Enterprise Architecture
Interweaving Business and IT together
What is Enterprise Architecture?
Enterprise architecture is the process that interweaves business and IT together. (Gartner)
It supports digital solution investment, procurement and solution delivery decision making within both IT Services and also across the University.
It creates a common understanding of the organisation, its enabling business capabilities, and dependencies on digital solutions.
This allows both the business and IT to understand the opportunities, gaps, and risks, enabling better decisions faster.
How are we doing this?
UCD is a large, diverse organisation, supported by a complex digital environment comprising university-wide digital solutions that are supported centrally by IT Services as well as a range of locally-supported digital solutions.
Work is underway to map out UCD's Enterprise Architecture. At a high level this will involve:
- Mapping Digital Solutions to Business Capabilities (using the Higher Education Reference Model) to identify gaps & duplications
- Identifying Digital Solution Business Owners and IT Owners to clarify the governance and support structures
- Using Application Portfolio Management to determine where investment in existing solutions is needed and to derive roadmaps for the future
- Using Enterprise Architecture Principles and Standards to inform, guide and govern the design and deployment of solutions across the University
Business Capability Model
Capabilities define what your business does or can do (not how it does it or who is doing it).
The Business Capability Model describes the complete set of Capabilities an organisation may require to execute its business model or fulfill its mission.
It is used to illustrate how business capabilities are supported/enable by applications and technologies, so that dependencies are understood.
UCD has adopted the Higher Education Reference Model (HERM).
- (opens in a new window)Higher Education Reference Model (HERM) (Restricted / Authentication Required)
- (opens in a new window)HERM Catalogue (Restricted / Authentication Required)
- (opens in a new window)HERM and TBM Taxonomy - UCD Cheatsheet (Restricted / Authentication Required)
UCD Enterprise Architecture Principles
A set of UCD Enterprise Architecture Principles have been approved by the UMT Services Group to inform, guide and govern the design and deployment of digital solutions across the University.
Alignment with these principles is a requirement for all initiatives, from local solutions in individual schools and units, to centrally-managed enterprise platforms deployments.
- (opens in a new window)Enterprise Architecture Principles (Full Version) (Restricted / Authentication Required)
Describes in detail the purpose, use and goals of the overall set of Enterprise Architecture Principles, as well as the rationale and implications each Principle.
The abridged version of the Enterprise Architecture Principles should be included in all procurement requests for digital solutions.
UCD Enterprise Architecture Standards
The University has Policies, Principles, Procedures and Guidelines, to safeguard essential services, protect the privacy of students and staff, and comply with contractual requirements and legislation. These must be followed at all times.
A comprehensive library of Technical Standards are provided for projects led by IT Services, that are used in procurements to ensure that digital solutions being purchased or developed, align to the Enterprise Architecture and adhere to the Enterprise Architecture Principles.
Digital Solution Deployment Guide
A Digital Solution Deployment Guide provides customers looking to buy, develop, or deploy a digital solution (solution with an IT component) in UCD - outside of a project being delivered by IT Services. It outlines the steps that should be followed, and requirements met, before the solution is brought into use in UCD.
Digital solutions being delivered by IT Services will follow the established IT Projects Planning Process.
Application Portfolio Management
An Application Portfolio is being built with information about the digital solutions (applications and technologies) in use throughout the University.
This information is being captured through engagements with units, institutes, and schools and colleges, and is ongoing work in progress.
This allows us to provide quantifiable evidence to inform decisions.
Architecture Models & Roadmaps
Enterprise Architecture, builds on the Business Capabilities model, capturing the digital solutions that enables each Business Capability.
The Architecture is modelled in two states. The As-Is represents the current state, the To-Be represents the vision of where we want to be
A Roadmap is the plan to get from As-Is to the To-Be, on an iterative basis and driven by the benefits to the University.
Quick Links
- (opens in a new window)Higher Education Reference Model (HERM)*
- (opens in a new window)HERM Catalogue*
- (opens in a new window)UCD Enterprise Architecture Principles (Full Version)*
- (opens in a new window)UCD Enterprise Architecture Principles (Abridged Version)
- UCD IT Policies, Procedures and Guidelines
- UCD Digital Solutions Deployment Guide
- UCD IT Services PMO
* Restricted access / Authentication required
UCD IT Services
Computer Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.Contact us via the UCD IT Support Hub: www.ucd.ie/ithelp