Having worked in both business and technology roles, I've observed firsthand the inefficiencies caused by artificial divides between these areas. Today, no role should remain purely technical or purely business-focused. The lines between these worlds have blurred significantly, and creating silos only hinders the effective development and adoption of digital solutions.
Digital transformation isn't simply about digitizing existing processes — swapping a paper form for a PDF, for instance. True digital transformation requires fundamentally rethinking and redesigning processes from the ground up, focusing on their original intent and ultimate goals rather than digitizing individual steps. This deeper level of transformation demands professionals who understand both the capabilities of technology and the nuances of business requirements. Without this mutual understanding, disconnects are inevitable.
Think of it as the difference between a line cook who strictly follows recipes and a chef who creates recipes tailored to diners' desires. A line cook might offer generic, predictable dishes, while the chef crafts menus uniquely suited to each diner's needs. Enterprise Architects (EAs) should embrace this chef-like mindset, capable of envisioning holistic solutions rather than merely assembling off-the-shelf ingredients.
Traditionally, enterprise architecture involved selecting technology components separately and later integrating them — little more than a tech-savvy acquisition process. Now, EA must anticipate future demands and craft architectures flexible enough to economically achieve immediate objectives while accommodating future, unforeseen needs. In kitchen terms, it's designing the kitchen layout and selecting equipment strategically, so future menu expansions don't require constant redesigns or worse, performing tasks on the wrong equipment to "hack a result."
However, one significant hurdle is ensuring business stakeholders fully understand and support the investments necessary for robust enterprise architecture. Although off-the-shelf tech solutions often appear cheaper and faster initially, they can ultimately lead to significant costs when changing course becomes necessary.
As digital transformation deepens, I believe bespoke enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems will increasingly return to prominence. When your core technology directly influences your operational capabilities, vendor lock-in or restrictive licensing from commercial solutions can become crippling. While leveraging off-the-shelf components will always hold value, building a core architecture owned and controlled by your organization ensures you never miss valuable business opportunities due to inflexible third-party solutions. Emerging technologies, including generative AI, will revolutionize capabilities — but only for organizations with composable, flexible core architectures that allow integrating them without needing to rearchitect.
Enterprise architecture must evolve from a reactive "tech expert" role, invited into conversations late, to proactive partners engaged from initial discussions about enterprise-level initiatives. Rather than waiting for business decisions before applying technological solutions, EAs should help inform and guide business strategies early on. This includes advocating against premature optimization — a common software development principle — that can also apply to operations. Sometimes, even a complex manual process may suffice initially, giving time to evaluate actual business needs before investing in technological solutions. A strong enterprise architect should have the confidence to say when their hammer isn't the right tool for the job.
Looking forward, the increasing presence of digital natives in senior leadership roles will significantly shift how organizations approach technology. Future leaders will naturally integrate technology conversations into broader business strategies, relying on EA to advise on feasibility and strategic alignment rather than treating technology as an inscrutable "black box."
In the digital age, successful architecture isn't about selecting tools; it's about continuously reimagining possibilities.