends evaluating both rather than assuming that possession of a framework automatically provides a complete method for performing Business Architecture.
Methodology Criterion
Other Approaches
Practitioner-Based BACOE™
Guidance
Theory and narratives without complete step-by-step direction
Step-based guidance for conducting a Business Architecture effort
Complete Picture
Users may need to cross-reference multiple sources
Methods, standards, policies, techniques, and supporting information are connected
Project Steps
Practitioners determine which material may apply
Defined activities for completing Business Architecture work
Vocabulary and Standards
Practitioners conform to the supplied approach
Consistent vocabulary with the ability to incorporate organizational standards
Customization
Limited or unavailable
Can be adapted while retaining the underlying methodology
Verification
Limited formal verification across models
Supports consistency, structural verification, and traceability
Basis of Practice
May depend heavily on general or published practices
Based on practitioner experience, techniques, and current application
Lifecycle Coverage
May address only selected portions of the lifecycle
Connects Business Architecture development with Business Strategy and move-ahead activity
Practical Guidance
Multiple approaches may require practitioner interpretation
Provides defined practitioner guidance
Specific Paths
Limited predefined paths
Methods and techniques can be organized around specific objectives
Activity Structure
Functions, deliverables, and roles may have unclear boundaries
Activities use defined relationships and prerequisites
Techniques
Limited technique guidance
Plans explain how methods are conducted
Organizational Standards
Limited organizational adaptation
Can incorporate the organization's standards and practices
Roles and Skills
Limited role definition
Identifies roles and skills involved in the work
Execution Tools
IT-centered tools or separate tools may be required
Human-consumable approaches and techniques support execution
Objective-Based Paths
Practitioners may need to construct their own approach
Predefined paths can support specific objectives
Model Relationships
Relationships between models, methods, and deliverables may be difficult to verify
Formal relationships support structural verification
Information Access
Information may be difficult to locate
Content can be searched and retrieved
Publishing
Electronic or printable access may be limited
Electronic and printable reference material is available
External Interfaces
Integration may be limited
Can work with project management, diagramming, publishing, and other external tools
Education
Education may be separated from practical methodology use
Educational services support the methodology's techniques and processes
Organizational Integration
Limited integration with existing organizational practices
Can integrate with standards, practices, and conventions of the practitioner organization
Demonstration
Often limited to examination or pilot activity
Applied through an actual classroom Business Architecture project
Organizational Experience
Customization may not be supported
Can incorporate practitioner-organization experience
Rollout
May rely primarily on distribution
Can include support for cultural and organizational implementation
Framework and Methodology Are Different
BACOE's existing position is that a methodology should not be treated simply as another word for framework.
Frameworks such as DODAF, MODAF, and TOGAF® may combine framework and implementation-method concepts, but practitioners should still examine how methods, roles, deliverables, guidance, and results are actually defined.
Comparing TOGAF® and Architectures Center Of Excellence™
The existing BACOE page also presents a comparison authored by Bernard Baillargeon examining The Open Group's TOGAF® approach and Architectures Center Of Excellence™.
The comparison examines eight areas:
- Business Initiatives
- Directed Guidance
- Consistency and Simplicity
- Structured and Precise Definitions for Human Communication and Understanding
- Clarity and Reasoning in Modeling
- Value Created Through Transformation From Model to Model
- Acquiring Skills Rather Than Only Passing Multiple-Choice Tests
- Identifying the Multiple Architect Roles Required in a Contemporary Business
Selecting a Business Architecture Methodology
A Ratings and Evaluation Handbook
Selecting a Business Architecture methodology is a significant organizational decision.
A methodology influences education, working practices, deliverables, standards, roles, and potentially organizational culture. Changing methodologies after implementation can require substantial effort.
BACOE's Selecting a Business Architecture Methodology: A Ratings and Evaluation Handbook provides a structured way to evaluate methodologies using defined questions and rating scales rather than relying on marketing claims, general internet commentary, or unstructured reviews.
What the Handbook Provides
The handbook:
- establishes a perspective for evaluating methodologies
- organizes methodology evaluation into five categories
- provides individual evaluation criteria
- presents each criterion as a question
- provides supporting discussion for evaluating each question
- uses rating scales to identify strengths and weaknesses
- includes charts for quantitative methodology comparison
The objective is to give organizations a more structured basis for comparing methodologies before making a long-term commitment.
Free eBook
Compare What the Business Architecture Approach Produces
The final comparison should focus on results.
A Business Architecture method should be assessed according to what its outputs help the organization understand, decide, prioritize, and implement.
Category
Franchise-Based Approaches
Practitioner-Based BACOE™
Primary Outputs
Technology Projects
A baseline for continuous business and organizational change and the enablement of Business Strategy
Audience for Outputs
Primarily Technology Specialists
Business Stakeholders in human-consumable formats, together with Technology Specialists
Purpose of Models
Systems Implementation
Business Agility through Business Capabilities and Initiatives
Initiatives and Projects
Primarily aligned with systems and technology priorities
Aligned with Business Priorities and Objectives
Business Architecture Result
May lead primarily toward systems-development implementation
Provides a baseline for Business Agility and continued organizational change
Review the BACOE R.E.A.L. Business Architecture Advantages
BACOE describes its practitioner approach through R.E.A.L. Business Architecture, meaning Realistic, Enabling, Actionable, and Logical.
Put BACOE Business Architecture Into Practice
Join professionals who have taken BACOE Business Architecture learning back into their projects, teams, and organizations.
Choose the workshop format that works for you and experience practitioner-based Business Architecture education designed for practical application.