Session Information:

Keep your eye on the prize - use EA to focus IT investment on business innovation

Sustainable business innovation requires a constant flow of funding for IT investment. This means aligning with businesses on spending priorities to ensure only those projects are funded that support the business strategy and are feasible.

EA helps optimize and focus capital expenditures (CapEx) by exposing redundancy in projects, flawed solution design, and where strong IT is needed to support business capabilities critical to market success. In providing the means to assess the project portfolio from different perspectives such as business value, architectural impact, and risk, EA eliminates CapEx waste and ensures maximal return on IT investment.

Session Transcript:

Speaker, So I will actually, actually give you a description of Conrad ..., Conrad, Thank you very much for joining us.

So, let me do a quick introduction on Conrad camera along Hummer, Lead software or Agee's Alphabet product line.

He has more than 20 years of experience in enterprise architecture, management and adjacent disciplines such as IT, finance management, program portfolio management, and Agile methodologies. Can you see? he's deep in this space?

And, today, he's going to speak about how to better align your IT investments with your business strategy goals for improved IT project execution and maximal return on IT investment.

So, I will welcome Conrad Long Homer to the tribe Conrad, the stage is yours.

Please begin.

Thank you very much, Chris, for these warm words.

OK, so, sharing my presentation, OK.

so, gradient sectional array into the topic EA and what a discipline can bring, two organization using it, and of course, EA came far enough. That's not only ensure, IT business alignment, it also now targets the business, outcome as goals and one of these is business innovation.

So and also, we're currently in an era of innovate or die.

So the world is still very much feeling the effects of covered pandemic and of course, global industry has found itself.

And really, in the fast lane of technology innovation, so in some analysts, even saying the whole thing pushed us forward, five years.

Yeah, so, and this, of course, is to acceleration, is opening huge opportunities, but only for organizations that are really able to adapt, innovate, and disrupt.

So an EA can play a big role in helping IT keep its eye on the prize, in this case, innovation, to ensure IT investment can support the business outcome effectively. Very important.

So what does it mean?

SO first Let's have a look on the challenges to controlling these investment portfolios.

So, technical debt is a big problem. It was always a big problem.

But, especially during pandemic now, in a study done by Sophie, G, 78% of organizations have accrued more technical depth than in the past year or, So, this is obviously a big problem.

And also, 58% of them don't feel that they have a formal strategy in place to manage it.

Project's success has always been a problem, but it seems that we are, we are down from this historic 80% of over cost and over time. But 50% still, is really high, if you're considering costs of most of the IT projects.

And then, of course, despite some mantra of business and see alignment, there's still a lot of disconnect between project investment and your business strategy.

So these are the problems we see again and again, year after year, and how to adjust how to address those.

So Forrester, see, one opportunity is strategic portfolio management, SPN as a way to improve transparency and cohesiveness in order to be able to advance on the business strategy.

That means being able to take just in time decisions, fact based ... and its product Alphabet, is a leader in these strategic portfolio management.

And one of the most important reasons why, we are the leader is strong Enterprise Architecture foundation of Alphabet. Within a base portfolio management, you can bring together and synchronize these disparate portfolios that are deeply inter-connected.

And EA really provides a transparency and visibility into these connections, which support a much deeper understanding of how all these part of the organizations are connected and moving together. And that really helps you to plan your transformation, understand what is the impact of change.

Maybe also, of not changing? And which ultimately reveal where and how to invest to achieve your business goals.

So, before we look into possible solutions, Let's really have a look how we got here.

So what was really?

Yeah, the challenges are the bad habits I want to see.

First of all, the disconnect between business and IT. And this is, on the one hand, side, due to transparency.

And also, these disconnect really is cos of the entrance pansy SO that really IT does not know how to support business best, what are their plans, what are the things they have to? And support them in the coming years and also other way round.

Secondly, obviously, without an understanding of the architectural consequences of the business investment, yeah.

