Enterprise architecture (EA) projects are vulnerable to failing unless they are supported by a powerful change management strategy and effective stakeholder engagement.
So says Stuart Macgregor, CEO of Real IRM, who notes that with strong change leadership capabilities across the entire EA team, each member is empowered to act as a change agent, and effective, lasting change becomes possible.
"Success with EA implies that the EA capability needs to be embedded within the organisation. This requires change management within and beyond the EA practice," says Macgregor.
"An actionable change management/leadership capability across the entire enterprise architecture team is essential, with each member acting as a change agent delivering business value," he adds.
According to Macgregor, high-calibre architects know it is vital to run the EA practice as a business if they hope to produce optimum results. In order to do this, they need to be able to communicate effectively with stakeholders at various levels of the organisation.
"Clearly, selling the 'business case' for EA and constantly driving innovation and change involves embracing new skill sets and activities."
Real IRM has rolled out a course for enterprise architects, which deals with change management, change leadership and communication skills.
The company says the course takes a practical approach to developing a change management plan for EA projects. Through a series of exercises, delegates create a clear action plan that can be woven directly into the fabric of their EA programmes and practices, the company adds.
As roles, responsibilities, processes and systems change, individuals often suffer from a great sense of discomfort, says Macgregor. "Here, we are helping architects prepare an organisation for transformation," he concludes.
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