When You’re Hired as an Enterprise Architect, but the Organization Is Still Under Construction

Paulo Falcão

Enterprise Architect @ SIBS ROMANIA

November 28, 2024

Starting as an Enterprise Architect in a company with low maturity across key areas—business, operations, development, sales—can feel a lot like being a decorator hired for a house that’s still under construction. You might have a vision for how things should look, but the foundations aren’t ready, and walls are still being built. So, where do you begin?

Step 1: Assess the "Blueprints" (Understand the Current State)

Before you start suggesting solutions, you need to know what’s missing. Just as a decorator assesses the floorplan and construction progress, an EA should evaluate the organization's maturity:

• Is the business strategy clearly defined?

• Are operations and processes aligned with goals?

• Are technical foundations (infrastructure, data, and applications) reliable?

• Is there a culture of collaboration and agility?

If the basics aren’t in place, it's a sign you’re not in the decorating phase yet—you’re in the structural planning stage.

Step 2: Lay the Foundations (Focus on Priorities First)

Just as no decorator would pick paint colors before walls are finished, an EA must prioritize foundational work:

• Business Maturity: Align with leadership to refine the company’s vision and ensure strategic clarity.

• Operational Frameworks: Collaborate with teams to implement repeatable processes that improve efficiency.

• Technical Gaps: Identify critical systems or platforms that need upgrading or standardizing.

• Cultural Buy-in: Foster collaboration and a shared understanding of why maturity matters.

Step 3: Phase the "Decorating" (Plan for Long-term Evolution)

Once the basics are in place, you can start shaping the organization’s "look and feel":

• Begin introducing frameworks like TOGAF or SAFe to guide governance and agility.

• Promote quick wins, such as automating small processes or improving communication tools, to show immediate value.

• Map out a roadmap for long-term transformation aligned with both business goals and operational maturity.

Step 4: Accept the Reality of the Build (Be a Bridge Builder)

Your role is not to "decorate" a perfect structure but to help design and guide its evolution. Be patient yet persistent:

• Use your strategic insights to help leadership prioritize investments and actions.

• Advocate for scalable solutions, avoiding over-engineering for an immature organization.

• Embrace the chaos as part of the journey—great transformations are built from clear visions applied step by step.

What to Do in These Scenarios?

1. Focus on Education: Use relatable examples to help stakeholders understand the importance of foundational work before jumping to advanced solutions.

2. Create a Realistic Roadmap: Break down the transformation into clear, manageable phases, showing how each step builds toward the desired outcomes.

3. Deliver Quick Wins: Offer visible, short-term results to gain trust and demonstrate progress, even if it’s a small "corner of the house."

4. Stay Calm and Strategic: Expect pressure for "decorative" work and redirect it toward structural needs with empathy and professionalism.

Conclusion

As an Enterprise Architect walking into an organization with low maturity, your job isn’t to make it pretty right away. It’s to ensure the "house" is built to last, from solid foundations to flexible structures that support long-term growth. And when the time is right, you can step into the "decorator" role to add the finishing touches that make the organization truly stand out.

Pro Tip: Start small but think big—show incremental value to gain trust and buy-in for larger structural changes. Patience and a clear roadmap are your best tools for success.

About the Author

With over two decades of experience spanning payments and enterprise architecture, I’ve navigated the challenges of aligning business strategy with technical execution. Currently, I support organizations in designing scalable solutions, delivering immediate value while setting the stage for long-term success. My passion lies in demystifying complex transformations and enabling teams to build not just systems, but resilience and growth.