The business runs the risk of unknowingly making very expensive investments, or even one that is doomed to fail.

So it's really about doing the right things, understanding the context.

And then, of course, without a thorough examination of the architectural impact of a project, agile release channel, Whatever it is, the change, and being driven by obstacles to good excuses are bound to rear their ugly heads throughout the project. SO, you also have to have an understanding if I'm doing the right things.

Am I doing them, right?

And so, let's have a look more in detail to these different obstacles. And here, you can see the consequences of business and IT connect, yeah. So, what the business is heading in one direction, IT pursues totally different one. So this is typically the challenges we found at each and every of our customers. And without mutual understanding and close alignment, IT investments are made in areas that do not help the business achieve its goals, and to differentiate themselves from the competition and really coming up with an interesting market offering.

So, and also, when the company does finally realize, it has embarked on a way, what path turning, the ship around is, it is complicated and complex.

So, as you see, one of our, the customers, so, it's really very costly to have a non ... in an IT infrastructure.

Then, of course, next thing is no understanding of the architectural consequences of the business investment decision.

So, if this, of course, is not only hindering business strategy from leveraging maximal IT potential for good digital products and services, it often hinders business strategy from being realized at all.

So, you have to have an understanding, what does it mean?

So, what is that, really the investment I'm doing? What are the consequences?

And, really, eight can be the driver for this digital business solution, If it hasn't capabilities to understand where and how to best shape the IT investment portfolio. So I need to live right inside. I need the right platform for being able to estimate these consequences.

And also, one of our customers, they really use the EA to read, to compare their as its environment, and also map that to the senior management strategy. So really, being able to identify and close the gaps in their strategic goals and really understand where to invest. So we're really is the money going to.

And then, of course, inadequate due diligence, SO having then, selected certain things you want to pursue without having an understanding, or just a limited understanding about the landscape.

I have to change, but achieving that, really, it brings you in a bad situation, So you really need to know what does the application landscape look like? What are the technology standards? I have it, What are the rules and regulations within that area that I have to buy?

So, these are all crucial as the end, Of course, not stopping here, so what's already going on?

Like, in-flight change programs already underway so because I do not should look at what's looking now, I have to understand, what will the landscape look like when I have to deliver drops off my architecture?

And often, these planning happened inside notes.

So, even if you have excellence in these silos, this means you exclude relevant stakeholders, that make it mostly impossible to harvest full our eye off investments.

So, is a stopgap approach, then enough?

No, typically in desperation, and maybe just because of ignorance.

Too many people look for opportunities or solution in the wrong places, leading to outcomes, won't advance innovations, twitchy. So, typical things is too little investment in the right places, and they typically coming from the wrong approaches, in investing many or even random project, at a level too superficial to deliver effective solutions.

Or hedging babette's investing into many projects, and thus spreading the investment budget too thin.

Also, IT sometimes take the back seat in investment decisions. Tolerating of directives from business and finance was no architectural guidance or investment decisions.
Or they responding just to pressure from business areas that have the loudest voice.

Maybe also, the deepest pockets and not planning and managing these IT investments is the context of the overall business strategy. So really understanding what would be most important for the overall organization for the overall strategy.

Then very often this also is then and materializing in misplaced priorities. So IT, then shooting for efficiency gains.

So, and delivering the same services with less, and just to prove the value of IT.

Instead of focusing on business outcomes, SO putting then effectiveness over efficiency and effectiveness in terms of generating revenues and gaining market share, which is, then, of course, much more important and really drives these innovation.

But, of course, it can be different.

Yeah.

So, your end game can mean managing the investment portfolio to really support business innovation.

With the right capabilities, focus processes, and of course, tools, you can really achieve something. Number one, spend your money wisely.

Imagine.

Yeah, you have a clear line of sight, from business strategy to the goals, to the program, and to the product portfolio, really being able to really, the pivot line of sight to understand what's going on.

