Course Description

This free course is an introduction to architectural thinking.

It explains why architectural thinking matters, and how it differs from other ways of thinking.

It will be useful and interesting to anyone with an interest in architecture, and in particular to anyone studying enterprise architecture.

The course is an ongoing project, and I would really welcome your feedback and suggestions for improvements!

Enterprise Architect - trainer, mentor, and coach

Roger Evernden

My name is Roger Evernden. I’ve been an enterprise architect since 1984, specializing in the highly practical use of EA to manage organizational transformation. I work as advisor, mentor, and coach on EA initiatives, lead training workshops, and write regularly about strategy and architecture. I provide a unique combination of training and tools to help architects and their teams throughout an EA program and at each capability level. These online training modules provide a thorough grounding of all key techniques, with practical examples, exercises, and demonstrations. As architect of the Information FrameWork (IFW), I helped pioneer many contemporary EA techniques, including the use of industry reference models, business capability analysis, and component-based building blocks. My work has been the basis for more than 400 business and IT architecture initiatives worldwide. I write extensively about enterprise architecture and TOGAF®, and my articles have appeared in major publications and books, including the seminal article on IFW in IBM's Systems Journal. I am author of two books about EA: Enterprise Architecture — The Eight Fundamental Factors and 101 Lessons from Enterprise Architecture. I work as an independent consultant, and as a Senior Consultant with Cutter Consortium's Business & Enterprise Architecture practice.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    1. Introduction

    • Architectural Thinking - A Brief Introduction

    • What Is Architectural Thinking

    • Riding A Bike

    • Concerns And Decision Making

    • Similar But Different Types Of Thinking

    • Context Context Context

  • 2

    2. Key elements in architectural thinking

    • The Ten Core Principles Of Enterprise Architecture

    • Levels Of Understanding - Overview

    • Moving Up Or Down The Levels

    • Governance Versus Engagement

    • Architecture And Solution Alone

  • 3

    3. Architectural thinking and enterprise architecture

    • Why We Do Enterprise Architecture

  • 4

    4. Architectural versus systems thinking

    • Reality versus imaginary

    • A system has an architecture

    • A system of systems

    • Changing a system

    • The characteristics of systems thinking

    • The characteristics of architecture

    • Degrees of change

  • 5

    5. Examples of how enterprise architects think

    • EXERCISE - Contexts And Patterns

    • Hierarchies And Patterns

    • Pillars And Layers - OSIMM

    • Reasons For Partitioning

    • The Funnel Affect Of Good EA Partitioning

    • Capability Level Enterprise Patterns

    • Options Roadmaps And Alternative Routes

    • Providing Decision Makers With Metrics And Criteria

    • Mapping Architectural Change

    • Seeking Strong Patterns

  • 6

    6. Anecdotes and stories about architectural thinking

    • Starting The Debate

Reviews

5 star rating

Architectural Thinking

Eduardo Pulido

Excellent summary and insight About EA. Overview of it made simple and effective.

Excellent summary and insight About EA. Overview of it made simple and effective.

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5 star rating

From Architectural Thinking To Architectural Practice!

Berik Orazov

Many thanks, Mr. Evernden, for such useful course! Any action should followed by a right thinking. Known, very difficult to change a thinking from an un...

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Many thanks, Mr. Evernden, for such useful course! Any action should followed by a right thinking. Known, very difficult to change a thinking from an unstructural to a structural. I wish you many new courses and followers! Sincerely, your follower Berik Orazov.

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5 star rating

Very nice overview of the Architecture Thinking

Goran Stevanovic

I like it. Architecture is an art of thinking, not a technical field by itself. Yet it is not detached from the solutions, coding, and actual operation of t...

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I like it. Architecture is an art of thinking, not a technical field by itself. Yet it is not detached from the solutions, coding, and actual operation of the ICT system, well said! For me Architecture Thinking means; we do not Architect for the Architecture sake, but to address & fix real problems. So, it's not about TOGAF or any framework, it is about applying the appropriate approach in the situation where we happen to be, at the time we have to apply this "thinking" process. TOGAF and other frameworks are here to help, but not to constrain us.

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5 star rating

A must-know for anyone wishing to improve the quality of ...

Fernando Felman

An excellent introduction to Architecture Thinking and a solid overview to the Levels of Thinking model. I see both are highly relevant in the articulation o...

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An excellent introduction to Architecture Thinking and a solid overview to the Levels of Thinking model. I see both are highly relevant in the articulation of the EA discipline at large, and the role EA takes in the context of the Digital age and the lean enterprise. Thank you for making this content freely available in contributing to a more informed discussion which would benefit all of us!

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5 star rating

Good overview of key EA aspects

Eamon Walsh

This is a very clean and clear presentation, and discusses some of the key aspects of enterprise architecture, and presents useful tools for improving any en...

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This is a very clean and clear presentation, and discusses some of the key aspects of enterprise architecture, and presents useful tools for improving any enterprise architecture capability.

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5 star rating

Wholesome, Practical and Insightful

Lukumon Balogun

The delivery was clear and practical. The visuals and materials are apt. Excellent delivery.

The delivery was clear and practical. The visuals and materials are apt. Excellent delivery.

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5 star rating

A excellent overview of a complex field

Nick Trosh

This course is an excellent overview and I have found it very useful. It is largely agnostic of architecture framework (although TOGAF is mentioned a few tim...

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This course is an excellent overview and I have found it very useful. It is largely agnostic of architecture framework (although TOGAF is mentioned a few times) and doesn't get lost in the detail of a particular method, language or tool. Roger understands the field to the extent that he is able to explain the complex nature of architecture in simple terms. Whether you are new to the field, or a seasoned professional, I can highly recommend this course.

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5 star rating

Simple and impressive

Vishal Vashishta

Very well described. The author is knowledgeable and has been able to use his expertise to visualise and help explain in a very easy to understand manner

Very well described. The author is knowledgeable and has been able to use his expertise to visualise and help explain in a very easy to understand manner

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5 star rating

Vimal Kumar Ramakrishnan

5 star rating

Introduction to Architectural Thinking

George Morton

I really enjoyed the course. The introduction to Architectural Thinking was an eye opener. Thank you.

I really enjoyed the course. The introduction to Architectural Thinking was an eye opener. Thank you.

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5 star rating

Sanjay S Ray

5 star rating

Very clear and thoght provoking!

Bogdan Gluszkowski

Very clear and thoght provoking!

Very clear and thoght provoking!

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3 star rating

Newbie...

Mehtap Koçak

I may be considered as a very experienced IT security specialist, in years who naturally found herself in designing the corporate IT security infrastructure....

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I may be considered as a very experienced IT security specialist, in years who naturally found herself in designing the corporate IT security infrastructure. But as a strong believer of "each topic needs special, focused attention" approach, I'm trying to understand what it needs to be a real IT security architect in real, not accidentially. So this course was my first step to understanding. Thank you for this free opportunity of starting to learn.

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