Technology · The technology estate · Component
Architecture principles
The short set of rules every addition to the estate is tested against, derived from how standardised and integrated the business intends to be.
The deliverable
What it is
Principles convert the operating model into decisions a project team can apply without escalating. Ross, Weill and Robertson describe four operating models — diversification, coordination, replication and unification — each implying a different degree of standardised process and shared data across units.
A principle earns its place by ruling something out. “Configure standard products before commissioning custom development” rejects specific proposals; “use the best technology available” rejects none, and so settles nothing.
One level in
What it is made of
Each element is a constituent part of the component. Follow one to see the attributes it carries.
Operating model choice
The stated degree of process standardisation and data integration the business intends across its units.
3 attributes: Operating model · Rationale · Agreed
LearnPrinciple statement
Each principle in one sentence, with its reasoning and what it implies for projects in practice.
3 attributes: Principle · Rationale · Implications
LearnException record
Where a project was allowed to depart from a principle, why, and until when the exception stands.
4 attributes: Project · Justification · Expires · Approved by
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Test each principle by asking which recent proposal it would have rejected. If none, it is a preference.
The other components in the technology estate
System landscape
The organisation-wide catalogue of systems, each with an owner, a purpose, a criticality and a place in its lifecycle.
LearnIntegration map
The connections between systems — what each carries, how it is carried, and what fails downstream if it stops.
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