This would mean, then you would see the gaps in IT supporting the business strategy immediately.

SO, then you can also identify capital expenditures being wasted on non strategic of value less projects. So that do not really deliver or pay into your overall strategy or in your product development. And of course, what's needed to do this is the platform that enables you to capture the business strategy, business capabilities, business models, operating models.

And of course, then the Vehicle of Change projects really provides views into all these interdependencies, so been doing this. you would improving the focus of IT investments, streamline your IT project portfolio, and having the needed insights to optimize business and IT decisions.

Secondly, accelerate the business innovation strategy.

So what if you could see the projects currently in-flight and in already in planning stages across the whole organization?

Yeah.

And now, really understand best.

In terms of time, the resources to, say, I need a rollout plan, you could really derive from that project execution scenario that really, then, uses synergies amongst these projects to avoid conflicts, and the right sequences.

Also, it's being able to adapt to external influences, and we have a lot of them over the last years.

You could do, this was really project portfolio practice.

That really helps you to prioritize the right projects and development activities, and give you insight into the effects of the IT change on the organization, other parts of the ID.

So, establishing more strategic goals in your organization do greater understanding of project list.

And then, of course, and this is I think, something we always aim for, being a real business partner act as a co innovate of his business. So, what if you could identify business areas that would benefit from new technologies, either for greater organizational efficiency, market differentiation, lower risk profile, or ESG purposes.

You could really pro, actively collaborate with business and drive digital business innovation and you can do this with a platform which functionally and process oriented approach to innovation management.

So, one that can really provide integrated views on innovation, ideas, business goals, really, down to the architecture needed to achieve these goals.

So, this is really, um, what you should look alike.

And, this is where, where the AI can really, support business a lot as really, being able to take fast and, really in time decisions as well. And really fact based.

And, really make sure that IT investments are invested in important areas for the future business strategy, as a really.

And, by doing this, yeah, making more funds available. then, for business. Yeah, so, not have these project ways, or always project overruns, uses financial resources and emits a long term approach. Much more efficiently as an end.

Very, very important.

Make, make it measurable.

And so, really show what the value is of doing things, and not doing things. This is really what our customers also did.

For example, code from one of our large and financial service customers.

They used to, really, before having an EA to, they used to do things, more, on an ad hoc basis, and was, often, the project's approval was based on the political clout of sponsor.

But this doesn't necessarily mean that it was really the best investment you can do, as so and this what, what these guys turned and really upside down and really have now a kind of overall metrics to really understand what are the investment they should really and go for and not doing things that would not help.

So, what is needed are doing this you would need kind of GPS system GPS system that really navigates you through the art. Or towards your, your goal for a new innovation or your innovative products New and innovative IT services, and so on.

And what is the thing that you would need you would need to kind of GPS system helping you with it.

And now bringing the idea of a GPS system together with EA and a portfolio management approach. And what you can see is that each and every enterprise is really made of different portfolios. So you will find the strategy portfolios, then, of course, the asset portfolio is like a business architecture, application, technology, information things, And of course, the change portfolios, and all these things are connected.

And if you really want to manage the overall change or innovate stuff, you really have to manage these portfolios in very close integration, because these portfolios are very volunteer, and they're very, and have lots of interdependencies, so this is really what you have to do to really navigate towards your business strategy.

Making sure that you really always and are on track, because we know a plan is not enough.

Now, planning is everything, so the acceleration is already underway, So, so it's not that it does not go away, So just plan will not help you. So you always have to be in a situation where you can adjust plans, where you can plan you and reacting on external factors, As we see now, even with Ukraine thing, SO we can expect now, things to come. So how to adapt best. And what do you see?

All of these things are connected, as Chris already mentioned.

You have to have an understanding about the business architecture applications, but also about APIs, data, and so on, and then, really making this a living thing.

