Align with IT goals: Demonstrate how new strategies can improve IT processes, like integrating automation to reduce manual tasks, enhancing efficiency and productivity. Engage IT teams in the planning phase, allowing them to contribute insights, which fosters ownership and reduces resistance. Provide training sessions on new technologies, like cloud solutions, to ease transitions and build confidence among IT staff. Feedback loops: Establish regular check-ins for IT teams to voice concerns and suggest improvements, ensuring their perspectives are valued throughout implementation. Highlight successful collaborations and outcomes, such as improved system performance or user satisfaction, to reinforce the benefits of the new architecture.

Pushback from IT Teams are a signal of misalignment. It could be an indicator that EA principles are not embedded. Having a common shared vision of the future that both IT and Business continually create and maintain is one of the key benefits of the practice. I would deal with the issue by going back to basics and ensure that there is synergy amongst all the parties involved.

One common issue with business architecture strategies not sticking is that it does not directly connect to the IT work. The IT teams need to see the connection between the business architecture and the technical architecture. This is where domain and industry reference architectures come in. Another reason is that business architectures (especially when driven by an external party) assume target states and do not always reflect the current maturity of the organization. Make sure these strategies reflect the current state, the next target state and then the North Star vision. A third reason is that the IT teams are not able to see the value of the new business architecture. How is it going to improve things? Show them the benefit.

Focus on creating a shared vision that balances bold innovation with practical business alignment. Involve IT and business leaders early, ensuring the vision reflects strategic goals and improved process improvements. Treat EA principles as flexible guides, not rigid rules, and equip teams with training and resources to understand and embrace them. Collaborate on a Shared Vision: -Demonstrate Value: Highlight quick wins and long-term benefits to shift resistance into support. -Empower with Resources: Provide training, tools, and ongoing support to help teams adopt the vision. -Ensure Alignment: Tie the vision to clear strategic goals and measurable process improvements. This approach transforms resistance into an opportunity.

In a situation like this, my first instinct is always to listen. I want to understand what is the source of the pushback. It could be warranted, it could be due to personality conflicts, or it could be because of a lack of understanding. Once I know the motivation for the pushback I can address it accordingly. Often times the act of being an active and sympathetic listener helps in the next steps whether they be to realign the architect, mediate competing concerns, or spend time to explain the business architecture and expected future state.

Winning over IT teams requires empathy and collaboration. Begin by understanding their concerns and challenges. Highlight how the new architecture aligns with organizational goals and improves workflows. Involve them in the planning process to foster ownership. Provide clear documentation, training, and address resource needs. Celebrate small wins to build trust and demonstrate benefits effectively.

IT teams are often stretched thin by a high volume of incidents, which diverts their attention from core responsibilities like maintaining and evolving systems. Modern business architecture strategies, with tools like AI, bots, and knowledge bases, can significantly reduce these incidents by improving customer self-service options and streamlining operations. By minimizing disruptions, teams can focus more on strategic improvements and innovation. Communicating how these tools align with the team’s goals—such as reducing workload and increasing impact—helps build support for these new strategies. Best Regards, Bonnie

Pushback happens when the subject becomes one opinion vs. another. If it is business architecture, focus on these data elements: improved business process, who thinks they are improved, what performance measures will be used, what the value impact is, and who takes responsibility for the results. If it is somebody in IT, let them have it. There is no pushback.

I am providing the insights from the working background where both business architecture and tech architecture are in its early maturity stage, where engineering structure and IT tech teams are deeply rooted in the international org. where staff number exceed 20k. Key points: 1. Business architecture shall already been through the business LTs and also architecture LTs, and so it has a set of confirmed business values, drivers, and high level tech alignment. Then: Work on where the tech push back is from, is that due to specific technology set or due to team, then find the respective resolution. Sometimes the problem lies with team and people and can be solved via re-org, and realigning the strategy delivery focus.