Enterprise Architecture Management (EAM)

Enterprise Architecture Management can become a decisive management tool. By systematically linking projects with KPIs, processes and the IT landscape, a uniform picture of the situation is created - a genuine single source of truth. This creates transparency regarding dependencies and priorities, which enables targeted management of initiatives. But EAM is much more than just modeling structures: it is above all a communication tool that promotes dialogue between specialist departments, IT and management. With proven blueprints and clear communication mechanisms, strategic decisions can be made on a sound basis and collaboration across departmental boundaries can be sustainably improved.

A medium-sized retailer is facing a classic challenge: three major transformation initiatives are running in parallel - the introductionleading a new ERP-Systems, the introduction of a CRM system and the digitalization of the service business. The project teams involved work largely independently of each other. There is no central view of dependencies, affected processes and data flows.

To solve this problem, an architecture-based project map is created as part of an EAM pilot project. Each project is linked to the affected business capabilities, processes and applications. From this, the company can quickly derive the first meaningful results:

• ERP and CRM project use some of the same customer data

• Both projects want to build interfaces to the service portal

• The CRM project plays a key strategic role for the "After-Sales"

The result: cost savings through synergies, clear governance and focused management in line with the corporate strategy.

Enterprise Architecture Management serves as a strategic compass for the targeted management of a wide range of transformation initiatives. Linking projects with KPIs, processes and IT systems creates central transparency ("single source of truth"), which avoids duplication of work and conflicting objectives. EAM also promotes communication between IT, specialist departments and management.

Business capabilities are a central concept in enterprise architecture management (EAM). They describe what a company does - not how it does it. They therefore form a common language that is understood across departmental and IT boundaries.

Examples of such capabilities include purchasing, customer interaction or error forecasting. Business capabilities are usually structured hierarchically: Higher-level capabilities can be broken down into finer sub-capabilities, creating a structured view of the organization.

It is important to make a clear distinction here: a chatbot, for example, would not be a skill, but a technical solution that can support or improve a skill - in this case, customer interaction.

Through this neutral, technology-independent view, business capabilities create structure and clarity. They promote a common basis of understanding between business and IT without slipping into methodological complexity - and thus become the heart of a modern EAM approach. An example of the relevant capabilities can be found in the graphic above.

A medium-sized mechanical engineering company is facing a clear challenge: the sales department is demanding the introduction of a customer portal through which dealers and end customers can order spare parts directly. The IT department should "simply build a portal" - but the actual goals remain unclear for the time being. There is the threat of a familiar communication pattern between business and IT: requirements are formulated as solutions without understanding the underlying "why".

As part of the EAM initiative the approach is changing. Instead of going straight into implementation, the enterprise architects ask specifically: "What Fcapability do you actually want to strengthen with this?" This discussion makes it clear: It's not about a portal per se, but about the ability to manage customer relationships efficiently - from ordering spare parts to after-sales support.

This shared view quickly yields concrete insights:

• The portal strengthens customer self-service capability and relieves the burden on sales

• Existing systems for product data and order processing must be integrated

• New customer communication processes are required to handle queries efficiently

A common understanding between business departments, IT and management is crucial for the success of change initiatives - Enterprise Architecture Management supports this by creating a technology-independent, common language that enables clarity about goals, dependencies and relationships and thus translates technical requirements into business-oriented solutions, as the example of the mechanical engineering company shows, where the demand for a customer portal became a strategic project to strengthen customer relationship capability.

Enterprise Architecture Management provides the necessary overview of applications, costs, responsibilities and business relevance. With modern EAM tools such as BIC EAM or SAP LeanIX companies can capture, evaluate and visualize their entire application landscape.

This allows you to answer specific questions such as:

• Which applications are actively used - and which are idle?

• Where are there functional redundancies, i.e. several tools for the same target?

EAM combines technical, commercial and organizational perspectives for this purpose: The architectural view shows where applications are anchored, while cost data and usage information create transparency about efficiency and profitability. On this basis, management can make well-founded decisions - for example, which systems should be consolidated or decommissioned.

Modern platforms such as BIC or SAP LeanIX offerfor automated analyses and dashboards that make cost comparisons, usage patterns and redundancies visible -without increasing complexity. Analyses such as the application matrix above provide a quick overview of cost priorities and the use of duplicate applications. For example, the chart clearly shows that only Sales & Marketing uses Salesforce for its procurement management, while everyone else still relies on email programs.

An international service company is facing a familiar problem: IT costs are rising, but no one can say exactly why. The management demands clarity - the IT department should "cut costs".

As part of the EAM initiative, the team begins to record the entire application landscape in the tool. Surprising findings quickly emerge:

• Multiple departments independently use different tools for reporting and collaboration.

• Licenses continue to run even though the corresponding systems are hardly used.

• Costs for maintenance and operation of older on-premise applications are disproportionately high.

Through structured analysis, the EAM team identifies specific potential savings:

• Merging three redundant tools into one central solution.

• Discontinuation of obsolete applications with a low degree of utilization.

• Negotiating better license models through clear usage data.

Within a few months, a consolidated, transparent IT landscape is created. The savings are measurable - and more importantly: IT and specialist departments gain joint control over their digital investments.

IT costs can only be managed sustainably if there is transparency about applications, usage and value contribution. Enterprise architecture management creates precisely this transparency by linking applications, costs and business objectives.

Modern tools such as BIC EAM or SAP LeanIX support companies in carrying out targeted analyses, avoiding duplicate structures and realizing potential savings - without creating additional complexity.

In short: If you don't just want to manage your IT, but actively shape it, you need EAM as a management tool - not Excel.