So, what does it mean if I now really want to drive good investment, portfolio discipline? Yeah, so really being able to innovate my IT services and even my IT products.

I need it in a kind of process driven way, which also then comprises different stakeholders because they are not all located in an IT. Of course We also talk to the EPM so Enterprise Portfolio Management Office also. So, PPM, guys, eating to CFO, to the business lines. That's very important.

So first of all, beginning of these process is, of course, you have to capture your business strategy.

So, to sum a certain level of detail.

So really meaning, making a tangible, coming up with a strategy, deduct from the SVG, breaking it down into goals and objectives you want to meet, and then, ultimately, really coming up with IT initiatives that maybe are important to do this.

Then, obviously, next thing is, you have to have a context. What does it mean? So if I want to really support these business strategy, what are the things I have to change? one of the things I have to bring in you, one of the things maybe I am that's already obsolete now, and I should really retire. So and for that, you really need to map the strategy to, for example, the capabilities business will rely on. So, and even then, assess these kinds of capabilities. Are there already good enough to support these new stuff? Do I have to change something? Do I have to come up with something new?

And this is typically, because of the landscape, while the enterprise architecture, supporting these capabilities.

So, yeah, first of all, of course, the applications you have in place, and the technologies, you're using, the tech stack of applications, but also, the services You provide, the products you have, you really have to have a good understanding what's already there.

So, in what is really the, the, the enterprise architecture context, where I really want to implement these new products, or new services?

And then, by really understanding, analyzing, doing these due diligence I talked before, then, you can really come up and saying, OK.

This is then, my future transformation roadmap. These are the most important stuff as really understanding from the business strategy, as well as from the effort, the complexity from rules in certain areas. Really bringing this all together, doing a prioritization, and saying, What are the most important things I really have to pursue?

And then also being able to scrutinize these investments as a and really making the measurable and saying, hey, these are the things we have to do to really support the business needs.

This is something we have to really, really start.

Not only scrutinizing and showing that, but also you have to then select the right ones, kick them off, execute and adjust.

Because this is not a one-time off, this is really circa.

Because in these times, nothing is really stable, as the only thing that never change is that you have to change each and everything. So, this is really important. So, even if you want selected, then the project could be that next week, next month. You have changed strategy. Maybe you have to really am.

Adjust your projects, and then you have to understand, OK, if I stop this one, what is the side effects on my business strategy? Wasn't side effects on Other projects may be relying on. And architecture dropped from that.

one of the interdependencies to really then taken informed and educated decision.

So, what does it look like if I really using a platform for doing this, for these investment portfolio management, and just want to give you some food for thought that you can really, and align better what I'm talking off.

As, of course, I already explained: what are these process phases that you really, and continuously have to do. And this is, of course, not the only IT on only EA is doing that, not only bits and pieces are really supported by a lot of stakeholders involved in these process.

So of course, the business strategy portfolio. This comes first. Yeah, so It's like in the GPS system, if I do not know what are the things I really have to support, I can come up with, was meaningful ideas.

So first, of course, capturing the business strategy portfolio, really making a tangible breaking this down, opera lies it and really that you have a kind of metrics that you can then really rely. What are the things you'll want to pursue?

Then, from that, really understanding what are maybe the focus areas, you want to really invest one of the most important stuff you have to do.

Yeah. So really, to support the business goals as well, staying agile and as well, really?

Yes, Building up the foundation for then next, a series of products.

And then of course, if I have an understanding where I really need to do something, then I have to understand, OK. And how should I do that?

So I really have to to analyze my, my portfolios. So what are the impacted process? What are the impacted applications? technology I can use even maybe emerging technology that I can really use for that? Also seeing, synergies or even redundancies within my overall project? At this stage in time and demand portfolio. So, really analyzing that and then really from that.

and it shaping projects', shaping really transformation vehicles really to deliver on that. So, let's have a view how this could look like.

