No abstract

This reference model for IT management responsibilities covers the most important aspects when modeling, analyzing and evaluating enterprise architecture, EA. The reference model can be employed to support IT management in their quest to make well-informed decisions, e.g. to derive architectural principles in order to obtain a proper scope for EA activities, measure the status of the current EA, follow up changes committed, and evaluate alternative EA scenarios. The model is based on extensive literature studies and has been tested in a series of empirical studies.

Abstract. Good decision support requires good information. A key aspect of good information is that it is credible. Presently, architecture frameworks and methods within systems engineering often lacks support for mediating the credibility of the analyses made. This paper presents a method for enterprise architecture analyses that employs an evidential reasoning algorithm for multi-attribute decision analysis. By doing this, the quality of the analyses as decision support is demonstrated. The method includes an assessment framework, based on established theories, for evaluating architecture scenarios functional and non-functional qualities. The paper also presents a full scale case study where method has been employed at a large European power company.

Enterprise architecture, EA, is an established approach for the modelbased and holistic management of IT. The scope of EA is however wide and the predominant EA frameworks suggest the creation of broad and detailed models. IT management cannot control all areas spanned by the present frameworks for EA models. In order to ensure well-informed decisions, IT management has a series of questions that need to be answered. This paper proposes an assessment framework that can be used to identify relevant questions for assessments of EA and EA scenarios, within the areas of EA that IT management can control. Three top dimensions in the proposed framework are presented: IT organization, IT systems, and Business organization. The framework further includes sub dimensions for identifying questions. An application of the assessment framework, as it was applied to assess EA scenarios in a power company, is also described.

the IEC 61968 standard is being developed to facilitate integration of applications related to distribution management, i.e. the management of power distribution networks. As an important baseline the standard contains an Interface Reference Model (IRM). IRM contains functions that define the scope of distribution management. This paper presents a study that was conducted regarding the use of the IRM as a base for evaluating functionality of commercial asset management solutions. The subset of the IRM related to asset management was studied, and based on this subset a refined reference model was created.In addition to the IRM-subset, the refined functional reference model also incorporated functions present in actual asset management solutions. The model was also validated and refined by means of an extensive case study at a large Nordic distribution utility. The study shows that the IRM, with some adaptations, serves the purpose of functionally evaluating asset management applications.