Case Study - How IT Architect Certification & Skill Governance program implemented for team of 10 consultants

1. Architecture COE –
IT Architect Certification
& Skill Governance
Analysis of Results
Copyright 2009 iCMG
IT Architecture Firm

2. Overview
Company XXXX
No of participants 10
No of participants who took the test 10
Date of Test 07 / 05 / 2009
Duration of test 2 hrs
Pass Percentage 60%
Cost of Certification & skill 300 x 10 = USD 3000
governance
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IT Architecture Firm

3. Summary of the Tier I certification test
No of participants who tool the test 10
No of respondents who passed in 6
test
No of respondents who didn’t pass 4
in test
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IT Architecture Firm

4. Score card
Marks
100
90
80 71 70 69.5 69 68
70 60
60 50 48
50 43.5 43
40
30
Marks
20
10
0
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IT Architecture Firm

5. Skill Assessment-Findings
1.Modeling architecture artifacts, capability with UML
2.Understanding of Architecture Frameworks & its utility
3.Using MDA for managing technology obsolescence
4.SOA enablement for business agility driven by system services
5.Integration, Transformation & Modernization Efforts
6.Defining Target Architecture
7.Qos Framework
8.Ability to define & manage Architecture Artifacts
9.Architecture assessment, governance & metrics
10.Architect’s readiness
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IT Architecture Firm

6. 1.Modeling architecture
artifacts, capability with UML/BPMN
for specifications
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IT Architecture Firm

7. 1.Skill Maturity – Modeling architecture
artifacts, capability with UML
UML Profile
UML profile takes a set of subset of model elements like classes, packages etc.. and applies steriotypes
and constraints to it to arrive at a specific representation for a domain like
Healthcare, Telecom, Insurance, Banking or language specific like J2EE and dot net. UML profiles can
be set for generic processes like testing as well as specific to a even a modeling language like XML.
UML profile specifies elements required for mapping the UML specifications to generate
technology/domain specific model elements. For example, UML meta-meta model uses mappings to
generate Webservices specific model which in turn uses UML profile for J2EE to generate J2EE specific
code elements.||Also, it identifies a subset of UML metamodel and specifies well formedness rule. It
also specifies semantics expresessed in natural language.||
UML Profile talks about 4+1 views.||Logical View: This consist of Class Digrams which exibit the
structural vie of the system. The designers and analyst can use this model.||Implementation View:
? This consist of component digrams which talkas about intraction between Components/ Sub-
systems.||Behavioural view: This consist of Sequence, collaboration digrams,which talks about
business flow.||Deployment Digram: This depicts the Deployment Model of the System. ||Use Case
View: This drives the other views. The view provides Business Scenarios and cases. This view can give
a overall system picture to end user.
? UM Profile is defined as all UML diagrams of the project
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IT Architecture Firm

8. 1.Skill Maturity – Modeling architecture
artifacts, capability with UML
Using UML diagrams for Zachman Framework cells
What - Row 3 - Composite Diagram with stereotype
||What - Row 4 - Physical Classes and relationships representation with Class
Diagram||How - Row 2 - BPMN diagram
||Who - Row 2 - Business representative Actors
||How - Row 3 - Use Case and Activity Diagram, Component Diagram, Composite
Diagram
||Who - Row 3 – Actors
? ||How - Row 4 - Class Diagram and Interaction Diagram
||When - Row 2 - State Diagram
||When - Row 4 - Sequence Diagram
||Where - Row 3 - Package Diagram
||Where - Row 4 - Deployment Diagram||Where - Row 2 - Class Diagram with Location
Stereotype||Why - Row 4 - Object Control Language specifications
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IT Architecture Firm

9. 1.Skill Maturity – Modeling architecture
artifacts, capability with UML
6
5 3
4 2
3
3 2 2
2 2 2
3 3 3
1 2 2 2 2 2
1 1
0 0 0 0
UML Profile mapping UML.BPMN to ZF
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IT Architecture Firm

10. 2.Understanding of Architecture
Frameworks & its utility
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IT Architecture Firm

