Connecting Enterprise Architecture and Project Portfolio Management

Abstract

Enterprise architecture (EA) and project portfolio management (PPM) are key areas when it comes to connecting enterprise strategy and information technology (IT) projects. Both management disciplines enhance business capabilities, integrate skilled resources, and govern affiliated processes and functions. A skillful comprehension of the links between these managerial areas is essential for effective IT planning. This article elaborates on the common grounds and structural attachment of EA and PPM, showing the substantiated relations between them and demonstrating their cohesiveness. From strategic planning to solution delivery, a conceptual model for IT project alignment integrates these IT management disciplines over two levels. EA ascertains the technical goals and constraints, whereas PPM determines the organizational goals and constraints. The results from both sides are combined to jointly propose, select, prioritize, and schedule IT projects. Roadmapping is a suitable approach to bring EA and PPM together.

Enterprise Architecture Approach for Project Management and Project-Based Organizations: A Review

“…(5) The analysis of EA-PM-PBO integration has a pure systemic objective for understanding the representations of PM knowledge or practices from an EA perspective. The findings confirm the statement of [68] regarding the lack of integration between these domains and the articles presenting some connections focused on specific PM sub-domains or applying a specific layer of EA. However, there is no complete integration between all layers of an EA and, for example, all PM bodies of knowledge.…”

“…Since 2007, he has investigated how internal projects (mainly IT projects) should be coupled to an existing EA to properly integrate the project. For IT projects, the EA approach has been extended with organization of artifacts produced by projects, highlighting at the portfolio level [68], as with Foorthuis, the importance of aligning these artifacts with the company, from strategy to infrastructure.…”

“…This includes the work of Foorthuis, who investigated the conformity of project artifacts with an existing EA [44][45][46][47]. At the project portfolio level (PPM), connections between EA and PPM were identified, with the need to align these domains with the business [51,68,92]. However, EA and PPM rarely appear related in the literature and connections between EA and PM have not been analyzed [68].…”

“…At the project portfolio level (PPM), connections between EA and PPM were identified, with the need to align these domains with the business [51,68,92]. However, EA and PPM rarely appear related in the literature and connections between EA and PM have not been analyzed [68]. A building block toward integrating EA with PM was developed [68] but is still pending for cases scaling the EA approach.…”

“…However, EA and PPM rarely appear related in the literature and connections between EA and PM have not been analyzed [68]. A building block toward integrating EA with PM was developed [68] but is still pending for cases scaling the EA approach. There are two articles in this group with greater generalization in the analysis of EA and PM domains.…”