System architecture and enterprise architecture : a juxta position?

Abstract

A systems approach to creating a system is discussed. The system engineering process, and specifically the system architecture process, is formulated and applied to a typical (physical) system, enterprise, and project. These lead to the concepts of system architecture (SA), enterprise architecture (EA), and project architecture (PA) respectively. Similarities and inter-relationships among these architectures and related methodologies are investigated, seeking better interaction among them. ‘Work’ is proposed as an important conceptual building-block of these architectures, properly defined as activity with associated inputs, outputs, governances, and mechanisms. Techniques such as functional analysis, process modelling, and task analysis are used to demonstrate the inter-relationships among these apparently unrelated organisational perspectives of product, process, and project.

’n Stelselbenadering tot die daarstelling van ’n stelsel word bespreek. Die stelselingenieurswese,en spesifiek die stelselargitektuurproses, word geformuleer en toegepas op ’n tipiese (fisiese) stelsel, onderneming, en projek. Dit lei tot die konsepte van stelselargitektuur (SA), ondernemingsargitektuur (OA), en projekargitektuur (PA). Ooreenkomste en verwantskappe tussen hierdie argitekture word ontleed om beter onderlinge interaksie te bewerkstellig. ’n Belangrike konseptuele bousteen van hierdie argitekture word voorgestel as ‘werk’, behoorlik gedefinieer as aktiwiteit met gepaardgaande insette, uitsette, kontroles, en meganismes. Tegnieke soos funksionele analise, prosesmodellering, en taakanalise word gebruik om die onderlinge verbande tussen hierdie skynbaar onverwante organisatoriese perspektiewe van produk, projek, en proses, te demonstreer.