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IN THIS SECTION, YOU WILL: Understand that business architecture is a shared, often invisible practice that helps organizations understand how they create value — even if no one formally owns or names it.

KEY POINTS:

  • Business architecture is a loosely defined, often invisible discipline that spans strategy, operations, design, and technology — making it hard to pin down or assign to a single owner.
  • There’s ongoing debate about whether it exists as a standalone function or if it’s simply a set of shared perspectives and practices scattered across roles.
  • Different roles shape business architecture in different ways — from enterprise architects and COOs to service designers and heads of strategy — often without using the term.
  • Rather than centralizing ownership, the most effective approach could be shared stewardship, where multiple teams contribute to a common understanding of how the business works and changes.
  • Ultimately, business architecture may be less about definitions and more about creating clarity — helping organizations see the whole, make better decisions, and connect intent with execution.


When discussing business strategy and architecture, the term “business architecture” frequently arises. However, if you talk to different people about it, you’ll soon discover that there is no universally accepted definition. Some view business architecture as a way to connect strategy to operations, while others think in terms of capabilities and value streams. Some associate it with enterprise architecture, while others link it to service design or transformation.

A common question that arises is: “Does this even exist as a distinct discipline?”

This is a valid inquiry. Unlike more established functions such as software architecture or product management, business architecture often lacks clear job titles, dedicated teams, or a formal mandate. In some organizations, business architecture is well-defined, while in others, it is embedded within teams and not explicitly identified.

To help clarify this discussion, here are a few reference points that often emerge:

Business Architecture Guild: “A blueprint of the enterprise that provides a common understanding of the organization and is used to align strategic objectives with tactical demands.”

TOGAF: “The business strategy, governance, organization, and key business processes at a high level.”

Therefore, business architecture illustrates what a business does (its capabilities), how it delivers value (its value streams), and how it is structured to operate (its people, processes, and systems). While these definitions are useful, they are only starting points.

Gregor Hohpe captures this ambiguity well when he states, “Every organization has a business architecture, even if they don’t have business architects.” The necessary work is being done, but it may not be recognized as “architecture”, and it rarely fits neatly into a specific category.

This section explores what business architecture could entail, why it is often difficult to define or claim ownership of, and who influences it—whether intentionally or by default.


Business Architecture as a Way of Seeing

Instead of defining business architecture as a fixed discipline, it may be more beneficial to ask: What types of thinking and coordination does it facilitate? What problems does it aim to address?

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Because one of the deeper questions underlying all definitions is: Does business architecture exist independently, or is it merely a collection of perspectives derived from strategy, operations, technology, and design?

In some organizations, business architecture is recognized as a specific role or structured practice. In others, it manifests as a loose set of activities across transformation programs, architecture teams, or service design efforts. Regardless of whether it exists formally, the need it fulfills is significant: understanding how the business operates and how it must evolve.

Some teams articulate this through capability models, while others use service blueprints, value streams, or operating models. Some may depict it in workshops, while others manage it through planning spreadsheets. The tools and language may differ, but the underlying aim remains the same: to provide structure and clarity around how the business creates and delivers value.

This might be what makes business architecture intriguing, despite its elusive nature: it does not prescribe a single method of operation; rather, it encourages a more holistic perspective.


Why It’s Hard to Own (And That Might Be Okay)

One of the most common questions regarding business architecture is: “Who owns it?” The most honest answer is: “Well… kind of everyone, and kind of no one.”

Business architecture exists at the intersection of many disciplines—strategy, operations, technology, and design—making it difficult to assign it to a single function. Attempting to confine it to one area often misses its true purpose. It’s not merely about control or ownership; it’s about developing shared models that enable better decision-making.

The challenge arises because different teams approach business architecture from various perspectives:

  • Strategy teams tend to view it as a way to connect goals to initiatives.
  • Operations leaders focus on streamlining processes and scaling efficiently.
  • Designers often emphasize customer experience and service value flows.
  • Architects examine how systems and capabilities interconnect.

