Definition

Process to assemble and lead the right mix of people in creating an architectural representation which helps meet objectives for solving a problem or satisfying a need.  An artifact helps the right people have the right conversation about the right problem.  An architectural representation (AKA artifact) may take the form of a one-pager or a composite of several artifacts.

The created artifacts are often used independently or in composite form to sell an idea

Outputs

• One or more artifacts

• Buy-in from the participants that artifact reflects what they want

• Agreement on the owner and/or steward of the artifact

• A maintenance plan for the artifact and/or lifecycle for the artifact

Context

• You’ve already examined the problem or need and decided that you want to create some kind of document/artifact to help define, understand or solve a problem.

• You’ve identified the objectives you want to meet and determined the appropriate artifact(s) to meet them.

• You’ve already done the pre-work to get your organization to agree to support the creation of the artifact.

• The activities necessary to create individual artifacts are provided on the ITANA wiki page for each (see Architecture Methods).

Examples

• Create a roadmap for a technology

• Create a capability map for an area

• Use brick diagrams to map your infrastructure strategies

• Document departmental strategies with a Mesa.

• Visualize relationships between capabilities, services, and technology

Activities

• Necessary supporting activities

• Right-size the artifact to meet objectives

• Identify participants and roles

• Champions - who will provide top cover?

• Note: the champion should have been defined as part of the problem definition, before deciding on which document to use to help solve the problem.

• Stakeholders - interested parties with something to gain or lose

• A Stakeholder Analysis can be useful to identify which stakeholders should participate.

• Subject Matter Experts/Knowledge Workers - who can help define and validate actual content?

• Architects - lead the organization and representation of artifact content

• Facilitators - someone with expertise in managing working sessions to achieve objectives

• Depending upon the size and availability of participants, it may make sense to create a subgroup to build and revise the artifact

• Motivate participants

• Build relationships

• Pre-meetings to prime key people

• Focus on value proposition and not the act of creating an artifact

• What are we trying to achieve

• How does the artifact encourage us to have a shared vision on what we are trying to achieve

• Set time commitment expectations (and allocate/free time, if needed)

• Educate people about the artifact, its purpose, goals, lifecycle, etc.

• For artifacts that have pages on the Itana wiki, the information for that artifact should be on that page.

• Create the artifact*

• This process results in a complete artifact and in buy-in of the participants

• Align the artifact content with overall strategy/effort

• Set up/reserve space, such as collaboration space or meeting rooms, if needed.

• Define collaboration rules, if needed (e.g. the standards used for sharing/editing a google doc).

• Working meetings

• Planning/managing meetings

• Generating ideas

• Getting consensus

• Sharing knowledge

• Polish artifact (led by steward outside of meetings) 

• Gain consensus and acceptance from participants

* For artifacts that have pages on the ITANA wiki, specific activities helpful in creating that artifact should be on that page (see Architecture Methods).

• Artifact Maintenance

• Agree on a maintenance approach

• Assign owner/steward appropriate to the expected volatility and life-span of the artifact

Related Skills

(to be completed)

Possible Next Steps

(to be completed)