1 / 7

Rethinking Corporate IT Architecture: Insights from GlaxoSmithKline

This piece explores the unconventional approach to architecture taken at GlaxoSmithKline, focusing on the limitations and challenges faced by architecture groups within corporate IT. The article critiques established frameworks like TOGAF and Zachman, outlining how a deliberate move away from formal architecture roles has led to decentralized decision-making. It highlights the realities of operational inefficiencies and the struggle against inherited constraints, while questioning whether the evolution of architecture can truly lead to streamlined and effective corporate strategies.

aden
Download Presentation

Rethinking Corporate IT Architecture: Insights from GlaxoSmithKline

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Anti-Architecture Anti – as in antidote

  2. Perspective … • I’m Spartacus • Director for Strategy & Architecture for Corporate IT, Glaxo SmithKline • HR, Finance, Legal, Communications … • Live web TV service • Interfaces to MRP (SAP), BU’s

  3. 30 years of ineffectual waffle • GSK Architecture Council • ABPI – architecture Group • Gartner/Forrester – Architecture Communities • TOGAF, Zachman • The only group less popular than Project Managers !

  4. 30 years of ineffectual waffle • Always ‘jam tomorrow’ • Things will be simpler, smoother, cheaper, seamless • Data will flow, knowledge will flourish, business will bloom • In reality • Rules, constraints, delays • Sacrifice your approach and technology now ….. for the greater good of everyone tomorrow ….. but ’tomorrow never comes’

  5. Arriving at Warwick …. • Deliberate decision to avoid ‘architecture’ • No Architect role or group • Informal ‘Design Group’ on major projects • Architecture is delegated down to individual service domains • Platforms teams decide their own architecture for their server provisioning service • Storage teams decide their storage architecture (they are hidden from the UNIX team architecture, as they just consume their service)

  6. Where’s the LDA ? • There is no neat architecture map • Instead there are “hidden” local architectures • Undoubtedly we are not as architecturally efficient as we could be – we have re-work, duplication

  7. How we progress Goal The Theory Goal The Experience Goal The Practice

More Related