Enterprise Architecture Alignment Check Template – Free Word Download

Introduction to the Enterprise Architecture Alignment Check

In the modern corporate environment, no system exists in isolation. Every piece of software, every database, and every network configuration must function as part of a larger, integrated whole known as the Enterprise Architecture (EA). The Enterprise Architecture is the conceptual blueprint that defines the structure and operation of an organization. Its purpose is to determine how an organization can most effectively achieve its current and future objectives through the alignment of strategy, business processes, data, and technology.

The Enterprise Architecture Alignment Check is a critical governance review conducted during the initiation and design phases of a project. Its goal is to ensure that the project’s proposed solution does not violate the organization’s long-term technology strategy. Without this check, projects often create “Technology Silos” or “Technical Debt.” A project might solve a specific business problem today but do so using a legacy programming language, a non-standard database, or a security protocol that is slated for decommissioning. This leads to a fragmented and expensive technology landscape that is difficult to maintain and impossible to scale.

By completing this template, you are engaging in “Architectural Stewardship.” You are verifying that your project is a “good citizen” within the organizational ecosystem. This document will guide you through the analysis of the four primary layers of EA: Business, Data, Application, and Technology. It ensures that your project leverages shared services, adheres to security standards, and contributes to the overall simplification of the corporate environment.

Section 1: Alignment Principles and Context

1.1 The Role of the Enterprise Architect

Before beginning the review, the Project Manager must identify the Enterprise Architect (EA) assigned to their domain. The EA is the “Guardian of the Blueprint.” Their role is to provide guidance on standards and to approve deviations where necessary.

Guidance for Completion:

Document the communication channel between the project and the EA team.

“The project solution design will be reviewed by the Enterprise Architecture Board (EAB) on a monthly basis. The designated EA for this project is [Name]. All architectural decisions (ADs) must be logged and signed off by the EA before moving from the Design Phase to the Build Phase.”

1.2 The “Standard vs. Exception” Philosophy

Enterprise Architecture is built on standards. Standards reduce cost (through bulk licensing) and reduce risk (through known security patches).

Core Principles:

• Buy over Build: Use off-the-shelf software before building custom code.
• Cloud First: Utilize existing cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, GCP) before requesting on-premise servers.
• Simplification: If two systems do the same thing, the project must use the corporate standard rather than introducing a third.

Section 2: Business Architecture Alignment

Business Architecture focuses on how the project supports business processes and organizational capabilities.

2.1 Capability Mapping

Does the project support an existing business capability, or does it create a new one?

Guidance:

Refer to the “Corporate Business Capability Model.”

“This project supports the ‘Order-to-Cash’ capability. It aligns with the EA goal of automating 80% of manual entry points within this process. It does not introduce any redundant business processes that exist elsewhere in the organization.”

2.2 Process Standardization

Does the project follow the standard “BPMN” (Business Process Model and Notation) standards of the firm?

Checklist:

• Have the “To-Be” processes been mapped?
• Do these processes align with the corporate workflow engine?
• Is there a conflict between the project’s process and the standard Operating Model?

Section 3: Data Architecture Alignment

Data is the most valuable asset of the enterprise. Data Architecture ensures that data is consistent, secure, and accessible.

3.1 Data Mastership and Sovereignty

Where does the data live? Who “owns” it?

The “Golden Record” Principle:

Identify the “System of Record” for the data the project uses.

“The project will consume ‘Customer Data’ from the Master Data Management (MDM) hub. It will not create a local copy of customer records. This ensures that a change to a customer’s address in the hub is reflected in this project’s interface immediately, maintaining a ‘Single Version of the Truth’.”

3.2 Data Standards and Security

Key Requirements:

• Schema Alignment: Does the project’s data model match the Enterprise Data Model?
• Classification: Is the data Public, Private, or Highly Confidential?
• Encryption: Does the data handling comply with the corporate Data Protection Policy?

Drafting Text:

“All data at rest within the project database must be encrypted using AES-256. The database schema must be reviewed and approved by the Data Architect to ensure that naming conventions match the corporate dictionary (e.g., using ‘Cust_ID’ instead of ‘Client_Number’).”

Section 4: Application Architecture Alignment

Application Architecture defines the software components and how they interact.

4.1 The Application Portfolio Check

Is there an existing application that can do what this project needs?

Analysis:

“Before selecting [Vendor X], the project team evaluated the existing corporate applications [App A] and [App B]. It was determined that neither application supports the specific ‘Real-Time Inventory’ requirement. The introduction of [Vendor X] is therefore justified as a new entry into the Application Portfolio.”

4.2 Integration and Interoperability

How does the application talk to other systems?

