Lesson 10

The goal of the e-business architect is to provide a unified view of the e-business and its effects on the existing business. This module discussed e-business architecture and the need for a broad scope of awareness. We discussed how decisions regarding the e-business design can be heavily influenced by many and varied factors. The architect should strive to fully understand and, perhaps more importantly, to anticipate the concerns of the stakeholders.
It is also important for an e-business architect to expect competing demands from different dimensions, and to weigh these against one another in a cost-versus-benefit analysis. Because the developers ultimately take on the task of building to the architect's design, investing time in achieving developer buy-in to the design and its viability is time well spent.
We then discussed the relevance of the history of e-business and eCommerce to the way e-business is conducted today and the importance of standards. We concluded this module with a brief introduction to the e-business models, focusing our attention on the business-to-business and business-to-consumer models.
After completing this module, you should be able to:

1. Define architecture and its role in e-business
2. Identify the scope of the architect's role and responsibilities
3. Define the differences between the roles of the architect and the developer
4. Identify the viewpoint and perspectives of e-business stakeholders
5. Describe the primary business models available for e-business
6. Explain why service quality is part of an architect's responsibility
7. Apply quality metrics to a an e-business environment
8. Outline the key issues and concerns that an architect must address

Decisions regarding the design of an e-business architecture are influenced by a multitude of factors that span technical, strategic, financial, and organizational domains. Technologically, the architect must consider the scalability, security, and integration capabilities of the systems chosen for e-business. This includes decisions about cloud computing versus on-premise solutions, the adoption of APIs for seamless connectivity, and the implementation of robust cybersecurity measures to protect data integrity and customer privacy. The choice of technology must also align with the existing IT infrastructure, ensuring compatibility and minimizing disruption during the integration phase.
Strategically, the e-business architect needs to align the design with the company's broader business objectives, market position, and competitive landscape. This involves understanding customer expectations, where digital transformation can yield the most value, and how the e-business can differentiate the company from competitors. Financial considerations play a crucial role as well; the architecture must be cost-effective, with a clear ROI, considering not only initial implementation costs but also ongoing maintenance, upgrades, and scalability expenses. Organizational factors include the readiness of the workforce to adopt new systems, the need for training, cultural shifts towards digital-first mindsets, and the management of change within the organization. Each of these elements requires careful consideration to ensure that the e-business architecture not only supports but also enhances the existing business operations while providing a cohesive, unified view of the business's digital landscape.

The e-business architect plays a critical role in bridging the gap between technical solutions and business outcomes, and understanding and anticipating the concerns of stakeholders is vital for this integration. Stakeholders in an e-business project can range from top executives, IT teams, operational managers, to end-users like customers and employees. The architect must first identify all relevant stakeholders and their specific interests or concerns. For executives, the primary focus might be on strategic alignment, ROI, and market competitiveness. Here, the architect should anticipate questions about how the e-business will enhance market reach, streamline operations, or open new revenue streams.
Operational managers and IT teams will be concerned with practical aspects like system integration, workflow modifications, data management, and security. The architect must delve into how the new architecture will affect day-to-day operations, ensure data flows correctly across systems, and maintain or enhance security protocols. For end-users, both internal (employees) and external (customers), considerations include user experience, accessibility, and how changes will impact their interaction with the company. The architect should anticipate resistance to change, training needs, and ensure that user interfaces are intuitive and supportive of their needs. To address these varied concerns, the architect should employ strategies like stakeholder interviews, workshops, and iterative feedback loops throughout the design process. By proactively addressing these concerns, the e-business architect can design architectures that are not only technically sound but also meet or exceed stakeholder expectations, fostering buy-in and ensuring successful adoption of e-business initiatives.

The following terms may be new to you:

1. Architecture: For purposes of this course, architecture is the structure or design of an e-business.
2. e-business: An integration of communications, data management and security capabilities that allows organizations to exchange information about the sale of goods and services.
3. Business to Business: A primary Business model where the buyer and seller are both businesses. This would be the case for a wholesale stationer selling stock to retail outlets. Also known as B2B.
4. Business to Consumer: A primary two-business model where the seller is a business and the buyer is a consumer or individual such as with a bookstore that sells books to the public. Also known as B2C.
5. Government to Business: (G2B) A secondary model for e-business where the seller is a government entity, and the buyer is a business. The Business to Government (B2G) model operates in the reverse.
6. Consumer to Consumer: A Business model where the buyer and seller are both consumers. An example might be the trade that takes place on an auction site.
7. Bot: A bot is a software tool for digging through data. Sometimes referred to as an Agent. You give a bot directions and it brings back answers. Bots were used as early as the first Net newsgroups. There are different kinds of bots. For example, a service bot they might answer specific questions about a product or service.
8. Closed standard: Closed systems or standards are based on proprietary standards. They are usually unique to a single vendor and are not compatible with offerings from other vendors. The opposite of closed standards are open standards.

e-business models
Although we have discussed the more common e-business models briefly in this module, in taking a "real-world approach" to e-business strategies you will need to understand these in more detail. We will take a closer look at e-business models in the next lesson.

Click the Quiz link below to assess your understanding of the concepts you have learned in this module
Scope e-business Architect - Quiz