Modern Enterprise Architecture Management: From IT Tool to a Strategic Steering Instrument for the Entire Organization

During the 1970s and 1980s, IT landscapes in many organizations grew increasingly large and complex. To create transparency for compliance, risk management, planning, and efficiency, structured documentation became essential.

In 1987, John A. Zachman introduced the “Zachman Framework”, which linked business processes, organizational structures, data, applications, and IT infrastructure. At its core were current-state and target-state architectures. The framework could be used both to describe a desired IT landscape and to define project scope.

The Zachman approach evolved throughout the 1990s, driven by the release of the first TOGAF framework in 1995 and the emergence of specialized tools and modeling languages.

TOGAF (The Open Group Architectural Framework) addressed a key weakness of the Zachman Framework: its static nature. TOGAF introduced the Architecture Development Method (ADM), providing a structured, iterative process for developing enterprise architectures.

Other frameworks followed with similar goals, such as FEAF (Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework, 1999) from the U.S. government and DoDAF (Department of Defense Architecture Framework, 1996/2003) - both of which were aiming to strengthen the alignment between business and IT.

Starting in the 2000s, new frameworks emerged with a strong focus on governance and standardization. Key examples include ArchiMate (introduced in 2004 and adopted as an official Open Group standard in 2009) as a modeling language for EAM, and the ISO/IEC 42010 standard (2007/2011) for architecture descriptions.

Around 2010, EAM began shifting toward business capabilities. This strategic orientation delivered significant value to business units and further strengthened business-IT alignment.

With the rise of Lean EAM, principles of Lean Thinking – simplicity, value orientation, iteration, and collaboration – have been applied to Enterprise Architecture Management. Where EAM was once seen as complex and cumbersome, Lean EAM emphasizes pragmatism and tangible business value.

Modern tools now enable self-service for business units, automate data imports from leading source systems, and dramatically reduce manual effort. These source systems, known as Systems of Record (SoR), are the authoritative repositories for core business data – such as ERP systems for financials, CRM systems for customer data, or HR systems for employee information. By integrating these systems with EAM platforms, organizations can automatically pull in up-to-date information, improving data quality and reducing maintenance overhead.

EAM has now gained widespread acceptance — not only in IT, but also in other departments. It provides valuable decision-making information for management and strategy and supports companies undergoing major transformations. Well-known modern EAM tools include Ardoq, Avalution ABACUS, SAP LeanIX, and Planview.