Is IT Transforming Your Business?
Tom Philbin
Sr. Enterprise Architect
October 2013
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2 messages for you today
1. The story of IT Strategy & Architecture at Dell
2. Dell’s approach and how you can do something similar
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By the Numbers: Strategy & Architecture
60%+ Application
Rationalization since 2008
32 Acquisitions since 2006
83% Defect removal efficiency (DRE)
4 New business
models; multiple channels
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Explosive Growth + Strategic Shift = IT Complexity Handful of applications Approx. 6,500 applications
Our approach to EA has simplified our environment to less than 2,400 apps while supporting an increasingly complex business.
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Dell IT’s Approach to Transformation
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Our Architecture Method: Enabling strategic outcomes
Understanding Dell’s business needs and IT’s value proposition (ITSP)
so we can define our architectural goal (ESRA),
long term, low-fidelity strategic architecture plan (ASD)
high-fidelity program architecture enabling strategic delivery (PAD)
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Strategy Goal 3-5 yr Plan Program
Architecture
EA Consulting Services 5
and produce both a and then a
Architecture Oversight 6
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Our Architecture Method: Enabling strategic outcomes
SO WHAT? What does this mean to your stakeholders?
BU & Functional Leaders: “When will I get what I need to realize my strategy?”
IT Leaders: “How can IT best-enable business strategy?”
Understanding Dell’s business needs and IT’s value proposition (ITSP)
so we can define our architectural goal (ESRA),
long term, low-fidelity strategic architecture plan (ASD)
high-fidelity program architecture enabling strategic delivery (PAD)
1 2 3 4
Strategy Goal 3-5 yr Plan Program
Architecture
and produce both a and then a
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EA Specializations: From Concept to Outcomes
EA Skills Based on
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IT Strategic Plan
EA-specialization overlay of Key EA Deliverables: IT Strategic Plan
EA Skills Based on
= Primary accountability
Table of Contents 1. Business-Enabling Strategy 2. IT Foundational Strategy
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A Common Strategic Language
Top-level changes required for Dell’s long-term profit-optimization
Independently-valuable business outcome. Subset of a strategy. When all enablers are delivered, a strategy is realized.
Changes that, when grouped together, deliver a business enabler: (Laser-focused, Cross-functional)
Definition Examples
Strategy
Managed set of resources that deliver a defined scope (e.g. close gaps). Has a beginning and end; proceeds according to a schedule.
Enabler
Gap
Project/ Program (grouped into ASD-Transitions)
Gap • System X and Y need to
change
• Business process needs to change (e.g. sales processes)
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End State Reference
Architecture
EA-specialization overlay of Key EA Deliverables: End State Reference Architecture (ESRA)
Table of Contents 1. Business Architecture 2. Solution Architecture 3. Information Architecture 4. Infrastructure Architecture
EA Skills Based on
Framework Based on
= Primary accountability
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EA-specialization overlay of Key EA Deliverables: Architecture Strategy Document (ASD)
= Primary accountability
EA Skills Based on
Framework Based on
Application 1
Application 2
Interface (information)
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EA-specialization overlay of Key EA Deliverables: Program Architecture Document (PAD)
= Primary accountability
EA Skills Based on
Framework Based on
Thank You!
Tom Philbin
Sr. Enterprise Architect