Executive Education

This twelve-week course provides students with an understanding of how Enterprise
Architecture (EA) can be used in digital business design. Upon course completion
students will:
 Understand what an operational backbone is and how it impacts the operating
model of the enterprise.
 Understand what a digital platform is and how it can be the foundation for a
whole new business model.
 Understand the importance of shared customer insights and how to work with
customer-centricity in the architecture practice.
 Understand how to balance alignment and agility by using an accountability
framework.
 Understand how an external developer platform can help an enterprise in
scaling its business model.
 Understand how to evaluate the five building blocks of digital business design
in a given context.
 Understand how to build a roadmap for digital business deign by using
enterprise architecture practices.
 Understand how EA uses strategic priorities and business requirements to drive
IT solution development, and implementation.
 Understand enterprise architecture’s role in digital transformation.
 Have participated in on-line threaded discussions of EA topics with fellow
students that will bring out real-world experiences in dealing with EA issues,
challenges, and opportunities.
 Have written a final paper about a self-selected theme within EA that shows
how the student applies architectural thinking in a digital business design
context.

Prerequisite

To enroll in this course, you must have successfully completed the Enterprise
Architecture Fundamentals course.

Required Textbook
Jeanne W. Ross, Cynthia M. Beath and Martin Mocker (2021) Designed for Digital - How
to Architect Your Business for Sustained Success. MIT Press.  ISBN-13:   978-
0262542760 

Topics
Lecture 1:      Introductions and EA Practice Review
Lecture 2:      Enterprise Ambidexterity: The Two Kinds of Digital
Lecture 3:      Digital Offerings and Shared Customer Insights
Lecture 4:      Operational Backbone
Lecture 5:      Digital Platforms
Lecture 6:      Accountability Framework and Digital Governance
Lecture 7:      External Developer Platforms
Lecture 8:      Building a Digital Roadmap
Lecture 9:      Roadmaps and Operating Models
Lecture 10:    Enterprise Architects’ Mental Models
Lecture 11:    From Business Capabilities to Business Outcomes
Lecture 12:    Project presentations and final Q & A
 
Weekly Schedule
A one-hour online Zoom session (lecture) is held every Tuesday from 2:15pm EST /
7:15 EST. The Zoom link is available on the course website and all sessions are
recorded.   
Topics and Assignment Reviews are mandatory. 
Student Q & A time is also provided.