Expert Imaging and Sound Association: Evaluating the Tool Set - Essay Example

? EISA: Evaluating the Tool Set(s) EISA: Evaluating the Tool Set(s) Introduction Enterprise information systems architecture refers to the processes involved in translating business missions, visions and strategies, to establish effective enterprise shifts. This is done by formulating, communicating and enhancing the essential prerequisites, principles and modules that depict the enterprise’s potential state to facilitate its evolution. Enterprise architects have a formidable role in the changes in enterprise systems. Architects perform this essential task using the understanding of information systems to draw conclusions from data at hand in addressing the goals of the enterprise, with regards to effectiveness, agility, durability and efficacy. This paper will examine a viable methodology in information systems architecture, describing its main strengths, and appreciating its essence in business processes. Enterprise information systems have immeasurable importance in business processes, providing guidance, principles and operational services that are essential in determining the enterprise’s development. The Zachman Framework is an enterprise architecture system that offers a proper and highly organized way of screening and describing an enterprise. The efficacy of the Zachman Framework centers on a two dimensional organization matrix, which is based on the connection of six essential communication questions that are “what, why, where who and when”. The system, which focuses on the reification transformations, entails six rows each harboring one of these essential questions. The Zachman Framework is not merely a methodology as it does not necessarily imply a method for the collection, management and utilization of the information it so describes. The system, which acquired its name from its creator, John Zachman, emerged in the 1980s at IBM, and has since been updated several times to ensure it remains relevant with shifting trends. The different versions of the system include the initial Framework for Information Systems Architecture of 1987, The Zachman Framework for Enterprise Architecture of the 1990s, and the later versions offered by the Zachman International Group as industry standards (Geiger, Zachman & Inmon, 1997). The Zachman Framework is a plan for the organization of architectural artifacts that encompass among others, documents, modules, specifications, words and designs. This module allows for consideration of who the artifacts are intended; that is persons such as business owners and builders, and other issues such as functionality and information addressed by the schema. The Zachman Framework is in essence an enterprise architecture, which classifies, organizes and analyzes information on an intricate matrix that entails a 6x6 format of analysis. The methodology is useful in organizing the detailed descriptions of the enterprise. The Zachman Framework sums up a series of perspectives involved in enterprise architecture. As earlier mentioned, these perspectives materialize in a two-dimensional template that defines along its rows, the stakeholder targeted by the information, with its columns showing the features of the architecture (Geiger, Zachman & Inmon, 1997). The framework not only defines the methodology used for architecture, but also encompasses aspects such as processes, roles, materials, events, and rules that are essential in the organization. Further modeling within the framework occurs by mapping between columns and identifying gaps in the documented situations of the organization. Therefore, in essence, the framework is a straightforward and logical module used for the classification and organization of descriptive representations of an enterprise. The framework is, therefore, of paramount importance to the enterprise management, and key stakeholders concerned with the progress of the enterprise system. While the framework does not necessarily require any order of priority with regard to its columns, it requires the top-down hierarchical order of the rows substantial to the positioning of business notions and the definite physical enterprise. The degree of detail within the framework is the purpose of each cell. The lower level of focus is primarily on information technology, but can also be applied to other physical aspects such as transformers, ball valves, and fuse boxes. This means that the focus links the physical processes, locations, as well as roles that relate to these aspects. The basic concept behind the framework is that a single complex item can be defined for different uses in numerous ways, and by using different modes of descriptions such as graphical or textual. The framework provides up to 36 different clusters for describing any item, especially those of a complex nature such as appliances and enterprises such as the organization, its people and technologies. The framework also provides six distinct outlooks by providing six different transformations of a single idea. This provides a holistic picture of the environment. Each row in the framework details a distinct view of the solution from a certain perspective. All perspectives take into account the requirements of the other points of view, and the limitations imposed by the other points of view. The rows include the scope, which details the planner’s view. This is the initial architectural sketch that shows the size, partial relationships, shape and purpose of the structure. The row is for an investor requiring the outline of the system, such as what it would cost, and the manner in which it will relate to its operational environment. The second row shows the owner’s view and shows the eventual building from the owner’s view, constituting designs for business by showing how different processes relate to one another. The designer’s view, on the other hand, implies the architect’s plan, detailing the translations of drawings and corresponds to the system module established by the system analyst. The fourth row shows the builder’s view, which details the technology model where the contractor reconstructs the architect’s plans to represent the builder’s view. This row deals with technology models that adapt the system’s model to aspects such as programming languages and input and output (I/O). The subcontractor’s view shows subsections of the system, corresponding to the specifications supplied by programmers. In addition, this row shows the details of the components, of modular system software being procured. The last row shows the actual system view, which identifies the functioning enterprise and manages it. In the columns, on the other hand, each view centers on the same question and answers it from that precise perspective, stabling different models that translate from greater to lower viewpoints (Geiger, Zachman & Inmon, 1997). The basic module for the focal point thus remains even while the model of each column is described individually. The six columns focus of the following questions and viewpoints: 1. The description of data (what). 2. The description of functionality (how). 3. The description of the network (where). 4. The description of people (who). 5. The description of time (when). 6. The description of motivation (why). The following diagram shows a summary of the Zachman Framework (Geiger, Zachman & Inmon, 1997). Conclusion In conclusion, what makes the framework exceptional is that all the elements on both axes are different, and representations in an individual cell of the matrix are not necessarily successive levels of increasing detail, but rather entirely different representations in terms of motivation, use, meaning and context. Therefore, because all elements on both axes are different from one another, it is practical to identify where they all belong in each cell of the matrix. References Geiger, J. G., Zachman, J. A., & Inmon, W. H. (1997).  Data stores, data warehousing, and the Zachman framework: Managing enterprise knowledge. New York: McGraw-Hill. Read More