TOGAF® 9 has been put together with you in mind, it seeks to put at your disposal the knowledge and tools that will enable you the expert in your field to articulate how you will meet the challenges you face day in day out. To find solutions that will result in a business decision delivered against, a design problem solved and what we all seek to achieve, a business goal met.

What is TOGAF® 9+ all about?

Remember TOGAF® is not the end, its just the start. Now with the bundle options available you can start to shape that EA future and help Architect the Business for future success.

How does TOGAF® 9+ work?

Buy a TOGAF 9 for Practioners or Enterprise Architecture for Practioners course.

+ Receive at no extra charge 3 months access to our EA for Telecoms (Foundation) course with an option to buy the full version at a reduced rate.

+ Receive the opportunity to buy one of the following options at a special discounted rate not normally available on these products:-

Delme Jones for the AtE team

The aim of the exam preparation pack is to provide additional support for Architecting the Enterprise students and help to put you in a position in which you have the knowledge, understanding and confidence to pass this exam, as well as helping us to maintain our enviable pass rate within the market.

How does the exam prep pack achieve these goals?

1. Students will have access to online content, based on the TOGAF® specification and focused around the learning outcomes of the course that form the basis for the examination questions.


2. Students will also have access to an online workbook - by working through questions in a similar layout to those in the exam in an online environment students gain valuable experience of what to expect come exam day.


3. Students will be invited to our regularly scheduled webinars that are led by our subject matter experts. These sessions place the spotlight on a number of key learning outcomes as well as providing an opportunity to have direct contact to a TOGAF expert and ask any questions you may have!

As a student on one of our courses Architecting the Enterprise want you to understand that you are not ‘going it alone’ in your exam preparation and through our structured exam prep package you will receive all the support you need to take and pass whatever TOGAF examination you are faced with!

To find out more about this offer please get in contact with a member of the team today (Tel: +44 (0) 2081 229 150, Email: sales@architecting-the-enterprise.com.)

Tom Boyce for the AtE team

Architecting the Enterprise will be sponsoring the Next Open Group conference that takes place in Sydney from 15 – 18 April 2013.

Presentations include:

• TOGAF®, the Enterprise Architecture standard used by the world’s leading organizations to improve business efficiency and facilitate enterprise transformation


• business solutions, best practices, case studies presented by industry experts and current trends


• he process in which EA can create a foundation for Enterprise Transformation that business managers can understand and use to their advantage


• the benefits of EA in enabling the enterprise to successfully adapt to ‘disruptive technologies’ like Cloud Computing and ubiquitous mobile access


• transformation management principles – making the whole process more a matter of design than chance

For more information on this event, visit: Conference Website

Architecting the Enterprise looks forward to the opportunity of meeting you at the event, in order to make this possible, we are offering a discount to our clients and contacts. In addition to meeting with our team at the event you will have the opportunity to find out more about the Open Group and will be able to attend sessions and case studies describing their EA journeys.

To register for the event and to take advantage of our discount offer please click on the registration link below and quote the discount code SYD13-ATE. Register and take advantage of your discount code.

Please do visit our table at the event, we look forward to meeting you at the event

Greg for the AtE team

Vision Phase: At this initial phase, there are lots of requirements driving change and the approach to achieve set goals. You will want to understand the relevance of your architecture modelling, in terms of its role in the change programme and the level of influence you can wield. Also ensure that you’ve received requirements and conducted assessments of the current state of the organization to ensure that you have ascertained the level of organizational readiness to embark on enterprise architecture. In achieving these, remember that visualisation is a powerful tool to wield. Architecture is a collection of perceptions of many individuals. It mirrors the true state of an enterprise because it reflects cohesive organizational values, and especially, in times of transition, you can tell what shouts louder. So, ascertain the value of using the ArchiMate® modelling language, to bring these perceptions to life. Use the concepts from the ArchiMate® 2.0 Motivation extension to reveal what the true and realistic goals are, and more essentially, how they highlight your constraints, which could be either at an organizational level, infrastructure level, financial, regulatory, or social influences. Do not underestimate the power of an individual stakeholder to influence change within your organization!

