A Process for Tailoring Domain-Specific Enterprise Architecture Maturity Models

Abstract

Reference architectures provide strong foundations for the implementation and development of enterprise architecture. It is common for enterprise architects to encounter the challenge of managing an increasingly complex architecture. This management can be enhanced by the application of domain-independent maturity models. Nevertheless, existing maturity models do not provide enterprise architects with metrics and domain-specific solutions to ensure a successful evolution path. This research in progress presents a process for tailoring domain-specific enterprise architecture maturity models. As a proof of concept, we chose the domain of hospitals because of the following reasons: wide variety of interdependencies and many medical disciplines with their own processes, technology, and data requirements; there is no specific maturity model for the enterprise architecture of hospitals; and there are many restrictions (e.g. governmental laws) for the medical domain which are expressed in a reference enterprise architecture. We follow a design science approach from the problem investigation to the treatment design. We conclude this paper with the results of the initial validation that has been conducted with architects from the healthcare domain.