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The IT Complexity Crisis: Danger and Opportunity

The world economy is losing over six trillion USD per year to IT failures and the problem is getting worse. This 22 page white paper analyzes the scope of the problem, diagnoses the cause of the problem, and describes a cure to the problem. And while the cost of ignoring this problem is frighteningly high, the opportunities that can be realized by addressing this problem are extremely compelling.

The benefits to understanding the causes and cures for out-of-control complexity can have a transformative impact on every sector of our society, from government to private to not-for-profit.

[Click] for a PDF of the white paper.

 [Click] for a spreadsheet that can be used for analyzing architectural complexity based on the ideas presented in the white paper. Note: read the white paper before trying the spreadsheet.

Discussion about the white paper (more recent first)

  • [Click] for Max Hinkley's May 2010 blog criticizing my methodology and resulting architectures.
  • [Click] for Geoff Crane's May 2010 Discussion and further analysis on the cost of complexity broken down by state.
  • [Click] for Mitch Betts ComputerWorld article about the white paper.
  • [Click] for Michael Krigsman Dec 22 commentary on the white paper.
  • [Click] for yet more from Michael Krigsman on this white paper.
  • [Click] for Ann All's commentary in IT Business Edge.
  • [Click].for a ComputerWorld NZ article about this white paper.
  • [Click].for Roger's blog about the cost of the failure with discussion (pro and con.)
  • [Click] for Bruce Webster's highly critical view of my analysis.
  • [Click] For Richard Veryard's (@rRVeryard) description of our lunch together where we discussed the topics of this white paper.
  • [Click] for Matt Deacon's recount of a meeting where I discussed this topic with a number of Microsoft Tier one partners.
  • [Click].for Michael Krigsman blog which reprinted part's of Roger's blog and attracted considerable discussion
  • [Click].for Aleks Buterman's blog raising valid questions about some of my cost numbers.
  • [Click] for Dennis Byron's criticism in IT Business Edge of my math.
  • [Click].for Leo de Sousa's blog with a great overview of some of the key points in this white paper.
  • [Click].for David Sprott's blog which includes some excellent discussion about the white paper.
  • [Click] for David Lambert's blog with great discussion about IT complexity.
  • [Click] for Todd Williams discussion of my white paper with good discussion about the Standish CHAOS numbers.
  • [Click] for Peter Krezman's thoughtful blog looking at other reasons for failure and complexity beyond those I discussed.
  • [Click] for Roger's blog, where you can discuss the white paper.

Have you blogged about the white paper? Let Roger know and he will add a link.

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Editorial: Obama's Information Technology Priority

Federal IT projects fail at an alarming rate. The total cost to the U.S. economy? At least $200 billion per year. This editorial by Roger Sessions is reprinted from the Perspectives of the International Association of Software Architects (January 2009).. It is an in-depth analysis of why so many Federal IT systems are in trouble and what steps the Obama administration needs to take to control this problem.

A PDF of the editorial is available here.

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SIP Briefing Papers

Nobody would think of sending a rocket to the moon without first testing the planned trajectory against mathematical models for gravity and planetary motion. Nobody would think of building a bridge without testing the architecture against mathematical models for stress and load.

However, we commonly implement large, expensive IT projects without any idea whether they are based on a sound architecture or not. Many of these projects fail - often at great cost. Projects fail so frequently because we have no models that define ”good” enterprise architectures.

When it comes to enterprise architectures, we believe that "good" is most closely associated with simplicity. Of two otherwise equal architectures, the "better" one is the simpler one. This approach requires us to rethink complexity.

Complexity is not a problem to be managed. It is a disease to be eradicated. Controlling complexity needs to be the number one goal of the enterprise architect.

These briefing papers describe a methodology for managing enterprise complexity called Simple Iterative Partitions, or SIP. SIP does not replace existing methodologies, it augments them to control the number one reason so many IT systems fail: complexity.

For more information on SIP, see the SIP page.

Our SIP Briefing Papers are in three parts, all in PDF format.

  • Part 1 gives an executive overview of the SIP objectives.

  • Part II describes the mathematical model for complexity upon which SIP is built.

  • Part III gives an overview of the SIP process used to control EA and IT complexity.

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A Comparison of the Top Four Enterprise Architecture Methodologies
By Roger Sessions
(May, 2007, 44 pages)

An in-depth white paper looking at the four major methodologies in enterprise architecture, this 44-page white paper — sponsored by Microsoft — includes a a robust comparison of these four major methodologies:

  • Zachman Framework for Enterprise Architectures
  • The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF)
  • The Federal Enterprise Architecture (FEA)
  • The Garner/Meta methodology

The early reaction from readers has been extremely positive. Here is what some high powered IT executives in Fortune 500 companies have told us:

“I’ve read your article on comparing the top 4 EA methodologies…in fact, our entire team read it and thought that it was brilliant. Thank you for sharing it with us. We are promoting it as a must read for all of our key stakeholders.”

“Very interesting, well written and useful!”

“Excellent, insightful. One of the most useful white papers I’ve read”

Here is a PDF version of the paper.

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Interview with John Zachman
(April, 2007)

As Editor-in-Chief of Perspectives of the International Association of Software Architects (IASA), Roger Sessions recently conducted an in-depth interview with John Zachman, the founder of the field of enterprise architecture.

This ten-page interview was published in the April 2007 Perspectives Issue that concentrated on a twenty year retrospective on enterprise architecture.

If you have any interest in enterprise architecture, the interview is a fascinating look at one of the foremost thinkers in the field. This issue of Perspectives also includes several other important articles about enterprise architecture.

Here is a PDF version of the paper.
 

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A Better Path to Enterprise Architectures
By Roger Sessions
(March, 2006, 32 pages)

A good Enterprise Architecture is critical to getting the maximum value out of your company's IT investments. For this reason, many companies spend lots of money trying to develop an Enterprise Architecture. All too often, the result is an expensive fiasco. This white paper looks at some recent spectacular failures of enterprise architectures, analyzes why these failures occurred, and discusses the important lessons your company can learn. This paper outlines a different approach to building an enterprise architecture based on probability theory and wartime combat analysis. Don't miss this thought provoking paper!

Here is a PDF version of the paper.

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Interoperability Through Service-Oriented Architectures (SOAs)
By Roger Sessions
(July 30, 2004, 28 pages)

This white paper includes interviews with companies that are successfully using SOAs. From these interviews emerged many lessons that are applicable to any company interested in leveraging SOAs. If you are interested in SOAs, this paper is a great overview of some of the issues you will soon be facing.

Download the PDF file NOW.

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Modeling Software Architectures
By Roger Sessions
(June 9, 2003, 73 pages)

This white paper presents a revolutionary approach to modeling enterprise architectures and costing enterprise software platforms. It comes with a companion spreadsheet that you can use to compare the Windows Server Platform to IBM's WebSphere on Linux, or any other platform choices. The paper has three main areas of focus:

  • An overview of The Software Fortress Model and the Software Fortress Enterprise Planning Process.
  • A case study of applying the Software Fortress Model and Enterprise Planning Process to a typical enterprise.
  • A User's Guide to modifying the companion spreadsheet to model and cost compare technologies in your specific enterprise.

Download the zip file containing both the white paper and the accompanying spreadsheet NOW.

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