| CODE | BEM2003 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Principles of Applied Enterprise Architecture | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Business and Enterprise Management | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Enterprise Architecture (EA) is a holistic approach to managing and aligning an organization's business processes, information flows, and technology infrastructure to achieve its strategic goals. It serves as a blueprint for the design, structure, and operation of an organization, ensuring that IT systems and business processes are interconnected and support the overall mission and objectives. This strategic discipline plays a crucial role in enhancing organizational agility, efficiency, and innovation. The study input "Principles of Applied Enterprise Architecture" is a comprehensive undergraduate study unit designed to equip students with the essential knowledge and skills to navigate this intricate intersection of business and information technology. This study-unit offers a deep dive into the foundational concepts, methodologies, and practical applications of enterprise architecture, a critical discipline for organizations seeking to align their strategic goals with technological capabilities. Study-unit Aims: The study-unit, "Principles of Applied Enterprise Architecture," is designed with several primary aims, to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of the integration between business and information technology. The key objectives include: - Strategic Alignment: Foster an understanding of how enterprise architecture facilitates the alignment of organizational strategies and business processes with information technology, ensuring that technological investments support and enhance overall business objectives. - Framework Proficiency: Introduce students to prominent enterprise architecture frameworks such as TOGAF, Zachman, and ArchiMate, enabling them to comprehend, compare, and apply these frameworks in real-world scenarios for effective architectural design. - Practical Application: Emphasize the practical application of theoretical concepts, providing students with hands-on experience in modeling business processes, data, applications, and technology. This ensures graduates are not only knowledgeable but also capable of implementing enterprise architecture in diverse settings. - Interdisciplinary Skills: Develop a well-rounded skill set by merging business and information technology perspectives. Graduates are equipped with the ability to communicate and collaborate across different departments, fostering interdisciplinary approaches to problem-solving. - Strategic Planning: Equip students with the skills to develop strategic roadmaps for successful enterprise architecture implementation. This involves a forward-looking approach to address both current and future organizational needs through effective planning and decision-making. - Governance and Risk Management: Instill an understanding of the importance of governance structures in enterprise architecture and the identification and mitigation of risks associated with architectural decisions. This prepares students to navigate challenges and ensure the sustainability of architectural solutions. - Technological Trends Awareness: Familiarize students with emerging technologies and their impact on enterprise architecture. This knowledge enables graduates to navigate the evolving technological landscape and integrate new advancements into existing architectures for sustained innovation. - Career Readiness: Prepare students for careers in enterprise architecture, systems analysis, and strategic IT planning by providing a curriculum that aligns with industry needs. The practical focus ensures that graduates are not only academically proficient but also ready to contribute effectively in professional settings. - Efficiency and Innovation: Foster an appreciation for efficiency and innovation through the optimization of business processes. Graduates are encouraged to identify opportunities for improvement, standardization, and optimization within the enterprise architecture. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: Upon completing the "Principles of Applied Enterprise Architecture" study unit, students will have gained a comprehensive understanding and knowledge in several key areas, positioning them for success at the intersection of business and information technology. The key takeaways include: 1. Holistic View of Enterprise Architecture: Students will grasp the fundamental concepts of enterprise architecture, understanding its role in aligning organizational strategies, business processes, and information technology; 2. Proficiency in Frameworks: Profound knowledge of popular enterprise architecture frameworks such as TOGAF, Zachman, and ArchiMate, enabling students to select, apply, and adapt these frameworks to specific organizational needs; 3. Strategic Alignment Skills: The ability to strategically align business goals with IT structures, ensuring that technology investments contribute directly to achieving organizational objectives; 4. Practical Application of Models: Proficiency in creating and utilizing models for business processes, data, applications, and technology. Students will have hands-on experience using modeling tools to represent real-world scenarios; 5. Interdisciplinary Collaboration: A well-rounded skill set that enables effective communication and collaboration across different departments. Students will appreciate the interdisciplinary nature of enterprise architecture and its impact on organizational success; 6. Strategic Planning and Roadmapping: Skills in developing strategic roadmaps for successful enterprise architecture implementation, considering both current and future organizational needs; 7. Governance and Risk Management Proficiency: An understanding of governance structures in enterprise architecture and the ability to identify and mitigate risks associated with architectural decisions; 8. Awareness of Technological Trends: Knowledge of emerging technologies and their implications on enterprise architecture, allowing students to stay informed and integrate new advancements into existing architectures; 9. Efficiency and Innovation Focus: An appreciation for efficiency and innovation through the optimization of business processes. Students will be adept at identifying opportunities for improvement, standardization, and optimization within the enterprise architecture; 10. Career Readiness: Preparedness for careers in enterprise architecture, systems analysis, and strategic IT planning. Graduates will possess practical skills, making them valuable contributors in a professional setting; 11. Adaptability to Change: The ability to create adaptable and scalable enterprise architectures, allowing organizations to respond quickly and effectively to changes in the business environment. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: Upon completing the study-unit, students will have developed a diverse set of skills that position them as adept professionals at the intersection of business and information technology. The acquired skills include: 1. Strategic Thinking: The ability to think strategically and align business objectives with information technology, ensuring that organizational goals are effectively supported; 2. Framework Application: Proficiency in applying enterprise architecture frameworks (e.g., TOGAF, Zachman) to analyze, design, and implement robust architectural solutions; 3. Modeling and Analysis: Skills in creating and analyzing models for business processes, data, applications, and technology, using modeling tools to represent and optimize real-world scenarios; 4. Interdisciplinary Communication: Effective communication and collaboration skills across different departments, fostering collaboration between business and IT stakeholders; 5. Strategic Planning and Roadmapping: The ability to develop strategic roadmaps for successful enterprise architecture implementation, considering both short-term and long-term organizational objectives; 6. Governance and Risk Management: Proficiency in establishing governance structures for enterprise architecture and effectively identifying and mitigating risks associated with architectural decisions; 7. Technology Trends Awareness: Awareness of emerging technologies and the capacity to integrate these advancements into existing enterprise architectures, ensuring relevance and innovation; 8. Efficiency and Innovation Focus: An appreciation for efficiency and innovation through the optimization of business processes, promoting continuous improvement within the organizational structure; 9. Adaptability to Change: The ability to create adaptable and scalable enterprise architectures, allowing organizations to respond proactively to changes in the business environment; 10. Decision-Making Skills: Enhanced decision-making skills based on a holistic understanding of the organization, its goals, and the potential impact of technology-related choices; 11. Problem-Solving Acumen: Developed problem-solving skills to address challenges related to enterprise architecture, enabling effective resolution in complex organizational contexts; 12. Career-Ready Competence: Practical skills that prepare students for roles in enterprise architecture, systems analysis, and strategic IT planning, making them valuable assets to organizations undergoing digital transformation. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Text TOGAF® 9 Certified Study Guide by Rachel Harrison and for the Open Group An Introduction to Enterprise Architecture by Scott A. Bernard Enterprise Architecture at Work: Modelling, Communication and Analysis by Marc Lankhorst, Harmen van den Berg, and Dana Bredemeyer The Practice of Enterprise Architecture: A Modern Approach to Business and IT Alignment by Scott A. Bernard Supplementary Reading Enterprise Architecture Planning: Developing a Blueprint for Data, Applications, and Technology by Steven H. Spewak A Practical Guide to Enterprise Architecture by James McGovern, Scott W. Ambler, Michael E. Stevens, James Linn, and Vikas Sharan |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Godwin Caruana Vincent Cassar |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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