So, what do you see as typical and deduction of your strategy? So, really, from the vision, you can really come up with different, different hierarchies of goals and visions, to really, as an, OK. What are the things I really have to focus on?

if I really foster product and service innovation SO and really making this tangible and really understanding, OK, what is maybe the thing that really supports most of my overall strategy? So really understanding where do I get the most bang for my bucks?

And really having these kind of strategy, network, and to have an educated and informed decision, where to start.

And also defining and the very important measures for evaluating, then, at the end, the success. As.

So, that can really measure, was it, was it a good investment, does it pay off to, I have to do something differently.

Then, of course, from having these kind of strategy network mapped on my business capabilities, I really want to understand what's already in flight. So, I'm already doing stuff here.

So, other initiatives also changing certain capabilities. For example, here, we see a view on a particular or certain strategic theme.

Here, the digital Customer life cycle management, and what you see is really highlighted in these nice pink color, what are the most important capabilities we have to?

And, Hans, change for doing that? And what you see, OK, I can see what are the projects currently running there? These crosses, really, and shows me what are the strategic demands I need to implement to making this initiative. Really happened.

So and therefore, I can, of course, see what I'm already aligned to that initiative, but I'll also see, Hey. What are the things?

I'm also funding, which have no, or just less impact on that, So for example, seeing, hey, there are some projects, really, that, that are labeled underneath that initiative that do not add any value for that. So absolutely something I can carve out, I just, I have to understand. Maybe they can do something differently, but obviously, they're not helping me and that investment. So something I can really and think about, if I want to stop it maybe.

And if I have an understanding about what is really the areas I want, then I retook, as I described before if you into the asset portfolios. So, for example, the application. So, one of the applications and the supporting that, how good are they, are they can, I use it at a, really? and have the right tech stack that I can do. And this is just one place holder. Of course.

Typically you do then an analysis of different portfolios to really understand what is maybe the solution I should come up with.

And then really from there, shaping Europe, your transformation portfolio. And understand, OK, so what are the things I want to pose for moving towards our new goal? And really now aligned with our strategy, having an understanding about what does it mean in terms of one of the CapEx, maybe, what is then the cost in the subsequent years.

And also, one of the most important projects, and maybe even the most costly one, and maybe the most complex one, that I can really manage this very, and very carefully.

Then also being able to report back to business.

So what you see here, for example, is really a business capability map, which highlights with the dark blue, these are the most important capabilities for market differentiation as, so really, a limitation towards your competitors, as well as revenue contribution.

And also, it highlights the opportunities where you should really do some investments, and also highlights capabilities where you do a lot of projects, changing a lot of stuff, which is not important at all to the business. So maybe you gilding the Lily for these kind of capability, and you could much better. We use that investment for really things that really drive innovation. And, also, very important.

If I have these predict portfolio then in flight, I also have to be in a situation that I always can react on different circumstances. So, if I understand there's a delay, and maybe one project is really, and relying on architecture, dropped from others, and, really, I can really then re-organized stuff. because I have an insight now, not only about time, resources, and money, I really have an idea about yet, and what are really the deliverables and our other projects or products consuming them.

So, with these, you can really take over the control of your investment portfolios, meaning this would eliminate your IT OpEx and CapEx waste, because you know the right investment decisions yet, you know what are the things you should follow. And, of course, it can boost your project success rate by bridging the gap between business strategy and IT implementation.

As I'm making this really, and very aligned and also pave the way for the project completion, because I'm very aware about the context I'm delivering projects in. I'm very aware about the architectural complexity dependencies.

So this is really, if you use EA, is the cornerstone for your investment portfolio.

Then you would be really able to accelerate, really, innovation.

And also, with less resources in terms of people, and, of course, money.

So with that, thank you very much. And, Chris, I'm now open to questions.

Fantastic, why, I'd like to make. If you could kinda, I can, I'd like to make an observation.

Yep.

