Research and analysis of approaches and views of IT specialists on the system, corporate and business architecture of the enterprise: trends, challenges, development prospects

Abstract

In the practice of managing organizations and information systems the role of corporate architecture as a tool for ensuring the integrity and manageability of digital change is increasing, but its actual application is often formal and does not lead to sustainable management effects. The purpose of this study is to analyze the practices of applying the corporate IT architecture of an enterprise in the context of digital transformation of organizations at the Russian and international levels, as well as to identify the factors determining its effectiveness. The research was carried out within the framework of a qualitative approach and is based on the results of 39 expert interviews with IT architects, system and business analysts, developers, project managers and representatives of the academic community. The use of the expert interview method made it possible to identify not only the formal aspects of using architectural approaches, but also the peculiarities of their perception by various professional roles. The results showed that the key problems of corporate architecture effectiveness are caused not so much by technological limitations or disadvantages of the frameworks used, but rather by the level of organizational maturity, the quality of role interaction, and the degree of integration of architectural activities into management and operational processes. It has been established that in conditions of low maturity, architectural approaches are applied fragmentarily and mainly in the form of isolated documentation, whereas at a higher level of maturity they become a tool for decision support and change management. Based on the analysis of expert assessments, the main problems of architectural practice implementation have been identified and ways to overcome them have been proposed, including shifting the focus from formal modeling to the development of managerial and organizational mechanisms. In addition, the need for the formation of architectural competencies at later stages of professional development of specialists, with practical experience in working with processes and IT systems, is substantiated.