Presenting A Method for Benchmarking Application in the Enterprise Architecture Planning Process Based on Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework

One of the main challenges of the enterprise architecture planning process is its time consuming and to some extend having unrealistic results from this process under heading target architecture products. Getting best practices in this area can be to a large extent effective in speed up and quality enhanced of the results of enterprise architecture planning. Utilization of best practices in most methodologies and the enterprise architecture planning process guidelines namely EAP Methodology presented by Steven Spewak [14] also BSP Methodology produced by IBM [15], have been recommended. However there have been no presentation of any process or a specific method which would lead to benchmarking at enterprise architectural planning level. In this paper, a systematic and documented approach to employ benchmarking in the enterprise architecture planning process is being presented which can be used to assess the equally successful enterprises as best practices in target architecture documentation or by building a transition plan , utilize the enterprise architecture planning process. No doubt in order to have a basic and specific framework and also because of its vast application in governmental and nongovernmental organizations, federal enterprise architect reference models are utilized, though other frameworks and their presented reference models can also be used. Results obtained from proposed approach are indicative of reduced enterprise architecture planning process time especially the target architecture documentation, also risks reduction in this process and increased reliability in production.