None of these perspectives are wrong. The real challenge is integrating them into a coherent, flexible understanding of the business that isn’t confined to one individual’s knowledge or a single team’s presentation.


Who Shapes Business Architecture?

Instead of asking who owns business architecture, it’s often more insightful to ask: Who is already shaping it — knowingly or unknowingly?

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Here are some of the usual contributors:

Business Architecture Teams

In larger or more mature organizations, dedicated business architects—typically in strategy or transformation offices—focus on modeling capabilities, designing operating models, and creating alignment frameworks.

Enterprise Architects

In many organizations, enterprise architects also engage in the business architecture domain. They bridge technology and business, often using capability mapping to connect solutions with outcomes. While they may not own business architecture, they carry much of its responsibility.

COOs and Operational Leaders

When business architecture is centered on enhancing functionality—streamlining operations, improving service delivery, and building cross-functional capabilities—Chief Operating Officers (COOs) or operational leaders often play a crucial role. They may not use the term architecture, but their work embodies its principles.

Strategy and Planning Functions

The Head of Strategy, Chief of Staff, or enterprise planning teams frequently develop perspectives on the business that are inherently architectural, even if they don’t label them as such. They focus on themes, investments, future state visions, and the necessities for business evolution.

Organizational Design and Human Resources Teams

When the focus shifts to structure, roles, capabilities, and team integration, business architecture intersects with organizational design. These teams often model the human and structural aspects of architecture, sometimes more effectively than anyone else.

Department Leaders

Each business unit possesses its own mini-architecture—formalized or not. Department heads define how their teams operate, what they need to achieve, and how they measure success. These localized insights are valuable contributions to the broader enterprise picture.

Design and Service Strategy

Designers, particularly in service or experience roles, often create maps illustrating how value flows through the organization from the user’s perspective. These models address critical business architecture concerns such as handoffs, pain points, silos, and dependencies.


Business Architecture as a Shared Space

Perhaps the best way to understand business architecture is not as a fixed function or framework, but as a shared space—one that welcomes multiple perspectives and requires active coordination.

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It’s less about who owns the models and more about:

  • Who contributes to them?
  • Who uses them to make better decisions?
  • Who ensures they remain relevant as the business evolves?

When this shared space is nurtured—with the right conversations, models, and governance—business architecture can become a powerful enabler of strategy, agility, and clarity.


Final Thought

If you’re an IT or enterprise architect, you may already be contributing to business architecture—whether you realize it or not. You are modeling capabilities, aligning systems with business needs, and helping teams navigate complexity.

You don’t need to own business architecture to influence it. You just need to bring curiosity, structure, and empathy.

Perhaps that’s ultimately what business architecture is about: not having all the answers, but fostering a better shared understanding—together.


To Probe Further


Questions to Consider

  • Where in your organization is business architecture happening — even if no one calls it that? Is it in strategy, enterprise architecture, ops, or somewhere unexpected?

  • Do you think business architecture exists as a distinct discipline in your company — or is it embedded across functions?

  • Who currently shapes the way your organization views capabilities, value, and structure? Is it formalized, or more implicit and ad hoc?

  • Is there a shared understanding of how your business creates value? Or does each team have its own mental model?

  • How often do strategy, operations, design, and technology teams align on how the business is structured?

  • What artifacts (if any) guide your organization’s understanding of business architecture? Capability maps, journey maps, operating models, org charts… or none of the above?

  • Do your technology architecture decisions reflect a clear view of business priorities and value delivery?

  • What would it take for business architecture to become more intentional and collaborative in your organization?

  • If you had to draw your organization’s business architecture today, where would you start — and who would you invite to help?

  • How might shifting from “ownership” to “shared stewardship” change how your org approaches business architecture?

Appendix 5: Notes On Strategy
Appendix 5: Notes On Strategy
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