What do you do if your Business Architecture career is hindered by ineffective collaboration with IT teams?

Establishing rapport begins with bridging the communication gap. Technical professionals often use specialized jargon that may seem alien to business architects. To foster understanding, simplify the language by using terms that resonate with both parties. Aligning with the organization's cultural and business language can facilitate smoother interactions.

This is the basic tenet of any work. And considering Business architecture is about Translating Business Vision into roadmaps for delivering, this cannot happen without good collaboration. Now how to build rapport has so many facets that it demands a book in itself!!! But few pointers are motivation, cultural alignment, influence on one's identity and so on.

No single professional can do everything. Any project needs alignment. And considering Business architecture is much ahead of anything tangible, but ensures that it builds the guardrails on which IT can design and build technology alignment is needed. Gaining alignment is by ensuring goals and timelines are clearly communicated so as to avoid unpleasant surprises!!

Business Architecture aims to translate strategic objectives into tangible operating models, while IT focuses on enabling these models through technology. Aligning these objectives ensures that IT efforts are in sync with business priorities. Encourage IT teams to adapt and support overarching business goals to strengthen collaboration.

Clear communication hinges on contextual understanding. "Context" provides a framework for meaningful discussions. Use visual aids like diagrams to illustrate complex concepts and foster collaborative problem-solving. This approach enhances comprehension and reduces misunderstandings.

Misunderstandings often arise due to differing perspectives or interpretations. Address these issues proactively by facilitating open discussions and encouraging feedback loops. Establish platforms for continuous dialogue to clarify expectations and resolve conflicts promptly.

The chances are that, in this case, you as EA do not report directly to the CEO. This means you CANNOT do effective Enterprise Architecture no matter what. You need VETO POWER over any data or process changes that adversely affect the enterprise's architecture, which I define as its data structures + its process structures + their interactions, in terms of the enterprise's goals and objectives.

Actually I disagree with the concept of veto power of an individual. It assumes that one individual is like God, omniscient and all knowing.