If you've been on these calls yesterday and today and you've been through all the console, you can turn off your presentation corner. We'll just talk.

Um if you've been through all the client engagements that most of the people on this call have either been the client or been through current client engagements you just laid out.

Quite possibly the best case for an enterprise architect to take.

And if if a compliment is to shamelessly steal your ideas, there will be someone who takes those slides and says Boss. This is why we need a better EA structure, and these are all, and now of course they'll post our little logos on them, and they'll look just like their company. And then as soon as the boss nods their head, they're gonna call you say, now how do I do this.

So when I listen to that that's what I heard, I thought.

Because I always think about this from the client and the consulting environment, considering I've been both, right?

And you just laid out.

If I'm a very senior executive, and you're coming into me saying, Boss. We need to innovate. You see it everywhere. You know the strategy, guys want to do it, the product guys want to do it, guys. Me, gender, neutral, they all want to do it.

But without this, foundation, I can't give you what you want.

Alright? And this is what, this is the reason, this is why. And you laid it out. I love the way your presentation started out.

And actually, the bulk of it was, the compelling business reason for why you need to do this, And we all know what happens when the CEO didn't usually come out of the IT shop. Right?

And if you're gonna give them a compelling business reason, nothing happens, right?

Then you get into, and by the way, what's this gonna look like?

I'm going to show, and it's gonna look like, OK, enough of my, my admiration for your presentation, which it genuinely was.

I want to attend to all these things.

This is fantastic to get all this, All right, so I've got a couple of questions for you, and this is, I think the one question that always comes out, Richard, is asking, Richard Jenkins', you'll get the slides at the end of the presentation.

If you're listening to me. I mean, you'll have access to this at the end of the presentation, when it's over. It's funny. I guess he was gonna use your slides, to present this, to his boss.

That's fantastic.

So, there seems to be, when I am, I'm listening to this, you're saying, wow, there's a lot of data that needs to be collected and reports.

And, you know, how do you go about bringing all that stuff together, because it's really pretty when it's up on the report, on that, on the screen. How do you bring all that stuff together?

OK, so I think very, very important question.

So I think this is so and always, be very pragmatic. So number one. Yes, it's a lot of data, especially if we if we include all these different stakeholders, and this is this necessary.

So you need just more than an EA architect, you need the different stakeholders from business and from IT and really you need to kind of collaboration platform or tool I can say, where they all see there, their view on these different stuff.

So end of course, this means data, This is not a big bang.

So you really start, what is most important to really make this happen.

The GPS really steering towards your business strategy, and so what are the most important questions you have to answer for your senior management, for the different stakeholders, and start their first question? Can you just give me an X That's a fantastic way to say, can you give me an example? There are overwhelmed, And they say, what's important, You know, what I want you to say is we want to do intelligent automation, but what does somebody else, what's the most important question for them?

So for example, so I, so so what is really the the project that really deserves priority that route. So, so, so, typical thing in innovation is, Yeah, I have different business, like our comp saying, Hey, this is so important. We have to do it, great business cases and so on. So great, great, great, great. And by the way, we can find it And we already have selected a solution. So, so, and then somebody would say, Yeah, how can I really ... how can really understand this would help us most? And maybe not only in one business division, and this is, for example, And what you would need is, of course, the business strategy to certain level of detail. doesn't have to be the first chart, really detailed, one with $350, probably not really linking that. Then to kind of framework that really helps you to compare stuff.

Business capability map, for example, really, I'm saying, with business, can talk with IT people and really understand, OK, what is important, where to invest? And this, then, can really benefit to more than just one unit, or one product, and so on. So this is, for example, number one. If you really want to drive your portfolio management and there's a lot of PPM solution there, you have to have an understanding about the content. So, what are these things, what are they really doing?

And not only, but just saying, hey, it's supporting the most important stuff or cost-cutting, or whatever.

So, this would typically something we will start first.

