Enterprise Architecture - MSc (Spring 2022)

Abstract

The course will introduce and cover basic concepts in Enterprise Architecture -an approach to understand, manage and develop business strategy in a complex IT landscape. There will be an introduction to the recognised frameworks and models in Enterprise Architecture.

Description

In digital organisations, the business rely on IT to deliver value. As business changes, the IT that delivers strategy must change. Enterprise Architecture (EA) supports the intent of determining how an organization can execute their strategies by applying architecture principles and practices in order to guide them through business, information, process and technology changes. Aligning architecture with business strategy accelerates business goal achievement. Enterprise Architects coordinate architectural work across the organisation to ensure alignment across solutions and value streams.

To support business achievement and remain competitive, enterprises will need to digitally transform their operations and business solutions. The course will give an understanding of how EA can be used to analyse the current IT landscape of complex organisations. The complexity of both the public and private sector will be presented in accordance with the theories. Participants will be introduced to basic concepts and frameworks in EA from scientific articles and books.

Architectural artefacts and their interdependencies will be covered in the areas of business, information and application. There will also be an examination of the different stakeholders and their interest in the artefacts.

We will cover the following topics:

• The role of EA in digital transformation.

• Information, business and application perspectives of EA.

• The role of EA in strategic alignment of business and IT.  

• Design and modelling techniques in baseline and target architecture.  

• Governance structures within architecture.

Formal prerequisites

This course is an elective course in MSc in Digital Innovation and Management.

Intended learning outcomes

After the course, the student should be able to:

• Explain the role of Enterprise Architecture in understanding and managing complex organization.
• Describe concepts and frameworks central to Enterprise Architecture.
• Demonstrate architectural artefact knowledge of the different architecture areas (i.e. information, application and business.
• Use frameworks to evaluate the architecture maturity and governance for an enterprise.
• Reflect on the role of an Enterprise Architect in relation to digital transformation, innovation and management.

Learning activities

The course will be taught with blended online and in class lecturers. The course will include a range of exercises and cases, with guest lecturers. The exercises will consist of case-based learning or discussions of the theories in groups in order to support the ability to turn theoretical concepts regarding EA into practice. The groups will in selected exercises make a presentation in class, and get feedback through peer feedback.

There will also be time for supervision for the written assignment in class.

Course literature

The course literature is published in the course page in LearnIT.

Student Activity Budget

Estimated distribution of learning activities for the typical student

• Preparation for lectures and exercises: 30%
• Lectures: 20%
• Exercises: 20%
• Project work, supervision included: 30%

Ordinary exam

Exam type:
D: Submission of written work with following oral, External (7-point scale)
Exam variation:
D2G: Submission for groups with following oral exam supplemented by the submission. Shared responsibility for the report.

reexam

Exam type:
D: Submission of written work with following oral, External (7-point scale)
Exam variation:
D2G: Submission for groups with following oral exam supplemented by the submission. Shared responsibility for the report.

Time and date