Database Design

Enterprise Architecture Planning : Developing a Blueprint for Data, Applications, and Technology

Format: Paperback
Author: Steven H. Spewak
ReleaseDate: September, 1993
Publisher: Wiley
Rating:

Excellent resource - but use with caution
There is a large caveat I want to share before continuing - be careful of the Zachman Framework because if you do base your enterprise architecture on it you will soon discover that making changes is a tedious process that ripples across the matrix. I purchased this book with it was first published and it greatly influenced my thinking and has continued to do so to this day. That said, I continue to believe in the basic concepts and components of the framework, and I also think that it is an excellent way to gain a view of an enterprise when you are attempting to model it.

Caveat aside, the techniques and many of the elements of the framework provided in this book are invaluable to creating any enterprise framework or initiating and managing a process improvement program. While Chapter 1 describes enterprise architecture planning in the context of the Zachman Framework, all of the subsequent chapters can be applied to any framework, which what makes this book as valuable today as it was a decade ago. Specifically, Chapter 3 (Planning), 5 (Enterprise Survey), 8 (Application Architecture), and 10 (Implementation Plan) are among the best of the best practices for approaching any project that is enterprise-wide in scope. For that reason I continue to keep my worn copy of this book nearby as a reference.

Despite my views on the Zachman Framework and some of its limitations and challenges, you may not have a choice - if you are on a team that is refactoring your enterprise in accordance with the Zachman Framework I recommend that you visit the Zachman Institute (see ASIN B00016NEXI) and augment the decade old material in this book with the up-to-date content available on that site.

If you are still in the exploratory stage and are considering this book because you want to learn more about either the Zachman Framework or EAP I recommend that you not only purchase this book (for the reasons cited above), but that you also read "How to Survive in the Jungle of Enterprise Architecture Framework: Creating or Choosing an Enterprise Architecture Framework" (ASIN 141201607X).

A book for multiple audiences that stands the test of time
The Zachman framework presented a great way to think about the relationships between systems, data, processes and business. I initially read this book at the start of my career as a systems analyst. Later on, as a project manager, it provided a more useful tool for understanding the importance of architecture in developing systems. In addition, it applies to architects and senior IT managers who want to make the most of their investment.

The writing displays the academic rigor of the author's background, as well as the applicability that comes from his wealth of experience. Perhaps this blend is best typified in the only application I've seen of reapplying (rewriting?) Deming's 14 points of management for an application in IT.

Perhaps what separates this book from most is how well it's held up over time. At 10 years old, it hasn't aged. If anything, in today's age of complexity, the relevance of a coherent understanding of architecture is more important than ever. This book will help you understand it.

A must-have for every Architect
Application designers, aspiring to be architects, may also read this book. This is a must-have book for Enterprise Architects. Certainly one of the best EAP books based on the Zachman framework.