![Bolstering the Reputation of Enterprise Architects as Key Contributors [Infographic]](https://blog.planview.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/featured-image-EA-infographic-750x400.jpg)
When it comes to aligning technology and the business, how does your Enterprise Architecture (EA) team stack up? More than likely, they are respected for their technical acumen, but misunderstood when it comes to their role in the company.
In fact, a recent IDG study showed that 58 percent of sales teams and 61 percent of marketing teams don’t know what EAs do. On the positive side, a majority of CIOs (58 percent) and IT managers (40 percent) view EAs as critical to strategy development.
What’s causing this disconnect? Even though the EA team understands what technology changes are required to rapidly implement new strategies, they struggle to communicate how these technology changes will advance the particular business capabilities that drive specific business strategies… the business strategies that marketing, sales, and other groups care about. Put simply: they must speak the language of the business to build a positive perception of their business savvy.
For some EA teams, changing internal perceptions to gain entry to business strategy discussions can be challenging. There is no substitute for learning how your business operates, no “cliff-notes” shortcut that can replace asking questions and engaging with business stakeholders. But the effort is worth it. Research shows that once EA teams can demonstrate a high level of business acumen, they are more likely to be viewed as a value creation function and can therefore make a case for their role in strategy development.
The good news? There’s an Infographic that outlines three ways EAs can get recognized as key contributors to success. I like the tips it provides to help EAs get started with partnering with the business.
