The use of Viable System Model to develop guidelines for generating Enterprise Architecture Principles

Enterprise Architecture Principles (EAPs) are regarded as a pivotal element in the definition of Enterprise Architecture (EA). However, the EA discipline still suffers from some fundamental limitations, such as the lack of guidelines for developing a generic set of principles and a theoretical basis for developing them. Assuming enterprises as viable systems, this paper suggests a set of design principles based on the concepts of cybernetics, especially those embedded in the Viable System Model (VSM). These principles are fundamental requirements for any viable systems, and therefore, must be complied with by the organization in order to remain viable. The suggested design principles can be used as guidelines in proposing, developing, and evaluating a set of comprehensive EAPs. As a practical example, this set of generic principles is customized for an Australian government department based on their priorities specifically to cover their architectural needs in adopting new technologies.