Linkedin: What do you (your company or clients) use Enterprise Architecture for?

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What do you (your company or clients) use Enterprise Architecture for? Think of Enterprise Architecture in action (from experience), how it is used and for what.
I know it sounds like a strange question, but I want you to think - what is EA really used for... to understand the enterprise form all perspectives? to use as a tool to explore and discover opportunities for change? to facilitate change?...or to guide change? (there is a difference between these two) to define transformation? to empower project/program contributors and stakeholders? to manage projects? to facilitate managerial decision making? to manage growth? to facilitate strategic decision making? to enable cross-functional/domain integration? to present how IT domains relate to each other? to drive IT strategy? etc.....I'm sure there are lots more uses, especially beyond an IT centric approach Not looking for explanations of, or references to TOGAF, Zachman etc. Please make this practical...for what (and how) is Enterprise Architecture used in your experience?

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A client just created a EA unit which provides the following services:

1. Validate a solution's architecture at different stages of the project
- EA unit requires use of approved architectural components for the technical part of a solution
- EA unit recommends a few prototyping environments (one of them is base on the BPM discipline and a BPM suite) for the business part of a solution

2. Guarantee coherence of architectural components

3. Optimisation of architectures for future needs (e.g. having solutions more adaptable)

4. Internal consulting


We recommended this client the following:

Definition: The EA unit is a group of like-thinking minds responsible for proactive evolution of the architecture of the enterprise.

Mission statement: The mission of the EA unit is to provide guidance and practical help for the design and evolution of IT and business to achieve the enterprise vision and strategy.

Objectives: The EA unit (together with a forum of architects) develops and maintains a comprehensive set of recommendations, models, patterns, examples, tools and training materials.