Of course, even for that, you need and inflammation to some level of detail.

And also, I do not want to read documents stuff that's already caption other things. So, So, what you need is a platform that is open to integrate an already existing and the data sources for example, CMDB is or or or jira or whatever? So all these different kinds of things, Azure, DevOps.

So, all where these bits and pieces are already captured, bringing that and making it comparable.

And Also, being able, then, to bring it back, and Where people really discuss like the Confluences, as the flex, so, so all these kind of stuff.

So this is really important, and then start with pragmatic use cases.

Show the benefits, making it really visible for the people that is value in, and then start with the next stakeholder and the next use case. And really, make this a growing thing, and you will see that, then, organizations, that people, and saying, Hey, go away with it, too, so, is, No, no, please. No, They would, Hey, can we really have access to that? This is really a treasure.

This would help us so much so really changing the game as not putting a governance on them, dragging them in.

I'm thinking that is a you you almost said.

But you really did. You just didn't use these words.

You know, it's all about the people and winning over what they want to do, but that tool, and the approach gets you to focus on, Look, this is why this is a critical project.

I think about I used to describe corporate lawyers in the following way, and I think EA's can be described. The same enterprise architects can be described the same way.

There are good corporate lawyers and bad corporate lawyers, good, EA's and Betty is a good corporate, or bad corporate lawyer says these are all the reasons you can't do this.

And a good corporate lawyer says, let's figure out how you can do this, right? Absolutely.

I think it's the same thing for an EA, right, absolutely. Fantastic.

This is really changing, so I think ...

can now really support business and not just saying we will, we can help you be doing it.

No, I remember walking through the Chicago Airport one time, and I was a six Sigma Black Belt and I was carrying this big. You can see my hands is big poster to write a black poster too.

And inside this big black poster to was a layout of all this stuff. We were going to get re-engineered this whole process for the business, right?

And I I sort of felt a little bit like Frank Lloyd Wright carrying plans for a new building, and I think an EA is that same way. You don't have to go through airports carrying big tubes.

Obviously, it's on your laptop, but it really, you are the supporting infrastructure. Which leads me to my next question, and that came through as well.

So let's say somebody's enterprise architecture situation is a mess right now.

It's kind of ad hoc, Dave.

It kinda made it through, because they've got big enough margins to support the business, or whatever, and they suddenly realized now they have to get an enterprise architecture function established, and stabilized, and some kind of governance put in place.

How long, I know, I'm not talking about five million people, but how long do you think it would take to get somebody kind of going in that way, so they can start to get traction?

So I think, yeah, so also, very relevant question. So, so this obviously depends on the maturity and how much data there, and but also, what does the appetite? So, what are all the things I want to do? So, you can always, you can, you can really build up an enterprise function and never never ending in that, because you really going into all of the ... in bits and pieces and so on. But typically, the way you set it up, this could really start with a few weeks. So, for example, there's a lot of vendors that already have accelerators or out, of the box configuration, where you can start immediately. And where you have the business questions. And really decide, OK, this will be the data. Being able to answer these kinds of questions, This would be the data I need to. And that's kind of, Christian. So this is really, kind of jump, start accelerating that.

So I would expect if you now have some, some decent data, wherever. So then you, it, within weeks, you would have the first, the tangible results.

And then of course, as I, as I mentioned before, start with the most important stuff, showing, and showing the stakeholder that they really buy in. And then of course, it's not the bunch of EA architects doing all of the work, It's really that all of the people doing some of the work. So the things they are really engaged with, so and this is really then there.

The hidden secret. So I would expect something between months.

Then, of course, so, typically thing is three months, and you really have tangible value in these area of innovation, but, of course, you can always onboard new use cases, And this can go forever.

Thank you, Conrad's, I have, we don't have time for you to answer this question, but I want to ask you this question, and maybe you can just touch on it briefly, As I'm listening to what you've said, and you've laid out the structure, the key, The key output, deliverables, and, of course, you have a tool to help that, which is fantastic.