11. 2.Skill Maturity – Understanding of Architecture
Frameworks & its utility
What are the advantages/ disadvantages of doing SOA in absence of EA? What are the key projects where SOA are
recommended?
EA refers to an approach of meeing the Enterprise and IT objectives together. It involves undestanding at a higer level of the
entier enterprise information architecture. ||||MDA is a an methodology to model information and relate the same to
technology execution. It involves extensive use of UML and associated modeling techniques based on good understanding of the
information architecture obtained as a part of enterprise architecutre||||SOA is an approach to provide common business
process as a services. It is not an architecture itself by a pattern of messaging architecutre. ||||SOA relies on the fundamental
understanding of Enterprise Information Architecture which proviedes the clarity on the shared/unique business process which
can be exposed as a service||||In the absence of EA with SOA the benefits of SOA adoption will be limited to a certain business
process in the short term and may be neglibile as the Enterprise evolves||||Projects where SOA is recommended||||Public
Services like Phone Directory & Website Discovery and usage , Payments and Settlements process||Domain Specfic public
services like Business Information exchange with regulatory authorities|| ||
In any large organization non of the application works in isolation. Every application need the service of other application. This
requires the integration of one application with other. The integration can be done as tight coupling integration or loose
integration using various technology available to develop such type of application. ||One approach of integaration of the various
application is to have these application provide various well defined services which can be used by other application. This concept
given birth of SOA. Now to have SOA implemeted in any organization, we need to have EA ready else the SOA will not be
effective. EA will detailed out the architecture in enterprise that how the various application would provide services and how
various other application will use these services. MDA is a tool to develop a enterprise wide model to develop SOA. ||SOA
without EA is always disadvatages where the SOA project may or may not be successfull but if EA is ready and then SOA is
implemented it is more likely that it would success.||The SOA is recommended to those type of projects where the inter
depedency of one project to other is more or in other words one project can levelrage withthe other application's service.||Most
of the enter prise these days works on SOA since the service required are mostly implemeneted in one or other application and
hence tne new application should tryo to create using the service of other application wherever it is possible.
||||||Advantages of SOA in absence of EA||1) High interoperablility||2) Easy replacement of functionality by replacing a
service||3) Each service can be built on tchonology which is best for it||||Disadvantages of SOA in absense of EA||1) Will meet
fate as object oriented which assured reuse. Again we would tons of services within each project but not usable by other systems
in the enterprise||
Copyright 2009 iCMG
IT Architecture Firm

12. 2.Skill Maturity – Understanding of Architecture
Frameworks & its utility
What are the key concerns/forces that effect longevity and maintainability of a software system? Identify various
strategies that you will use for making the system maintainable.
Forces that effect longevity & maintainability of system:
||||1) Architecure - poor architecture results in non scalable, non reliable, non performing application.
||2) Reliability - greater reliability results in poor performance of the system hence effecting longevity
||3) Performance - greater performance results in poor reliability.
||4) Interoperability - if application is not able to run on multiple platforms its going to effect the longevity.
||5) Scalibility - non scalable application results in shorter system life.
||||Strategy for making system maintainable
:||||1) Scalable design
.||2) Usage of design patterns while designing the application.
||3) Ability to be interoperable across platforms
.||4) System shoulld be easily configurable.||
Forces affecting longevity of software system
||||System Flexibility
||Vendor Dependency
||Software stability
||Process Maturity
||Managing Technology Obscolence|
|||Forces affecting maintainability of software system||No of Interfaces||No of Platforms||Component Design Structure and
||Impact of changes on the component||Deployment Plans and Process||Hardware Maintenance||||Strategies for making
system maintainable||||System Monitoring||System documentation||Review of system performance||||||||
QOs parameters need to addressed
?
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IT Architecture Firm