Standards for Integration:

• API First: All integrations must use RESTful APIs.
• Middleware: All cross-system communication must flow through the Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) or the standard API Gateway.
• No “Spaghetti” Code: Point-to-point integrations are strictly forbidden.

Section 5: Technology Architecture Alignment

This is the “Infrastructure” layer: servers, networks, operating systems, and hardware.

5.1 Technology Stack Compliance

Every organization has an “Approved Technology Stack.” This is a list of approved versions of languages (e.g., Java 17), databases (e.g., PostgreSQL 15), and OS (e.g., RHEL 9).

Review Table:

Component	Proposed Technology	Approved Standard?	Justification for Deviation
Language	Python 3.11	Yes	N/A
Database	MongoDB	Exception	Required for unstructured JSON storage.
Web Server	Nginx	Yes	N/A
Cloud	AWS	Yes	Standard corporate provider.

5.2 Scalability and Disaster Recovery (DR)

The technology must be able to survive a failure.

Requirements:

• Redundancy: Must have a “Multi-Availability Zone” setup.
• Recovery Point Objective (RPO): Maximum 1 hour of data loss.
• Recovery Time Objective (RTO): Maximum 4 hours to be back online.

Section 6: Security and Infrastructure Alignment

6.1 Identity and Access Management (IAM)

How do people log in?

Mandatory Rule:

“The project must utilize the Corporate Active Directory (Azure AD) for all authentication. The use of local, project-specific usernames and passwords is prohibited. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) must be enforced for all administrative accounts.”

6.2 Network Security and Firewalls

“The application will reside in the ‘Internal Trusted Zone’ of the corporate network. All traffic from the public internet must pass through the Web Application Firewall (WAF) and the Load Balancer.”

Section 7: Technical Debt and Legacy Impact

7.1 Retirement of Legacy Systems

Does this project allow us to turn something else off? This is the best way to gain EA approval.

Drafting Text:

“Impact on Legacy: Upon successful deployment of this project, the legacy system [OldApp Name] will be decommissioned. This will save the organization $50k per year in licensing fees and remove three unpatched Windows 2012 servers from the network.”

7.2 Identification of New Technical Debt

If you are forced to make a non-standard choice to meet a deadline, you must log it here.

Guidance:

“We are using a temporary ‘Flat File’ integration instead of the API Gateway to meet the Q3 deadline. This is recognized as Technical Debt. A follow-up project (Phase 2) is scheduled for Q1 of next year to convert this to a standard API integration.”

Section 8: The EA Compliance Matrix

Use this table as the summary for your Steering Committee.

Category	Alignment Status	Issues / Risks
Business	GREEN	Fully aligned with ‘Order-to-Cash’ model.
Data	AMBER	Requires waiver for non-standard schema naming.
Application	GREEN	Uses standard API Gateway.
Technology	GREEN	Uses approved AWS instance types.
Security	GREEN	Passed initial Vulnerability Assessment.

Section 9: Governance, Waivers, and Approval

9.1 The EA Waiver Process

If the project cannot align with a standard, it must seek a waiver.

Protocol:

“A formal EA Waiver must be submitted to the Architecture Review Board (ARB). The waiver must include the ‘Cost of Non-Alignment’ (e.g., the extra cost to support a non-standard database). Waivers are typically granted for 12 months, after which the project must realign with the standard.”

9.2 Final Architecture Sign-Off

“This document serves as the formal ‘Checkpoint 1’ approval from the Enterprise Architecture team. The project is authorized to proceed to detailed design. A final ‘Checkpoint 2’ review is required before production deployment.”

Conclusion – Enterprise Architecture Alignment Check Template – Free Word Download

The Enterprise Architecture Alignment Check is the final piece of the project governance puzzle. It ensures that the project is not just a tactical success, but a strategic contribution to the organization’s technical health. By completing this template, you are demonstrating that you understand the “Big Picture” and are committed to maintaining the integrity of the corporate ecosystem.

This document protects the Project Manager. It ensures that you aren’t building a system that the IT department will later refuse to support. It forces technical conversations to happen early, preventing expensive rework during the testing phase. When a project is “EA Aligned,” it benefits from the security, stability, and support of the entire organization.

As you finalize this check, remember that Enterprise Architecture is not about saying “No” to new ideas; it is about saying “Yes” to ideas that are sustainable. Use the EA team as consultants, not just as auditors. Their goal is the same as yours: to deliver a solution that provides value to the business while keeping the organization safe, simple, and efficient.

Meta Description:

A definitive Enterprise Architecture Alignment Check template ensuring project compliance with business, data, application, and technology standards across the organization.

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