Architecture principles are based on business principles. We all know this is critical in setting foundation for architectural governance.
The architecture principles should capture the fundamental truths about how enterprise will use and deploy business and IT resources and assets.
These principles are typically developed by Lead Architect with CIA, Architecture Board, and other business stakeholders.
What we see is that EA-teams don't use a day or two on this activity but months. The result are often to many architecture principles that nobody remember.
Business Principles
1) Primacy of Principles
2) Maximize benefit to the Enterprise
3) Information Management is Everybody's Business
4) Business Continuity
5) Common Use of Applications
6) Compliance with law
7) IT Responsibility
8) Protection of Intellectual Property
Data Principles
1) Data is an Asset
2) Data is shared
3) Data is Accessible
4) Data Trustee
5) Common Vocabulary and Data Definitions
6) Data Security
Application Principles
1. Technology Independence
2. Ease of Use
3. Requirement based change
4. Responsive Change Management
5. Control Technical Diversity
6. Interoperability
Below you find some sample on architecture principles:
University of Canberra
https://guard.canberra.edu.au/policy/policy.php?pol_id=3235
If your company has many business principles try to limited this to fewer architecture principles. Three to ten architecture principles are possible for the IT department to remember. If you have too many principles there is also less flexibility in your architecture.