Design Phase: At this phase, you want to choose your team or identify with a preset team, and then define your working standards. Get your team trained up to industry standards through one of our ArchiMate® courses, such as, ArchiMate® 2 for Practitioners. The challenge you’ll find is that most teams consist of architects and analysts with varying views on how the architecture should be represented. You’ll have to walk-through this phase to define a common understanding of the purpose of this strategy. Learn to school your team without being a ‘schoolmaster’. Decide a common vocabulary and ways of modelling your architectures, such as, your colour schema; agree and approve architecture principles and compliance mechanisms. Let your team learn restraints in modelling the entire enterprise unless required; less is more! Good modelling practice is to understand who your stakeholders are, what their concerns, interests are, in additional to relevant viewpoints that they need to see.

Trade-Off Phase: You’ll need to learn the skill of negotiation. Change is not a given anywhere; people want to know why you’re switching current business process which meets the needs, to be supported by a new technology still requiring a lot of tweaking. You will also need to learn the skills of effective communication and presentation. At Architecting the Enterprise, we provide a course, "Elevating Enterprise Architecture", which is designed to help you understand how to communicate effectively with key stakeholders, influence decisions, and recommendations for change and implementation.

Execution Phase: At this point, you would have achieved a major step where your architectural approach begins to make an impact in your organization, and almost everyone is on board...almost! Create a process whereby the models are validated by the business owners, to ensure you’ve captured key aspects to the change process. This is usually an iterative process, until the models are signed off and ready for use. Ensure you document effectively; it is important to use a tool with a good repository, so you can enforce versioning controls. Join our accredited ArchiMate® course, where delegates share their experiences in modeling and tools they use or intend to use.

Remember that there are no perfect recipes, but good practices to adopt.

All the best!

Dumebi Oderinde, PhD
Portfolio and Project Manager
Architecting the Enterprise

Agile21 recognizes the reputation, expertise and merit of Architecting the Enterprise and is very satisfied with this promising partnership.

Portuguese companies are noticing the added value of TOGAF® which is reflected in the increasing demand for this certification. It is with pleasure that we offer to the Portuguese market the certification knowledge of Architecting the Enterprise.

Português

A Agile21 apoia as organizações na actualização dos modelos de negócio rígidos e estáveis do passado, que não respondem de forma adequada às exigências de flexibilidade e diversidade dos consumidores. As dinâmicas competitivas da globalização e as mudanças na sociedade levaram à necessidade de mudanças radicais nas respostas por parte das empresas. Os nossos clientes são verdadeiros empreendedores no aspeto de melhorar a visão e a estratégia das suas empresas para um futuro imprevisível e a Agile21 participa e auxilia nesta mudança. Actualmente o foco dos negócios centra-se em treino e consultoria em Gestão de Projetos, área de expertise da empresa.

A Agile21 reconhece a máxima credibilidade, notoriedade e mérito da empresa Architecting the Enterprise e está muito satisfeita com esta promissora parceria.

As empresas portuguesas estão a perceber o valor acrescentado do TOGAF o que se reflete na crescente procura por esta certificação. É com prazer que oferecemos ao mercado português o conhecimento certificado da empresa Architecting the Enterprise.

1. Your organisational capabilities described using the Business Function concept in ArchiMate.


2. Your organisational structure including the people, roles, and responsibilities. The concepts; Actors, Roles, and their relations are used.


3. Your products and how they’re achieved, using concepts in ArchiMate, like Products, Services, and their internal Business Processes.


4. The use of Information Technology, such as, software applications, which support various aspects of your business processes can be described in the ArchiMate application layer, using concepts like the Application Component.


5. Your infrastructure layer can also be described using the ArchiMate technology layer concepts, such as, Nodes, Devices, Communications, and Networks between them.

In the interim, please do watch our ArchiMate® Tutorial that will provide you with a more detailed introduction.

