The Alpinists of Enterprise Architecture

On today’s episode of the Alpinists of Enterprise Architecture, we explore why THE leading ERP vendoris going all-in on EA. We traverse the ridge from strategy to execution in SAP cloud transformations: Mapping the route (target architecture), placing anchors (governance), and pacing the summit in cloud ERP. With our rope team Nico andRolf, plus guest guide Michael from SAP, we share crisp tactics, common crevasses to avoid, and the essential kit to summit with confidence.

In this episode, we unpack the concept of north star architecture—a strategic blueprint guiding organizations through today’s fast-moving technology and business landscapes. We kick it off with a clear definition and explore why it’s a critical tool for aligning business and IT and building a future-proofing IT landscape. Then, we dive into the practical side: how to build one, who needs to be at the table, and the righttiming for crafting this vision. Join us when we share the learnings of our experiences. Whether you're an architect, a strategist, or just curious about aligning long-term vision with day-to-day delivery, this episode is for you.

In this episode of The Alpinists of Enterprise Architecture, we tackle the big questions that shape successful EA strategies: What exactly are Strategic Value Drivers, and why are they crucial for guiding enterprise success? How can Architecture Guiding Principles drive meaningful outcomes—and what makes them truly effective? Join us as we reveal how these two essential elements are seamlessly embedded and interconnected within a holistic EA Strategy. If you're looking to elevate your EA game and align architecture with real business value, this episode is a must-listen!

Are you thinking that being a parent of little children and a strategic Consultant at the same time are diametrical opposites that cannot be reconciled with each other? Well, I was thinking the same thing and I have learned that this was a misjudgment: it is absolutely possible. Even more in todays era of predominant home office work.Join our host Ben that is a father of two little children and his dear colleagues Franziska who just became a mother a few months ago and is now planning to return to work part-time and Christian who is father of two children and manages the balancing act with part-time work and meticulous planning and support. Listen in and learn from us how we do it so you can have your own opinion about it if that could be something for you, too. Share your thoughts with us and we'll be happy to comment.

Have you ever wondered, whether the value of Enterprise Architecture as a discipline in companies is still debatable or whether it has become a no-brainer to fundamentally have? Do you ask yourself how Enterprise Architeture needs to be redefined in an era where change and transformation journeys become ever more agile? Then join us together with our super-seasoned, warm-hearted, and fun colleagues JP and Travis from the US that have been in the business since decades and our host Ben to discuss how Enterprise Architecture needs to position itself at the centre of change to be the nucleus of transformation journeys.

In this episode we invite you to explore the topic of sustainability from an Enterprise Architecture perspective with us. Because let's be honest: managing sustainability means managing tons of data across the enterprise. And to transform ambition into action tech is one of the key drivers to achieve the required transformation. Together with our experts Marco, Jan and André our host Ben discusses how a holistic enterprise architecture target picture can be shaped and once this foundation is paved we deep dive into concrete initiative examples - starting within the IT domain and then extending the scope towards the full business.

Join the eye-opening discussion about the value of artificial intelligence in making Enterprise Architects more creative. Our experts Joana Tiedtke, Kevin Weber and Benjamin Zeller pinpoint the essence of creativity and explore how AI can be leveraged to enhance problem-solving, design thinking, and strategic planning.

How does it feel to swim against the tide? How can you get yourself out of tricky situations? After discussing tips and tricks for junior EAs in an earlier episode, we continue with what skills a junior EA might need. Tom and Anna, our juniors, talk with Ben about how they reached their goal using creative methods. In doing so, they skillfully avoided depending too much on our seniors and reinterpreted the tried and tested in new ways.

Today companies are faced with an ever increasing pace of disruptive change based on accelerated innovation cycles, political changes, climate change, client enablement and other worldwide phenomenas. Classical business and IT strategies even if they are highly paced and short-termed are insufficiently agile to adjust to such disruptive changes. For that purpose in Enterprise Architecture we have developed the concept of scenario-based strategies that provide reusable solutions for recurring problems. In this episode we explore the following key question: If the business is in a situation where it is faced with unforeseeable disruptions and finds itself in a position where it needs to change, how is it possible to still be better prepared for such a situation than just reacting on an emergency?

Learn about the profound impact of generative artificial intelligence on software development. Our experts Alexander Gille, Kevin Weber and Benjamin Zeller discuss how generative AI is revolutionizing coding practices, enhancing developer productivity, and impacting the work of enterprise architects.

In our third episode we dive into the meta realm of Enterprise Architecture and ask ourselves - what does it take to be a good (junior) Enterprise Architect? As our senior EAs Ben and Philipp share their views and concerns from a more experienced point of view, our junior/intermediate EAs Tom and Joana share stories about their current journey and helpful tips and tricks along the way. Definitely a conversation you wouldn't want to miss out! Feel free to reach out to us on LinkedIn in case of questions, feedback and ideas! (Joana Tiedtke & Philipp Nützi)

In this episode we explore the question: Is the hype about APIs over? Join us in diving deeper into the topic of integration! Reach out via LinkedIn (Joana Tiedtke & Philipp Nützi)