The Business Architect's Education^[i]

Business Architects are generalists by definition, possessing enough of a working knowledge of the terminology, tools, interests and concerns of each part of the organization to engage them in fruitful conversation, understand their needs, represent their interests in design discussions and effectively communicate the design to them.  

One of the primary objectives of the Business Architects Association’s professional and regulatory bodies is to establish baseline credentials for professional practitioners in whom Executive Management can have confidence.  To support this, education programs have been designed by academic scholars working with practicing Business Architects, based on a peer-approved Body of Knowledge.

The Business Architects Association education requirements are focused on providing a holistic understanding of organizations, with an emphasis on solving real world business cases while receiving constructive feedback from professional practitioners.  

Business Architecture training is beneficial to a variety of roles: Business Architects, middle and senior managers, management consultants, business modeling specialists and entrepreneurs.

Prerequisites: MBA Degree or Equivalent, Multi-Disciplinary Work Experience

The students best prepared to enter a Business Architecture program are those who possess a comprehensive understanding of the functioning of a business and techniques for gaining strategic advantage in the competitive marketplace and are practiced in empirical decision support methodologies. 

The best students have managed employees and projects, served as an analyst working within a variety of functional areas – e.g., financial analyst, marketing analyst, and supply chain analyst. They have sales experience working face-to-face with customers where they have learned to build relationships quickly and communicate persuasively. They also have hands-on exposure to writing computer code and Internet scripts, which provide them with a granular understanding of the capabilities inherent in information technologies.

Specialized Coursework through Accredited Institutions

The content of a specialized Business Architecture regimen should include:

Introduction to Business Architecture

An overview of the Business Architecture profession, history and nature of the profession, how it fits among associated professions, a survey of applicable theory, and an illustration of the beneficial impact the Business Architect can have in an organization and the level of care and responsibility required from its practitioners. 

Business Modeling and Solution Development

This design-based coursework is based on real-world case studies involving complex challenges and introduce new business strategies. It requires students to gather information, analyze it, design a practical solution and form an implementation plan that takes into account real-world constraints. The students’ deliverables include a comprehensive, coordinated set of business, operational, organizational and financial models, business rules, timelines, resource requirements, and communication and training plans designed to mitigate constraints and achieve the strategy.

Corporate Governance Modeling

A well designed solution is no assurance of success for the organization. Many social, cultural, political, training and organizational readiness factors have a much greater influence on success. The content of this course explores leadership methodologies appropriate for corporations whose managers must cooperate and coordinate across supply chain partner and hierarchical levels.  A governance model made up of business rules is created, defining the culture, personal manner, relationships, standards, benefits and incentives necessary to turn competing interests into a collectively motivated team. 

Practical Cross-Organizational Experience Serving in a Variety of Functional Roles

Business Architects, in order to be effective, must understand the terminology, interests and concerns of the various departments in an organization. This is best accomplished through direct personal experience serving in a variety of analyst and line roles within different functional areas.

Certification Examination

A certification examination will provide employers with an assurance of the depth of education of the Business Architect, as well as the consistency of content across different educational programs.

Continuing Education

A continuing education program is vital to ensuring practitioners are kept up-to-speed with current developments in the field and deepen their skillsets.