Pervasive

Negotiation is very pervasive and you do it on a daily basis, whether you realise it or not. You negotiate the best deal, negotiate your employment contract, negotiate a good idea, negotiate your first date. You probably started negotiating very early in your life. Even as early as a baby you may have started crying when you wanted milk or food. Children are master negotiators and know exactly how to get what they want. Throughout your life you will try to influence and persuade others, and others will try to influence and persuade you.

Win-win solution

A result of a negotiation where one party is better off without making the other party worse is called a win-win solution. Ideally all parties in a negotiation should benefit and walk away as satisfied as possible. The Minimum Common Denominator (MCD) is the point where a negotiation only covers the original positions, or satisfaction levels, of the parties. If this were a simple negotiation then this may be sufficient for both parties. For example, if you buy a hamburger at McDonalds then you usually know what services you can expect and what you need to pay. Also the negotiation process is clear and the “negotiation” is short-term. There is no need to build up a long term relationship and communication between the parties is minimal.

Complex negotiations on the other hand include additional elements, such as

• A focus on long term relationships with the same parties in which negotiations will repeat over time;
• Multiple issues to resolve with a variety of different interests and options;
• Communication between more parties and/or across more organisations or cultures;
• Tangible as well as intangible factors that impact the negotiation.

This means that parties have a lot more space to move. Hence, there is an opportunity to negotiate beyond the MCD and create more value for both parties. The optimal result of a negotiation is where both parties maximise their level of satisfaction. In practice this does not happen very often because negotiations are generally conducted under stressful situations where parties try to get the most concessions and fight for the last possible dollar.

Building a positive working relationship and understanding the other party’s interest will facilitate a good outcome. You will not always get what you want but the total value of the negotiation often exceeds your initial position.

Interests, not positions

In many negotiations differences between people or parties are translated as a difference in positions. An example of a positional negotiation is when you haggle about an item in a second hand shop. The positions are put on the table from the start. You offer $5 and the seller asks $80. As the negotiation goes on you increase your offer and the seller decreases his price until you reach an agreement (or until you walk away from the negotiation). This kind of negotiation is also called a distributive negotiation. In distributive negotiations, a gain by one side is made at the expense of the other. A negotiation in which the parties cooperate to achieve maximum benefits by integrating their interests into an agreement, is called an integrative negotiation.

Interests are the underlying motivation, needs and drivers that support a position. Making the distinction between interests and the motivations will allow you to find alternative solutions that maximise the satisfaction of both parties. This is where you start to work on a win-win solution.

Components of a complex negotiation

A complex negotiation usually consists of three separate negotiations.

The communication negotiation

In this part of the negotiation the process is negotiated. This is where you need to agree on the way the negotiation will be conducted and what the goals are of the negotiation.

The relationship negotiation

This is the part of the negotiation where you try to establish trust. The better your relationship with the other party the better you will be able to negotiate towards a win-win solution.

The substance negotiation

This is the part of the negotiation where the value of the negotiation is articulated. It clarifies the interests, the options for mutual gain and the criteria to evaluate these options.

Let’s have a closer look at these three separate negotiations.

Communication

You can’t negotiate without communication. As a negotiator you have to facilitate good, two-way communication. Communication is essential to build a good relationship.

Opening line

Think about your core message and make this part of your opening line. Don’t underestimate your opening line, it gives a good first impression and sets the scene for the negotiation process.

Negotiate the process

Clearly communicate the goal of the meeting and what you would like to achieve together. Make sure you have the right people in the conversation.

Messages to deliver and questions to ask

Your opening line will already give a lasting impression. Consider what other messages you want to deliver? For example:

• I am here to work together with you on a solution.
• I want to negotiate a fair deal for both of us.
• I want to have a good working relationship.

Make a list of questions that you want to ask in order to get more clarity about the party’s interests, options, alternatives and criteria. And most important listen actively! Active listening proves to be one of the most difficult parts of negotiation, especially when emotions run high. Active listening is important to gather information and learn. It also promotes change in their attitudes; it makes them feel heard, it breaks the cycle of argument and repetition, and creates reciprocity or a better chance they will listen to you now.