13. 2.Skill Maturity – Understanding of Architecture
Frameworks & its utility
Define quot;Architecture Mismatchquot;? How do the factors such as QoS constraints, multithreading vs. single
threading, composition rule violation, types of interfaces, types of interactions & environment contracts
contribute to architecture mismatch? How to r
When the system components are assembled/integrated together any mismatch that occurs between these components are termed as
architecture mismatch. It may occur because 2 components could not interact together with one interface or multiple interfaces or several
components can form a deadlock of mismatches. ||Multi Threading vs Single Threading -> 2 components can work together on a single thraed
but when multi threaded they could produce unpredictable results resulting in a mismatch. It can be avoided by making the components
thread safe induvidually.||Composition Rule Violation -> The compaitability between the components can break at the time of deployment.
This can be avoided by adding a check for compaitability in the architectural process.||Types of Interfaces -> There can be a interface
requirement mismatch between the components. An interface required by a component may not be provided by other. This can be avoided
by having another architectural check for compaitability.||Types of interactions and environment contracts -> The components that worked
in a specified envionment could break when deployed to a different environment. This can be avoided by tighetning the architectural
framework and adding extra constraints to check for environmental factors.||||Finally the architectural framework has to be revisted in face
of these observances and tightened to avoid mismatches.
Architectural Mismatch - Designing a system with todays need without considering longitivity of the system/software and then introduce
major structure changes to incorporate future changes/enhancements.||||QoS - If we have considered logitivity into architectute, then we
don't have to worry about Adaptability, Configurabilty, Availablility, Reliability||||Multithreading provides better response
time/thoughput||||Composition not considered/Interface level implementation not considered, then we might not able to add/provide new
services efficiently.||||Reduce mismatch - 1. Consider system logitivity|| 2. Consider QoS durinng from start of project phase||
3. Instead of modeling at process level model the business processes|| 4. Market Analysis for future business||||
Architecture missmatch is something happened when on is unable to define goal properly for enterprise system or if goal is define properly
person is not able to mapped it with architecture with feauturistic scope.||One has to mappes process , Qos , ruls policies with the enterprise
architecture becuase every mapping is part of project. if any one gets fail everythign goes fail.||If one will not consider avaialibility , relaiablity
of project as per scop QOS get fail. Multithreading vs single threading is specification for excution of component. If it is not as per specification
project gets fail.||||To reduce this problems one has to Define all specification with standard framework for that i will consider zachman
framework where one can define scope of system with verious mapping i.e. Data , function, People, network,time, motivation, then further
one can define processes with verious aspect where you have matrics there one can actually define text based value or further can ellobarate
with related UML documents.||In 3rd row one can define design aspect where ellobaration of processes tkes place. One can define objects
with rule, policies etc. which can be use further down to define tecnology specific system. In technology specific system one can actually
Copyright 2009 iCMG
define classes , objects , diagrams as per given in design which will automatically reduce missmatch|| IT Architecture Firm

14. 2.Skill Maturity – Understanding of Architecture
Frameworks & its utility
18
15
12 2.5 3 3
3 3 4
9 5 4 3 3
4 0
2 2 4 4 4
6 0 4 5
3 3.5 2 3 3 3
3 3 3 3 5
2 2 2 2 2 0 2 0 1 0
0
Define RM-ODP (2) EA vs SOA vs MDA (5) Architecture Mismatch (5) Longevity (5)
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IT Architecture Firm

15. 3.Using MDA for managing
technology obsolescence
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IT Architecture Firm

16. 3.Skill Maturity – using MDA for managing
technology obsolescence
12
9
5
6 3.5 2 3 3 3 1
3 2
3 0 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 1
0
2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 2
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Patterns (2) PIM-PSM Mapping (2) MDAfor quot;EPIquot; (3) EA, MDA & SOA (5)
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IT Architecture Firm

17. 4.SOA enablement for business
agility driven by system services
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IT Architecture Firm

18. 4.Skill Maturity – SOA enablement for business agility
driven by system services
a)Identify various architectural issues related to integrating client-server applications (with millions of
LOC in multiple languages, including COBOL, FORTRAN, C++ and Java) using a service-oriented
architecture for the enterprise.
Issues:||1. Enabling decoupling of the implementation to form components
||2. Identifying the impact of change in one part of the implementation on other systems parts.
||3. Understanding the various different forms of communication channels used for interactions with systems.
||4. Identifying the reusable components / implementation parts to isolated candidates for defining them as
services. Analysing the impact on throughput / performance on redeveloping the implementation parts as
services.
||5. Understanding state management requirements and transaction features required by system which must
not be affected by the identification and migration of implmentations to services.
application with legacy languages are closely knit> decouipling them is important.
? ||SOA requires flexibility , maintainibity, configurability. These need to be considered
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IT Architecture Firm

