A Leading Enterprise Architecture Software Comes With Extras ...
The latest version of Gartner's annual "Enterprise Architecture Tools Magic Quadrant (MQ) Report" gave us all very nice news at BiZZdesign. We have been recognized as the "Leader" for four years in a row and received the highest score of "Ability to Execute" for the second time in a row.
It is essentially the ability of a company to deliver on the results it promises to its customers, that is, its ability to ensure its customers' success both today and in the future. Naturally, we are proud of this achievement. Being ahead is something that always motivates us; but the acceptance of this from outside shows that we are noticed in this business.
Enterprise Architecture Software
It should be noted that Gartner's MQ report is not just an evaluation of the products offered by an organization; rather, this is only a small part of the evaluation made. The MQ report takes into account the whole organization: the way it does business, its relationships with customers, research and development, the ability to provide an adequate level of customer support, etc. In other words, all the competencies that “a business transformation initiative” must step in to be successful. This situation triggered an interesting thought in our minds: The success of an enterprise architecture initiative also depends on how competent the Enterprise Architecture Management software is.
Of course, this is the most visible variable, but it's one of the factors, each of which contributes significantly to the intended result. Take your car as an example. It may seem like gasoline is all that is needed, but if you try to drive your car without changing the coolant, engine oil or windshield washer fluid, you probably won't be able to get very far.
So if you find yourself in a situation to buy an EA tool for your organization in the future, keep in mind that while having a mature and competent EA platform is crucial, there are other aspects that you should not ignore so that you don't set the bar too low in your conversion project. These are the extras that come with a great EA software.
Extra Elements That Make a Corporate Architecture Initiative Successful
Some things to ask and clarify during the purchasing process include:
1. Expertise
Specialization is a qualification that happens gradually as a result of long-term performance at the top of a particular field. How many organizations do you think are offering expert advice on the market? Or if you think it offers expert consulting services - especially domain expertise? Common sense states that only a minority have this, so this is an issue that needs to be explicitly investigated in the process of researching and procuring software.
To understand what you are dealing with and make a fact-based decision, you and your team should ask what approach your RFP responding vendor has to long-term customer success. Moreover, evidence of the experience and impact generated in past projects must be presented. Everyone may be working in the same field, but keeping up with the latest developments in the industry and driving it forward is something else entirely. To maximize your chances of success, engage with the people who stand out in the market, they are the ones who will provide you with outstanding service and confidently guide you through the most complex transformation projects.
2. Security
Ask yourself: What kind of security practices does this "potential business partner" implement? Do they have rules and guidelines that apply to ensure the highest level of security of our information, and if so, can they bring proof? These are important questions, and if a seller is trying to get your business, they should be ready to answer these questions without hesitation.
After all, it seems pretty clear that the oil of the 21st century will be information, and companies are pushing their development in this direction. When you think about this, and especially when you look at the increase in the frequency and severity of corporate cyber attacks, the need for high information security standards will become clearer.
3. Innovation
Innovation is an area where software suppliers differ widely. Enterprise Architecture software vendors must have a commitment to innovate their products to gain competitive advantage and support their customers in achieving their goals. They must have the ability and processes to advance their offerings, a serious intention to do so, and advance their products to meet not only the needs of this year but also the next year.
Scoring high in innovation means taking your customers' success seriously, and it also puts a lot of pressure on the company to “build the future” every day. One of the hallmarks of an innovative culture is the amount of resources allocated to develop the software platform, or forward-looking features, functionality, methods, etc. It is an organizational structure suitable for brainstorming and launching. All of this can become a valid topic in initial discussions with an EA software vendor, so organizations scanning the market for the right tool should also deal with strong candidates in this area.
I hope this article as MOS has highlighted an interesting point about successful business and IT transformation. In this case, having good support capabilities around an Enterprise Architecture platform will enable your team to offer more value as well as a better job for the future.
If you would like to learn more about a market leading enterprise architecture tool, contact us now. We will talk to you about HoriZZon as well as BiZZdesign's and MOS's commitment to customer success.
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