Let’s use an example to illustrate the elements of the negotiation. Suppose you have just accepted a new job and you will need to move to another city. You found a nice property 20 minutes from the city. The property is a three bedroom house on a 1 acre section and has also a detached self contained flat. It is for rent at $500 per week. You like the property but have concerns about the high rent. You want to negotiate a good agreement with the landlord. You could start taking a position and haggle about the price but you just learned that this might not lead to a win-win situation. Instead you decide to prepare well and focus on the key elements of negotiation.

Interests

Interests are the motivators, needs, drivers, concerns and fears of the negotiating parties. Suppose you managed to do some research and came up with the following list of interests:

Your Interests

• Lowest possible rent.
• Have a rental property close to the city.
• Move as quick as possible.
• Suitable for a family (2 adults and 2 children).
• Schools for the children nearby.
• Well maintained.
• My plan is to rent for 1 year and then buy a house in the area.
• I want to minimise the risk that the landlord may give short-term notice.

Landlord Interests

• Rent that gives a good return on my investment - highest rent.
• Increase the value of the property.
• Quickly find a tenant as property is empty at the moment.
• Stable tenants, preferably longer term.
• Tenants that maintain the property well.
• Has fear that tenants may damage the house.
• House needs to be painted outside soon.

Alternatives

Alternatives are the possibilities each party has if no agreement is reached. As a negotiator you will be very weak if you don’t have alternatives to this negotiation. Keep your alternatives in mind when negotiating. Identify your BATNA (Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement) so that you can walk away from this negotiation if the alternative is better. Without a BATNA you will be very weak. Also think about the alternatives for the landlord. When is he or she likely to walk away from the negotiation.

Your alternatives

• Search for another rental property.
• Commute to new job location.
• Buy a property straight away.

Landlord alternatives

• Search for other tenants.
• Paint the house first and ask higher rent.
• Sell the house.

Options

Options are possible solutions to satisfy the interests. Note that options are different from alternatives. Options are solutions that serve the interests, and alternatives are solutions when no agreement is reached. Some options would be to:

• Lower the rent and offer to move in early.
• Rent for 1 year and buy the rental.
• Lower the rent and offer full year contract.
• Lower the rent and take on outdoor paint job.
• Lower the rent and pay (part of rent) upfront.
• Negotiate that the flat can be rented out to a third party to compensate for the high rent.

Think about the value of these options for the landlord. For example, moving in early could add one month of rent, or $2000.= value for the landlord. This could justify (legitimacy) a discount of $50.= per week on the rent.

You will need to support your options with hard criteria so that a “fair” deal can be negotiated.

Criteria (Legitimacy)

These are criteria, such as precedents, benchmarks, and standards that serve as “objective” means to filter or narrow the options.

Criteria

• The average rent for a 3 bedroom comparable property in the area is $450.=.
• There are currently 6 comparable rentals available in the area.
• A quote for a paintjob of the house indicates that this would cost $8000.= if a tradesman would do the job.
• Commuting to the city will cost approximately $175.= per month.
• Yearly education fees for children are $250.= cheaper than in the city.
• Tenants turnover is high in the area. The average tenant stays 6 months in a property.
• Move in early would add $2000.= compared to leaving the property empty. Discount on rent of $X over the rest of the year would save both parties $Y.

Try to find objective criteria that support the options. This is where the objectivity comes in. Make copies of market reports and newspaper rental adds. Remember that you will work “with” the landlord to find a “fair” solution for both parties. You don’t compete with willpower or brute force.

Once you have done your criteria then go back to your interests, options and alternatives. This is an iterative process and you will find new items as you go along.

Relationship

All negotiations affect the relationship between the parties involved. Therefore you need to carefully consider the relationship in your negotiation. You may negotiate aggressively with a vendor in a second hand shop because you don’t care too much about the future relationship but in most negotiations you want to maintain a good relationship.

Trust and credibility are important factors in each negotiation. As long as trust and credibility are not established it becomes difficult for the negotiator to propose creative options. Some constructive behaviours are:

Rationality

• Balance emotions with reason.
• Separate relationship with substance (interests, options, criteria).

Understanding

• How they see and feel things.
• Empathy is not the same as agreement.
• Discuss past history.

