Pia Gustafsson

EAF2- A Framework for Categorizing Enterprise Architecture Frameworks

What constitutes an enterprise architecture framework is a contested subject. The contents of present enterprise architecture frameworks thus differ substantially. This paper aims to alleviate the confusion regarding which framework contains what by proposing a meta framework for enterprise architecture frameworks. By using this meta framework, decision makers are able to express their requirements on what their enterprise architecture framework must contain and also to evaluate whether the existing frameworks meets these requirements. An example classification of common EA frameworks illustrates the approach.

Quantifying IT Impacts on Organizational Structure and Business Value with Extended Influence Diagrams

This paper presents a framework for analysis of how IT systems add business value by causally affecting the structure of organizations. The well established theory of organizational behavior developed by Mintzberg combined with more recent research on business value of IT is used to develop a quantitative theoretical framework showing which business values are affected by IT in relation to the organizational structure. This framework, which is based upon a qualitative equivalent developed in an earlier paper, describes relationships in an Extended Influence Diagram for quantified conditional probability tables and open up for an empirical appliance. Hence obtained data can be mathematically expressed for more sound assessments. The intention is to create a fully functioning tool for analyses of what kind of IT system should be used by an organization with a given structure to maximize its business value.

Modeling the IT Impact on Organizational Structure

The impact IT systems have on organizations is widely debated, both in academia and industry. This paper describes a quantitative framework for analyzing organizational impact from IT systems. The framework consists of an abstract model that is a metamodel suitable for expressing organizational structure incorporated with an extended influence diagram for analysis. The purpose is to create enterprise architecture (EA) models that can be used for analysis of the enterprise. The framework has been validated through a case study where the framework has been used to analyze the changes in organizational structure after the introduction of an IT system.

Improving the value assessment of IT investments: A case study

A recent survey showed that 90% of the studied companies claimed that they have full control of their IT-costs but less than 10% have the same control of the value the IT adds. Even though the Figures can be questioned they show of a large uncertainty within the companies regarding IT value. The lack of processes and methods to support follow up of the investments lead to that companies fail to perceive if the benefits are realized or not. In order to take smarter investment decisions, companies must have better control of their investments through a proper evaluation of benefits. This work presents a framework that describes a method and suggested tools of how the business values of an IT investment can be assessed within a company. The framework combines existing methods for practitioners within the area of investment evaluation together with research findings. In a case study a gap analysis were performed between five different IT projects of different sizes and the framework. The case study show in which areas the projects fail in their value assessment work.