Build Your EA Practice Strategy | Info-Tech Research Group

Organizations operate amid accelerating change and complexity, with intertwined systems, overlapping processes, and increasing pressure to adapt. Enterprise architecture (EA) brings order to that complexity – the scaffolding that supports the technologies, data, applications, and capabilities needed to achieve strategic priorities. This blueprint helps you build a strategy for your EA practice.

EA’s role is often perceived as an overly bureaucratic function rather than an enabler of value delivery. To change misperceptions and gain strategic visibility, EA leaders must engage stakeholders proactively to understand their concerns, shape strategy, and anchor every architectural decision in organizational priorities. A well-defined EA practice will provide a data-informed and strategically aligned foundation for enterprise change, technology investments, portfolio decisions, and solution delivery across the organization.

1. Demonstrate the “why” of EA.

If stakeholders do not understand EA’s overarching role, they are more likely to dismiss it as a technical concern or decision-making bottleneck. Get them on board by linking their most pressing pain points directly to EA’s ability to resolve or improve them.

2. Silo-proof the process.

Without guidance, organizational units gravitate toward siloed decisions. Design an engagement model that specifies where and how EA participates in planning, delivery, and operations. Without that clarity, teams may involve EA too late – or not at all.

3. Start small, ramp up later.

Imposing rigid EA standards too early can alienate teams, stifle innovation, and restrict flexibility. Start with promoting good EA principles and guidelines, then gradually implement broader standards as the organization matures.

Use this step-by-step blueprint to build an EA practice strategy to support transformational growth

This blueprint is the first step in your EA journey and includes templates, tools, and planning documents to position EA as a high-value strategic discipline. Use this step-by-step approach to make the case for EA in your organization, build early buy-in, and set the stage for deeper operating model and governance design.

Create your value proposition by capturing your strategic priorities and illustrating EA’s role and contributions.
Set your EA practice fundamentals by listing your EA objectives and metrics, clarifying scope, and listing guiding principles.
Envision your EA practice future state by prioritizing your EA services and describing your engagement, governance, and deployment models.
Plan your EA practice rollout by road mapping your EA practice and building your communication plan.

Build Your EA Practice Strategy Research & Tools

1. Build Your EA Practice Strategy – A step-by-step guide to building your EA practice strategy from the fundamentals to the final roadmap.

Prepare your EA practice strategy roadmap with this comprehensive research deck.

Define EA’s role and value proposition by aligning with organizational priorities and stakeholder needs.
Design your EA operating model, services, and governance structures so that they are achievable.
Develop your EA roadmap with clear objectives, metrics, and change management activities to support sustainable growth.

2. EA Practice Strategy Template – A customizable framework to design and communicate your EA strategy.

Document your EA practice plans in stakeholder-ready language using this template.

Establish your EA vision, mission, and objectives by aligning them with organizational priorities and stakeholder needs.
Define EA services, operating model, and governance structures to ensure EA delivers tangible organizational value.
Build your roadmap and communication plan with supporting templates for risk, change, and stakeholder engagement management.

3. EA Introduction Presentation Template – An educational tool to communicate EA’s role and value to stakeholders.

Customize this presentation template to introduce EA’s role and value to executives and stakeholders unfamiliar with the discipline.

Define and communicate what EA is and how it supports strategy, decision-making, and innovation.
Showcase EA’s value proposition and services in terms executives and stakeholders understand.
Use a structured slide flow to tell a compelling EA story aligned with your organization’s priorities.

4. EA Services Assessment and Planning Tool – A structured workbook to evaluate and prioritize EA services.

Deploy this Excel-based tool to systematically assess your current state and chart a path to your target state.

Evaluate your current EA services against stakeholder expectations and organizational needs.
Identify gaps and maturity levels to understand where EA services must be developed or optimized.
Prioritize and plan EA services by mapping them to organizational value, resource capacity, and strategic outcomes.

5. EA Practice Strategy One Pager Template – A concise, executive-ready summary of your EA strategy.

Distill your EA strategy into a single, high-impact summary.

Educate decision-makers about the role of EA across the organization in a consumable format.
Highlight the vision, objectives, and value proposition in clear, organization-focused language.
Share a roadmap and key priorities to secure buy-in quickly and early.

6. EA Strategy Workshop Sanitized Report – An example workshop summary to inform EA strategy planning.

See how one organization defined its EA planning approach through this sanitized workshop summary.

View the example organization’s EA value proposition and fundamentals.
See how workshop sessions can translate current and target state assessments into clear action items.
Review messaging and strategies for communicating EA practice strategy to stakeholders to get them on board.

Member Testimonials

After each Info-Tech experience, we ask our members to quantify the real-time savings, monetary impact, and project improvements our research helped them achieve. See our top member experiences for this blueprint and what our clients have to say.