Communication

• Consult and listen before deciding
• Be responsible for trust building.
• Identify and manage risks together.

Reliability

• Trust on them based on risk analysis.
• Fulfill your commitments.
• Balance benefits over time.

Persuation

• Attack problems, not people.
• Move forward with small, slow, and verifiable steps.

Acceptance

• Right to be, think or feel different.
• Identify points in common.
• Acceptance is not the same as an agreement.

Commitments

Commitments are made at the end of the process. Usually commitments automatically flow out of the process, so make sure you first negotiate and commit on the process. Only make commitments after all other elements of the negotiation are fully explored. Often it is useful to make a draft agreement without going into the details yet.

You could also make an offer. Such an offer should not surprise the other party but should emerge out of the process. Again, communication is key. It is the way in which you make the offer. For example, “Could something like this work for you?” or “What do you think of an agreement along the lines of this draft?” Keep the conversation open and include them in the process.

What next?

Negotiating is a very pervasive part of politics and therefore leadership. It is something leaders do on a daily basis to deal with differences. This article gives you the key elements of complex negotiations. Remember, preparation and clear goal setting are essential for successful negotiation, whether you go into your next business meeting or whether you discuss private issues. Use these elements to prepare your next negotiations and you will clearly notice the difference.

Successful companies have become more innovative in their approach to decisions regarding investments, including employee development. Business leaders realise that intellectual capital is now considered a vital value creator in modern day organisations and due to the ever changing business environment it is key to promote a proficient and ongoing learning culture:

“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” (Alvin Toffler).

Much has been said of the benefits that elearning or self study offers the individual. This article considers the benefits to the organisation. In particular, how do organisations enable and encourage ongoing professional development – without sacrificing the quality and efficiency of their business operations, while driving down costs? Online learning offers a solution.

This diagram allows us to identify the benefits of eLearning for the Organisation in 3 main areas. Cost reductions, increased productivity and the development of skills vital for continued business success.

Lets us consider some of these points

Cost Reductions

Reduced cost of delivery. Savings are made through the elimination of costs associated with more traditional training services.

Reduced learning time. Online learning is an effective way for an organization to provide its employees with the tools and skills needed to enhance their performance, while also providing an environment in which they can do so during down times at the company and within their individual job roles. No longer will training need to be restricted to when a significant group of employees can be spared from their daily roles.

Increased Productivity

Faster delivery of learning. Classroom based learning is restricted by the availability of classrooms, trainers and how many employees can be taken off projects and business activities. Elearning allows materials to be accessed anywhere, anytime, by all of the employees needing training at times that are convenient for the business.

More consistent learning.  Online learning ensures that all employees have access to the same information, and more importantly, at the same level of quality. Elearning provides a standardised process and consistency in the delivery of content.

More accessible learning. Having access to material anywhere, anytime during the course provides the flexability and convenience that complements business needs with the persons availability.

Managed Learning. Online learning provides companies control of the skill development path for individual learners. There is a growing trend to move away from the historic approach of ‘one size fits all’, employees are able to tailor the amount of time spent on each topic, based on their prior knowledge of it. Further to this, Companies can track and assess the learners progress via learning management systems (LMS).

Organisational development

We will highlight 2 points in this subsection as we have spoken much about the other points noted in the diagram

Creation of Knowledge and learning networks.By providing an environment (forum or wiki) where your employees are able to naturally discuss and share training, experiences and issues as a result from the elearning– they are able to share and gain knowledge related to their practical work from one another encouraging knowledge sharing.

Knowledge management. Tools for knowledge, and learning networks for collaboration and conversation, allow companies to capture and deseminate a wealth of valuable organisational knowledge. Companies can also guide these groups to practices and value added information that will ensure that the development of skills is aligned with the business strategy

Architecting the Enterprise recognises the value that eLearning can provide a business. In keeping with this we offer several online and elearning courses. Much of our current offering is focused on TOGAF® and subsequent training around this Framework. To find out how we can assist your business in taking full advantage of elearning please contact the team at onlinesale@architecting-the-enterprise.com