What Comes First: Architecture or Process? A Deep Dive into Enterprise Architecture Models

What Is Enterprise Architecture?

Enterprise architecture (EA) has many overlapping definitions, and the author prefers to view it as the practice of modeling an enterprise and managing the related models, a concept that is simple in principle but complex in execution.

What Models Are Included in EA?

The common models used in EA are:

Organizational model – how the company is organized to create value for customers and shareholders, including people, locations, and assets.

Process model – how value is created for customers and stakeholders.

System architecture – how various processes and data flows are automated.

Data model – what information is used to run the business and how it is managed.

Product/Service portfolio – which products and services are offered to the market to generate shareholder value.

All of these are specific aspects of an enterprise’s models, and they inevitably converge with one another.

Convergence: Good, Bad, or Ugly?

When models converge without proper governance, negative outcomes occur: inconsistencies, rework, and costly fixes. Properly managed convergence, however, creates consistency, reduces cost, and improves overall alignment.

I Am Part of This Process

Processes are foundational—without processes, data cannot exist, and without data, processes cannot function. Understanding the “list” of processes is essential for grasping the relationships among all other models.

Simple Integration

In 2016, APQC introduced MosaiQ®, a cloud‑based tool for creating and managing custom process frameworks. MosaiQ helps prevent the need to reinvent the wheel for each modeling effort by linking organizational models directly to process elements, ensuring that model aggregation remains a beneficial, governed activity.

For more details, see the original article at https://architect.pub/what-comes-first-architecture-or-process and the various community resources listed in the source.