9.3/10

Overall Impact

$83,360

Average $ Saved

34

Average Days Saved

Client

Experience

Impact

$ Saved

Days Saved

Testimonial

Regional Transportation District

Workshop

10/10

$136K

120

Howard is a superior facilitator. He helped steer a tough crowd towards a "fit-for-purpose" plan to launch enterprise architecture at RTD. With wor... Read More

City of Tucson Information Technology Department Office of the Deputy Director

Guided Implementation

10/10

$23,800

5

Great interactions, your consultant is highly knowledgeable and full of very useful observations. He clearly understood his domain.

IDP EDUCATION LIMITED

Guided Implementation

10/10

N/A

N/A

Very knowledgeable and experienced so valuable to assess decisions with someone impartial.

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories

Guided Implementation

10/10

N/A

N/A

as my previous answer.

Canada Energy Regulator

Guided Implementation

10/10

N/A

N/A

Wayne is amazing and he understands the uniqueness of our department and openly moves away from the templated style to enable our needs and drive u... Read More

Solvay SA

Guided Implementation

5/10

N/A

1

BOLDYN NETWORKS GROUP LIMITED

Workshop

9/10

$92,499

80

Best - Howard is a great facilitator and knows the material back to front. Worst - some of the material is not always right-sized for our size o... Read More

Amedisys Holding, LLC

Guided Implementation

7/10

$1,088

1

I think given our capacity and investment in EA at Amedisys, the tools and practice recommended by InfoTech is not going to be a fit. We need a mor... Read More

The Boyd Group Inc.

Workshop

9/10

N/A

20

Best parts - Helped raise my teams awareness and level of strategic thinking as pertains to EA. Helped us form a shared consensus of what it means... Read More

City of Scottsdale, Arizona

Guided Implementation

10/10

$13,600

50

An excellent way to leverage the concept of "standing on the shoulders" of the people that came before you-learn the good and not make the mistakes... Read More

Firstmac Limited

Guided Implementation

7/10

$1,800

2

positive alignment session on the arcitectural approach linking to business capability

Alcoa Corporation

Guided Implementation

10/10

N/A

N/A

As we continue to navigate our Enterprise Architecture (EA) journey, his invaluable advice and guidance was great input. His insights have always b... Read More

Oregon Department of Employment

Workshop

10/10

N/A

N/A

Howard Feng did a great job facilitating this workshop. Howard is very knowledgeable and gave the Oregon Employment Department a great start to dev... Read More

DKV Euro Service GmbH + Co. KG

Guided Implementation

9/10

N/A

5

Wayne went above and beyond in his answers, he is a truly experienced EA

Oregon Secretary of State

Guided Implementation

10/10

N/A

120

It's an art to distill such volume and complexity of subject matter into a distilled, digestible form.

Auckland Transport

Guided Implementation

9/10

$135K

23

Discussing the Intake Funnel / business advisory squad Info-Tech's Operational model blueprint

Kardex Germany GmbH

Guided Implementation

9/10

$25,000

20

Very good artifacts and materials, properly explained

Toronto Community Housing Corporation

Guided Implementation

10/10

$23,500

10

raise great perspectives to ensure holistic realistic thinking has been applied

Blue Cross of Idaho Health Service, Inc.

Workshop

8/10

N/A

10

Difficult to estimate financial impact. Thank you for running us through a well-organized workshop with valuable conversation. We look forward to... Read More

Loto-Québec

Guided Implementation

10/10

$10,000

5

Hearst Technology, Inc.

Guided Implementation

9/10

N/A

10

Kuvare US Holdings

Guided Implementation

10/10

N/A

N/A

Worst: I was late and missed out on some time with Altaz. Best: The collaboration, understanding, and ideas/output from Altaz is fantastic. He is ... Read More

Shared Services Canada – Chief Technology Officer Branch

Guided Implementation

9/10

N/A

1

MASC

Guided Implementation

9/10

N/A

10

Good experience as a whole. Knowledgeable consultant in the topic. The service could improve by making best practice and methodologies more concr... Read More

Sydney Water

Guided Implementation

9/10

$4,550

2

Very Knowledgeable and has lost of examples and reference documents.

DPHI – Department of Planning, Housing & Infrastructure

Guided Implementation

9/10

$14,560

10

Ministry of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology

Workshop

10/10

$68,500

120

The best part was having a new understanding of what my Ministry should be trying to accomplish and replicate to other Ministries and Departments a... Read More

Halifax Port Authority

Guided Implementation

8/10

$50,000

20

Nitin provided an excellent overview of Info-Tech's Enterprise Architecture strategy blueprint, including the advisory service, workshops, and cons... Read More

General Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc

Workshop

9/10

$13,700

5

Overall the experience was excellent. The best part was working on the EA Services RACI and Roadmap. The worst part was we could have used more t... Read More

California Department of Toxic Substances Control

Guided Implementation

10/10

$2,740

50

Nitin is an excellent consultant and advisor, he definitely has added value and insight in DTSC's creation of an EA strategy.

