One of the keys to successful enterprise architecture (EA) implementation is the support
offered by important stakeholders.
Stakeholders are those with an interest in a given project. There are varying degrees of
stakeholder involvement, which may be described as being in the following groups:
• Key Players—These are the most important stakeholders; they have a vested
interest in the approach, content, and output of the EA.
• Keep Satisfied—The next most significant group are those who must obtain what
they need from the EA and are less concerned with the construction and specific
content of the EA.
• Keep Informed—This group has a need to know what is being done and how it will
benefit the organization overall; they have little interest in any of the details of how
the EA is developed and used.
• Minimal Effort—This group has little interest in the EA and requires little attention
during the EA development effort.
The benefits of successfully managing stakeholders include the following:
• Obtaining support from the most influential stakeholders will help ensure that they
both help to shape the EA and to improve its content and products.
• Influential stakeholders are in a position to allocate human and financial resources to
the EA effort, making it more likely to succeed.
• Ongoing communication with stakeholders ensures their understanding of the
process and benefits of EA, and enables their support if needed.
• Successful management allows the EA team to draw on the support of stakeholders
with a positive view of the process if they need to address negative reactions or
setbacks in the organization.
