Step 13:

Maintain the Blueprint and the Architecture

Version 1.0, February 2005

Step 13 provides the business area with a recurring process for keeping their architecture and Blueprint current.  During the business transformation implementation Steps, and in years following the implementation, there will be forces that will necessitate changes to the architecture and the Blueprint.  In some cases, those forces will require a new Modernization Blueprint or a new analysis task to create another IEA analysis product.  However, in many cases, there will be smaller architecture modifications that impact the existing Blueprint and the existing architecture artifacts.  This Step is intended to handle such cases through an appendix to the existing Blueprint and updated architecture artifacts.

 Step 13 is performed for the following purposes:

·         To provide architecture analysts and the business leadership a process to keep the business area’s architecture documentation current

·         To provide an outlet, other than lengthy new analysis efforts, to maintain documentation and make smaller revisions to items that have already been reviewed, approved, and published

·         To provide a mechanism to keep the governance team involved with continuing to review and approve a business area’s architecture decisions

 

Impact of Not Performing this Step

Step 13 provides a continuing mechanism for keeping the architecture current.  Without this Step, there is no official way to modify documents and artifacts that have been reviewed and approved by the governance teams.  The existence of this Step allows for a living architecture. 

If Step 13 is not performed:

• The architecture documentation will become stale and out of date
• Architecture modifications will be made without the review and consent of the governance teams
• There will be confusion and delay over small issues that could have been changed through this standardized Step

Step 13 starts with the following inputs:

Inputs:

• All architecture artifacts covered in the Methodology for Business Transformation
• Modernization Blueprint

Detail:

Within this Step, there are four major Tasks, each with sub-activities:

 

 

 

Task 1: Author Blueprint Appendix (architecture modification) and submit for Core Team review. This Task is focused on capturing the small architecture changes that are required in the form of a Blueprint Appendix that details the impacts and consequences.  The Appendix is intended to be reviewed by the governance teams and approved for incorporation into an updated Blueprint.

 

Activities:

1. Meet with the Core Modernization Blueprint Team (Core Team) and the business area leadership to list the changes that are needed within the architecture
2. Document the architecture changes, the consequences of not making the change, and the required time frame for the changes in an Appendix
3. Review the Appendix with the Core Modernization Blueprint Team and incorporate feedback from the review

 

Task Outputs:

• Blueprint Appendix (architecture modification)

 

Task 2: Submit Blueprint Appendix (architecture modification) to IBAT/ARB for review. This Task takes the internally reviewed Blueprint Appendix and presents it to the governance teams: Interior Business Architecture Team (IBAT) and Architecture Review Board (ARB).  The governance teams will be briefed on the Appendix contents and presented with the document for further review and acceptance.

 

Activities:

1. Review Blueprint Appendix and distill the most critical elements for governance review
2. Prepare a briefing that includes the most critical changes from the Blueprint Appendix
3. Review the briefing with the Core Modernization Blueprint Team (Core Team )and incorporate feedback from the review

 

Task Outputs:

• Architecture Modification Briefing

 

Task 3: Brief the Architecture modifications to IRB and receive approval (if necessary). This Task is only performed for architecture changes that are significant in scope and/or impact the existing Record of Decision for this Blueprint.  If this is the case, the Investment Review Board (IRB) is briefed and the architecture changes are made if approval is attained.

 

Activities:

1. Work with the Core Modernization Blueprint Team and the governance teams to determine if any of the architecture modifications are significant enough to brief to the Investment Review Board
2. If it is determined that the IRB should be briefed, then leverage the existing Architecture Modifications Briefing to create a briefing appropriate in length and context for the IRB audience
3. Brief the Investment Review Board and obtain a decision on the architecture modifications request

 

Task Outputs:

• Architecture Modification Briefing for IRB

 

Task 4: Publish updated Blueprint and architecture artifacts. Once the architecture modifications request has been approved by the governance groups, the modifications themselves must be completed. This Task focuses on updating the architecture artifacts and the enterprise level architecture artifacts based on the Blueprint Appendix.

 

Activities:

1. “Check-out” the impacted business area architecture artifacts and make modifications
2. Review the modifications with the Core Modernization Blueprint Team and publish updated artifacts
3. Review the modifications with the Core Modernization Blueprint Team and publish the updated Blueprint and architecture work products
4. Check-out” the impacted enterprise level architecture artifacts and make modifications
5. Review the modifications with the Enterprise Level Artifact Administrators and publish updated artifacts

 

Task Outputs:

• Updated Architecture Artifacts
• Re-published Blueprint
• Updated DOI Enterprise Artifacts

 

• Core Modernization Blueprint Team Representatives: Person
• Interior Business Architecture Team: Org
• Architecture Review Board: Org
• Enterprise Architect:  Person
• Investment Review Board:  Org
• Enterprise Level Artifact Administrators:  Person

 

Other than already having completed architecture artifacts and documentation, there are no dependencies to completing this Step.

Blueprint Appendix (architecture modification): This work product is am Appendix that captures the architecture changes that have been proposed for the business area.  The document details the architecture changes, the consequences of not making the change, and the required timeframe for the changes

• TEMPLATE : Hyperlink to Template (Deliverable Type: MS Word)

 

Architecture Modification Briefing: This work product is a briefing that captures the most critical elements of the Architecture Modifications Document.  This briefing is intended for the governance teams that will be reviewing the architecture modification request.

• TEMPLATE : Hyperlink to Template (Deliverable Type: MS PowerPoint)

 

Architecture Modification Briefing for IRB: This work product is a briefing that captures the most critical elements of the Architecture Modifications Document, in a length and level that is appropriate for the Investment Review Board.

• TEMPLATE : Hyperlink to Template (Deliverable Type: MS PowerPoint)

 

Updated Architecture Artifacts: This is a collection of architecture artifacts that have been updated based on the Architecture Modification Document, have been reviewed by the Core Modernization Blueprint Team, and have been incorporated back into DEAR.

• TEMPLATE : Hyperlink to Template (Deliverable Type: Various SA Artifacts)

 

Republished Blueprint: This is a new release of the Modernization Blueprint, complete with the approved Appendix that captures the new architecture information.

• TEMPLATE : Hyperlink to Template (Deliverable Type: MS Word)

 

Updated DOI Enterprise Artifacts: This is a collection of enterprise level architecture artifacts that have been updated based on the Architecture Modification Document, have been reviewed by the Enterprise Level Architecture Administrators, and have been incorporated back into DEAR.

• TEMPLATE : Hyperlink to Template (Deliverable Type: Various SA Artifacts)

 

There are no critical communications considerations within this Task.