Smart Solution Architecture
We use Solution Architecture to Provide a Roadmap for Delivering Various Capabilities in your Organisation
Once an agile business and information technology architecture design has been done, a roadmap for implementing the design needs to be created. Using our Smart Solution Architecture offering, we assist our clients across Africa to identify solutions and implementation roadmaps, in line with their defined enterprise architecture.
The solution architecture then also enables us to identify and execute the governance functions needed for cost-effective implementation.
SMART Solution Architecture
At Knotion we differentiate between solution architecture and enterprise architecture. While enterprise architecture involves creating the visionary architecture of an organisation, in the practice of solution architecture, we focus on the integration of the architecture thinking into the organisation.
Part of this process is the identification of suitable solution building blocks and the identification of the delta between the architecture and the solution building blocks. The delta’s are grouped into suitable work packages together with an effective approach to implementing the solutions and closing the deltas.
All of this will help to realise the high level enterprise architecture vision.
YOUR BENEFIT
The approach and strategy for integrating, configuring and/or development of required systems, products, technologies and procedures
are communicated to the relevant teams in a clear and concise manner. There will also be a link between the strategy and the implementation.
Implementation Governance
Our approach to implementation governance is to ensure that the implementation partner delivers as per the agreement. In essence Knotion will act as an independent oversight on the project. Knotion has developed a successful and well tested governance methodology to ensure successful alignment between the client, the implementation partner and Knotion.
During this phase we produce a plan for awareness programmes, training and workshops to ensure a successful realisation of the solution. Successful implementation relies on integrating governance into the stipulated project management method. During this phase the focus will be on ensuring conformance of the deployed solution with the target architecture.
YOUR BENEFIT
Assured delivery on the implementation of your enterprise architecture solution. Potential cost saving due to unnecessary project cost increases.
Information Architecture
Unlike data architecture, information architecture is about collecting, recording, organising, connecting and interpreting data from both inside and outside the organisation in order to evaluate the enterprise landscape. Information, at all levels across the management structures, is essential for directing the organisation.
Successful information architecture depends on understanding the key processes, identifying where information is needed and gaining a clear picture of the future use of knowledge and information in the organisation. Understanding stakeholder needs (concerns, requirements, drivers and pain points obtained from stakeholder analysis) is very important in this process.
YOUR BENEFIT
Documented unique value propositions for information architecture with some potential quick-win initiatives.
Operating Model Design
Many business challenges, including restructuring, responding to competitor activities, adding new product lines, implementing new technology as well as mergers or acquisitions requires operating model design and re-alignment. When organisations merge, there are various capabilities that will be duplicated and there are some that are different and provide key competitive advantage – the main reason for the merger and acquisition in the first place.
An organisation is a complex system and an operating model helps to break it down into components, showing how it works. This will assist in tracking that all elements have been considered during decision making and that it can still operate as a whole.
We re-design the enterprise architecture of the new entity to streamline the operating model and eliminate duplication in capabilities. The operating model we provide, describes the way your organisation is doing business – the “as is”, as well as the vision of how an operation will work in the future – the “to be”. The operating model will focus on the delivery element of your business model.
We also model and classify capabilities based on the following criteria: key competitive, core and supporting capabilities.
YOUR BENEFIT
Understanding the various capabilities and their value within the organisation helps management to make informed decisions about the future direction of the organisation. It will also provide insights over time on the correlation between success and the operating model.