I'm thinking, there are a lot of best practices, worst, and best practices are risky term.

How about things that work, and things that don't, right?

With respect to how do you approach the other departments, how do you approach the senior leaders?

What do you do when the organization has a predisposition for some tool or something that doesn't work particularly well? So I know that's too long, a list chart.

I'm going to ask you if people want to contact you.

Would you be willing to engage on some of those questions if they ask courts? Would fill up session?

mean, if that were me, right. I'm the person doing that. I'm going to be like, Yeah, yeah, but I mean, I'm thinking of a meeting. I had one time, where I was presenting robotic process automation, for the first time to team, for people way back in 20 15.

And this really old school guy from it was actually in Accenture at the time, and was not flexible, and he looked at me and he said, you're talking about putting lipstick on a pig and screwed up my whole IT stack.

And I thought, boy, are you stuck in an earlier age, I would have loved to have a better response than I probably gave.

There was an internal meeting, so I can say whatever I wanted to say. I think there are people out there who would love to hear your advice on those kinds of things here and there. All right, so I just volunteered you for a bunch of e-mails.

Good luck with that, answering all. That's Absolutely. Thank you very much. Do you have your contact details on the end of the session?

So that, that's good.

OK, any other, hold on, any other questions?

Karen, Karen, Kirby, I'm gonna call you out. I can't hear your voice because your microphone is, is not working.

But, Karen, you are a rockstar. And you make wonderfully positive comments when people give presentations. Conrad, somebody, Karen ... just said, Great presentation, I think you should think, Karen. So, that's good, Alright. Let's see, I have one other thing here.

Um, oh, OK, here's a, here's a question about roles.

We got one minute one of the investment portfolio.

Mainly the project portfolio reside with the PMO.

Not the EA. So this a role question.

What are your thoughts on that one?

Absolutely, so this, this is really, this differs.

Absolutely.

So, so, so typically this sits within EPO or, or a PPM, office, whatever.

But typically just projects without EA knowledge does not really help you to be agile and fast. So this is really changing, and of course you, and this is also from the size and the industry dependent, So where are the typical stakeholder sits?

But I can tell you, I see more and more, really business measure, also, very involved in that, as well, because, even because IT is so important for each and everybody, that these, kind of and, the questions and insights really move also into business.

So that these people are really want to understand what are the impact, what is already there? What an emerging technology may might use for things.

So this is absolutely influx, and where I see this changing and it really It's not the central IT guy that decides all that.

Course, that central IT guy probably doesn't want to give up, all this authority, So that's all, that's another series of questions you're gonna get on, change management techniques, for getting them to understand that, OK, we are at time. Conrad, Thank you very much for your presentation. Thank you for your sponsorship, and thank you for that.

Really, that whole front section, maybe the first 20 minutes of your presentation.

Was such a compelling case to present and in business terms that CEOs, CFOs CIOs, need to hear it in.

I think that's fantastic on top of the tool, of course, which is, you know, bonus material, right?

So thank you very much for joining us today and providing your information. Beware for the sea of e-mails. I hope you get after people watch this both online and after the fact.

I'd like to then so work. I Conrad, you can drop off now and I'm just going to talk a little bit about the next session.

It was great to see you take care, OK, everybody, well, again, another, hopefully, you find that useful, even, if nobody else, you're all drinking coffee and not looking the screen at the big mistake, but I'm getting huge amounts of information out of this. The next talk, which starts at the top of the hour, is trends, driving the future of enterprise architecture. So, now, we're gonna go very much into, what do we think is coming? So, you can prepare yourself both your function and your business for bringing these these new ideas and new, new capabilities and flexes, to what you're doing, and to enterprise architecture, that will be delivered by Jason ..., at the top of the hour.
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So, I will see you all in about 13 minutes. Thank you very much. Take care.