--- In [email protected], "Gervas 
Douglas" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> <<Mike Kavis has a good take on the role of the Enterprise Architect
> in the world of SOA. Mike is one.
> 
> Responding to my last post.
> 
>     "Dave's point 'Somebody needs to have the political will to 
> figure out a long term solution' is what I am referring to 
> as 'fighting the
> good fight'. As enterprise architects, chief architects, CIOs, and
> CTOs, we owe it to our respective companies to deliver value,
> efficiencies, and enable our business partners to achieve their 
> goals. Too often, IT shops have become bogged down in keeping the 
> lights on
> because they always take the quick and dirty route to solving
> problems. Always remember, the dirty hangs around long after the 
> quick is gone. It is time to fight the good fight and build an 
> architecture that allows your IT shop to be responsive to the 
> business (agile)
> while building a sustainable architecture that supports both short 
> and long term needs." 

Random thoughts:

* IT once again getting the entire blame. The quick and dirty route 
is taken across the board. Time and budget are usually the top 
guiding "principles." A working solution is often secondary (no time 
to do it right, but we can do it over--as long as the project time 
and budget are met). Agility and longevity are far, far down the 
list, if present at all.

* "IT responsive to the business" implies 1) IT isn't part of the 
business; 2) IT only reacts, never is proactive. This reinforces the 
classic view of IT as "cost center" and "order taker" which is a poor 
view.

* "...achieve their goals." Ack! Aren't we part of the same company? 
Aren't they "our goals?"

* Sometimes quick and dirty is just fine.

We collectively keep driving the wedge that splits IT from the rest 
of the business. We really need to stop doing that.

-Rob

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