QuestionQ37
The TOGAF Standard, Version 9.2Scenario —
You are the Lead Enterprise Architect at the headquarters of a large fast-food chain that manages more than 6,000 restaurants in 24 countries.
Each restaurant is an independently owned and operated franchise. Many restaurants have been with the franchise since its initial startup phase and still use the first-generation IT systems deployed more than 15 years ago.
The chain’s CEO has expressed concern about the inefficiencies in the current systems and identified a need for change. The CEO has defined a new strategic vision to enhance the business by providing franchisees with new support services to help them compete with increasing competition from coffee shops.
This strategy is part of a long-term commitment to strengthen the brand image and increase revenue for the chain. The CEO has also said that improved financial results are expected by the end of the current fiscal year.
These changes will provide the chain with improved products, including healthier menu alternatives, and more efficient operations. Adding a corporate-wide data warehouse will provide analytics that enable the marketing group to improve its ability to target advertising and new products to specific regions.
The chain has a mature enterprise architecture practice based at its headquarters and uses TOGAF 9 as its method and guiding framework. The CIO sponsors the activity.
While planning this change, the Chief Architect engaged a well-known consulting firm specializing in business strategy. An initial study was conducted to identify the strategic changes required to implement the CEO’s vision. This was recently completed with approval of a strategic architecture encompassing the entire chain, including detailed requirements and recommendations.
Based on the initial study’s recommendations, the chain has decided to adopt a packaged suite of integrated applications tailored to the franchise’s needs.
The Chief Architect has asked you to propose the best approach for architecture development to realize the CEO’s vision.
Based on TOGAF, which of the following is the best answer?
- A You propose that this engagement define the baseline architecture first in order to assess the current infrastructure capacity and capability. The initial priority is to understand the problem. Then the focus should be on transition planning and architecture deployment. This will identify requirements to ensure that the projects are sequenced in an optimal fashion so as to realize the vision.
- B You propose that the team focus on defining the target architecture by going through the architecture definition phases (B-D). This is because the initial study identified the need to change. This will ensure that the change can be defined in a structured manner and address the requirements needed to realize the vision.
- C You propose that the target architecture is defined first, followed by transition planning. This is because the vision is well understood and the strategic architecture agreed. The target first approach will ensure that the current problems and inefficiencies of the baseline architecture are not carried forward, and that the proposed solution addresses the requirements identified in the initial study.
- D You propose that the team focus on architecture definition, with a specific emphasis on understanding the strategic change parameters of the business strategy. Once understood, the team will be in the best position to identify the requirements, drivers, issues, and constraints for this engagement. You would ensure that the target architecture addresses non-functional requirements so as to ensure the target architecture is robust and secure.
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