9 Reasons to use Enterprise and Solution Architecture Services

9 Reasons to use Enterprise and Solution Architecture Services

With fast, continuously evolving technology and marketplace demands, there is significant pressure on IT functions to adapt quickly. Outsourcing to an IT architecture service provider helps your organisation’s IT function to achieve this. Below we have listed 9 of the most common areas where enterprise and solution architecture outsourcing provide immediate value.

1: Comply with new regulations and legislations

Amendments to existing regulations or new legislations impact multiple areas of the technology used throughout your business. External directives such as Open Banking and PSD2 for example, require an extensible, yet secure, scalable architecture. Having experienced architects analyse your IT estate, can help validate your existing environment or explore remediation approaches to ensure your platform remains compliant and secure.

2: Evaluate the suitability of new technologies for your business

Selecting the right technology, at the right price, for your business takes time, resource, and a good understanding of your current IT architecture. Working with architects who have a deep understanding of your industry and the technology market, empowers you to fully understand the viability of the options available. This subsequently enables you to make the right procurement decisions.

3: Obtain consistent data for easier system integration, analysis, and insight

Most of us have heard the expression, data is king. However, to draw out the business and customer insights that this data can provide, it needs to be securely accessible and accurate across the whole business. According to the IDC, it is estimated that an average of 12 hours per week, per person, is wasted on protecting and preparing data instead of providing valuable business outcomes.

This is where your data architecture is key. Enterprise and solution architects help you assess, define, and implement the components needed to achieve secure, accurate and accessible data, that provides the pivotal stepping-stone to greater insight.

4: Integrate on-premise and cloud applications

Plugging into the API economy can be a key approach to differentiating your business. Architects help you utilise the functionality from external 3^rd party solutions within your own estate whilst ensuring that your data and access to your business systems remain compliant and secure.

5: Optimise your current investment in SharePoint, Dynamics 365 and Office 365

Microsoft’s suite of products continuously evolves to provide organisations with even greater functionality, but keeping on top of these new features can be difficult. In addition, the changes and demands in the way your organisation uses SharePoint, Dynamics 365 and Office 365 may mean that your organisation is not making the full use of your investment. Technical architects can help you take full advantage of the function-rich capabilities of your Microsoft products, enabling your business to leverage greater value from them.

6: Future-proof your business’ digital transformation

According to management consulting firm, McKinsey & Company, only 26% of transformation projects ever complete and succeed. To ensure the success of your digital transformation, a review by architects with experience in areas such as legacy modernisation, system integration and application development undertake discovery and design exercises to help future-proof your planned investments.

7: Ensure your IT roadmap aligns with the direction of the business

Understanding the strategic business context to which architectures should be aligned, is key to ensuring that implementation initiatives are solving the right business problems. Architectural service providers with experience in business analysis, will closely review your IT roadmap to ensure it aligns with business objectives and key milestones.

8: Manage the performance and associated risks of your IT project

As an architecture moves from conceptual through to logical design, it is critical that its integrity is maintained. Outsourcing to an architecture services provider with a strong background in governance ensures decisions are made accountable and transparent.

9: Provide additional support to your architecture team

An approach commonly used by organisations to solve a shortage of people or specialist skills is to outsource.  According to Deloitte, 47% of organisations outsource to solve their capacity issues. By selecting a technology provider with architects that have the required domain expertise, you complement your team’s existing skills and scale up or down as dictated by your business needs.

To discuss any of these considerations in more detail or for any other IT architecture advice, please get in touch.