What is the difference or the relationship between Purpose, IT Strategy, IT Operating Model, and Enterprise Architecture

During my years as a consultant, I have seen a lot of IT executives and even former consultants needing more clarity about these terms and how they relate to each other. But, even more important, they need to learn how to explain them to the team to ensure they understand and adopt them properly.

These days, before the strategy, the critical element for any organization is to define its purpose and do it so that every member of the organization can relate to it and identify how their daily job is aligned and help fulfill that purpose. If you have a clear and powerful purpose as an IT organization, everything will flow faster than if you don't. Said that, let's try to explain those concepts and the relationship among them.

IT Strategy refers to the long-term plan to develop and use an organization's IT systems and resources. It defines the goals and objectives for the organization's IT function and outlines the actions needed to achieve them. IT Strategy responds to the What (also as to the What is not).

The IT Operating Model defines how the organization's IT function is structured, staffed, and managed. It specifies the roles and responsibilities of the IT staff, the processes and procedures they follow, and the tools and technologies they use to support the organization's operations. The IT Operating Model also defines the relationships and interfaces between the IT function and other parts of the organization. The IT Operating Model responds to the Who, How (from an IT processes point of view), and When.

Enterprise Architecture is a discipline that involves the creation of a holistic, long-term plan for the development and evolution of an organization's IT systems. Enterprise Architecture defines an organization's systems' overall structure and behavior, including the business processes they support, the data they use, and the technology infrastructure they rely on. It helps to align the organization's IT systems with its business goals and objectives and ensure they are flexible, scalable, and interoperable. The Enterprise Architecture also responds to the How regarding the business processes and the IT systems that support them.

In summary, IT Strategy defines the long-term goals and objectives for the organization's IT function, the IT Operating Model defines how the IT function implements the IT Strategy, and Enterprise Architecture defines the overall structure and behavior of the organization's IT systems. All three are essential for ensuring that an organization's IT systems are aligned with its business needs and goals.

Do you agree with my perspective? Feel free to comment or to continue the conversation on Twitter @jorgelozanom