Larry Helm, Duncan Niblett Published in EAZone Magazine
Washington, D.C. -- The following practicum, prepared by Larry Helm and Duncan Niblett, has been published in EAZone Magazine: The FEAC team presented a draft segment architecture for the Science Mission Directorate (SMD), one of five planned segments of the Federal Enterprise Architecture for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The intent and focus is to prepare SMD to adapt more effectively to future internally- and externally-driven changes while preserving the feasibility and consistency of SMD's long-term mission and system planning. We have developed a business concept overview, the SMD organization structure, and a top-level activity model. We narrowed the scope of subsequent work products to one activity from this activity model, "Establish Strategic Direction." Based on legacy documents from a former organizational structure, we expanded two detailed activity models and used these to form a "go to" activity model appropriate for NASA's current organization. We use this as the basis for an operational node connectivity model, and information exchange matrix, a systems connectivity model, and a data dictionary. These products are the initial stage of SMD's Federal Enterprise Architecture segment.
Our strategy for continued success and stakeholder buy-in is to:
- Focus the initial effort on strategic planning as an area of high management concern.
- User the SMD-wide activity model as a basis for gradual completion of the broader architecture.
- Engage employees through a collaborative and inclusive governance approach to foster early ownership and buy-in.