Architectural Metaphors for Business Development

Image: Stefhan Weis' Photostream

I read this piece by James Kerr this morning and was intrigued by his use of architectural references to discuss the concept of organizational design. This topic has been stewing in my mind for quite some time lately and i'm nearing a point in time where I will probably start writing about it at greater length. In the meantime, Kerr's piece touches upon a few interesting themes that I think are worthwhile:

• Need for a true plan for action; a lack of planning leads to unintended consequences and waste: "Indeed these artifacts must be constructed in a predictable and deliberate way or deep-rooted internal chaos is likely to result within the enterprise – and deep-rooted internal chaos does not translate well within the markets that a business intends to compete in." 
• Business architecture is about more than a business plan or conversely a coherent vision statement: It involves "organizational design charts, operating models and [the less-often considered] workflow designs." All pieces must work together like a set of thoughtfully-placed gears in a well-oiled machine to function effectively.

More to come...