Load More Testimonials

Enterprise Architecture

EA teams need to understand the dynamic relationship between organizational complexity, operational maturity, and stakeholder value. This relationship forms the foundation for building value-driven roadmaps anchored in stakeholder needs..
This course makes up part of the Service Planning & Architecture Certificate.

Please note that Academy course and certificate tracks will be updated on June 1, 2025. Please complete any current course you are enrolled in before this date or your progress will be lost.

Course Modules: 4
Estimated Completion Time: 1 hour

Now Playing:
Executive Brief

An active membership is required to access Info-Tech Academy

Workshop: Build Your EA Practice Strategy

Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

Module 1: Create Your Value Proposition

The Purpose

State the value your EA practice will deliver to your organization.

Key Benefits Achieved

Defining the role your EA practice will play in your context.

Recognition of the strategic priorities EA is expected to address.

Identifying the contributions your EA practice will provide to meet your strategic priorities.

Activities

Outputs

1.1

Illustrate your EA practice role.

Your interpretation of EA practice’s role.

1.2

Capture your strategic priorities.

EA value statements.

1.3

Reveal EA’s contributions.

List of EA contributions to achieve your EA value statements.

Module 2: Set Your EA Practice Fundamentals

The Purpose

Set the expectations and scope of your EA practice.

Key Benefits Achieved

Define achievable objectives and measurable metrics for your EA practice.

Clarify the scope of your EA practice.

List the principles that will guide your EA practice.

Activities

Outputs

2.1

List your EA objectives and metrics.

EA objectives and metrics.

2.2

Clarify EA’s scope.

Defined organizational coverage, architectural domains and depth, and planning time horizon.

2.3

List your EA guiding principles.

EA guiding principles.

Module 3: Envision Your EA Practice Future State

The Purpose

Create the initial design of your EA practice future state.

Key Benefits Achieved

List the EA services your practice will deliver.

Discuss the initial considerations of your EA engagement, governance, and deployment models.

Activities

Outputs

3.1

Assess and plan your EA services.

EA services current state assessment and plan.

3.2

Describe your EA engagement model.

Initial engagement model design.

3.3

Describe your EA governance model.

EA governance needs.

3.4

Describe your EA deployment model.

Decision on EA deployment approach.

Module 4: Plan Your EA Practice Rollout

The Purpose

Create an achievable roadmap for your EA practice and your communication plan.

Key Benefits Achieved

Achievable EA practice implementation roadmap.

EA stakeholder communication plan.

Activities

Outputs

4.1

Roadmap your EA practice.

EA practice roadmap, organizational change management plan, and risk assessment.

4.2

Build your communication plan.

EA communication plan.

Craft the practice your organization needs to solve the problems your stakeholders care about the most.

About Info-Tech

Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.

We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst

Get the help you need in this 4-phase advisory process. You'll receive 9 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.

Guided Implementation 1: Create Your Value Proposition

Call 1: Describe the role you need the EA practice to be.
Call 2: Understand the pains your stakeholders experience.
Call 3: List your EA contributions and their expected value.

Guided Implementation 2: Set Your EA Practice Fundamentals

Call 1: Define the objectives and metrics of your EA practice.
Call 2: Discuss the scope and principles of your EA practice.

Guided Implementation 3: Envision Your EA Practice Future State

Call 1: Assess and plan your EA services.
Call 2: Review your EA practice target state.

Guided Implementation 4: Plan Your EA Practice Rollout

Call 1: Build your EA practice roadmap.
Call 2: Review your EA practice strategy and one pager.

Author

Andrew Kum-Seun

Contributors

Murali Vemulapalli, Chief Enterprise Architect, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Kam Panchal, Head Enterprise Architect, Farm Mutual Re

Gary Boyd, President, Healthy ConEXions LLC

Mark Pearson, Vice President, Enterprise Architecture, Fiserv

4 anonymous contributors

Search Code: 74166
Last Revised: October 9, 2025

TAGS:

enterprise architecture, EA fundamentals, value prop, enterprise architecture team, EA team, EA goals, EA objectives, stakeholder approval, vision statement, mission statement, goals, objectives, drivers, stakeholders, agility, design an ea strategy, LFBP

Visit our IT’s Moment: A Technology-First Solution for Uncertain Times Resource Center
Over 100 analysts waiting to take your call right now: +1 (703) 340 1171