19. 4.Skill Maturity – SOA enablement for business agility
driven by system services
e) What are the key areas where in (reusable services) SOA can implemented in Retail Banking
Issues:||1. Enabling decoupling of the implementation to form components
||2. Identifying the impact of change in one part of the implementation on other systems parts.
||3. Understanding the various different forms of communication channels used for interactions with systems.
||4. Identifying the reusable components / implementation parts to isolated candidates for defining them as
services. Analysing the impact on throughput / performance on redeveloping the implementation parts as
services.
||5. Understanding state management requirements and transaction features required by system which must
not be affected by the identification and migration of implmentations to services.
application with legacy languages are closely knit> decouipling them is important.
? ||SOA requires flexibility , maintainibity, configurability. These need to be considered
Copyright 2009 iCMG
IT Architecture Firm

20. 4.Skill Maturity – SOA enablement for business agility
driven by system services
Not able to connect the limitations identified during
25 architecture assessment to how those limitation are being
addressed by style like SOA
20
15 0
1.5 2.5
2 1.5 2
1.5 0 0 3 0
10 8 1.5
0 0 0 1.5
8 5
6 6 5 5 5 7 6
2 1
5 1 1 1 1 1 0 0
3 3.5 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 5
2
0
Able to connect the limitations identified during
architecture assessment and how those limitation are being
addressed by style like SOA
EA,SOA,MDA (5) HTTPS security (2) Assessment (10)
Issues in migration (3) Reusable Services
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IT Architecture Firm

21. 5.Integration, Transformation &
Modernization Efforts
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22. Skill Maturity – Integration & Transformation &
15
Modernization Efforts
Only 5-6 respondents are qualified to work on large scale
13 transformation projects..others need more grooming &
11 mentoring
0
9 1.5 2
7 1.5 2.5 3
5 2 1.5
0 0 2 0
1.5 1.5 2 1.5 1.5
3 0 0 0 2
1.5 2.5 0 3
1 1 1.5 2 0
1 2 2 2 1.5
0 0 0
-1
Arch issues (3) Interfaces (3) WS,Components, MOM (3)
Reusable Services (3) Steps in Transformation(3)
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IT Architecture Firm

23. 6.Defining Target Architecture for
Transformation
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IT Architecture Firm

24. Skill Maturity – Defining Target Architecture
10
8
6 3 4
3 3 3 2 3 3 3
4
2 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 3
2.5
0 0
Longevity and maintainability (5) Modernization-Models(5)
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IT Architecture Firm

25. Skill Maturity – Defining Target Architecture
10
8
6 3 4
3 3 3 2 3 3 3
4
2 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 3
2.5
0 0
Longevity and maintainability (5) Modernization-Models(5)
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IT Architecture Firm

26. 7.Qos Framework
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27. Skill Maturity – Qos Framework
Most of the respondents have understood the need of QoS
framework and have fair idea of its utility
12
10 2 2
8 0 0 0 0 0
2.5 3 4
6 3 0 3 3 3
4 0 3
5 4 4 0 4 4 5 4 4
2 2 2
0 0
Architecture Mismatch Longevity & Maintainability Reliability vs Availability
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IT Architecture Firm

28. 8.Ability to define & manage
Architecture Artifacts
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IT Architecture Firm

29. Skill Maturity – Ability to define & manage
Architecture Artifacts
20
15 3 4
4 3 4 4
10 3 3 3 3 3 2 3
3 3 2 3 2 2 2 2
5 2 3 2 3 2 2 3 2
3
0 0
2 3 2 3
0 3 3 2 2
0
2 0
1 0
1 1
0
1 2 3
0 0
1 0
1.5 0
1 2
0
9 respondents have acquired good knowledge
about architecture artifacts..remember if u
have the right artifacts you can re-organize to
present them in different frameworks
Telco vs IT services Patterns (Acceptor-Connector)
Patterns (Bloating Interface) ISA of TOGAF & ZF
UML 2 ZF Enterprise vs Project artifacts
Architecture artifacts vs design artifacts
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IT Architecture Firm

30. 9.Architecture
assessment, governance &
metrics
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IT Architecture Firm

31. Skill Maturity – Architecture assessment, governance &
metrics
Swanand & Viral have demonstrated
good skills in this area
20
15
7 8
10 4 8
5 4 5 6 5 6
5 6 8 6 8 7 6
5 5 5 5
0
Assessment (10) Governance & metrics (10)
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IT Architecture Firm