In this PEX Network interview Paul Snead, Business Architect, ING and key speaker at OPEX Week: Business Transformation Europe Summit 2017, shares his insights with Andrea Charles, Senior Editor, PEX Network on how business architecture is creating an "enterprise service view" and bridging the gap between strategy and operational excellence. Snead also reveals what makes a successful business architecture team.

How is business architecture bridging the gap between strategy and operational excellence?

Business architecture bridges the gap between an organizationally led operational approach and a service leading enterprise approach.

Operational excellence is about achieving the balance of cost quality and control across an enterprise. A business architecture creates the holistic and logical view of an organization to create “the enterprise service view” which provides the common reference against which the alignment, purpose and value of the people, process and technology strategies can be referenced. This enables the strategies to be applied consistently to create a standardized way of meeting corporate performance, risk and service objectives. The opposite applies if trying to deploy operational excellence strategies through an organization structure which is made up of many functions and departments operating across many geographies.

What do you see as the emerging role of the business architect in 2017?

To design, structure and govern enterprise platform and service delivery utilities. Ultimately to create the cohesion and integration with in an organization to enable a platform for delivering an operationally excellent client experience.

What is your top tip for successful business architecture?

Be empowered as the authority to implement an architecture through governance not through organizational re-structuring.

What makes an effective business architecture team?

Being recognized as an enabler. Having the tool set and facilitation competencies to partner with the organization to transform a function/ department into a service capability.

25 - 27 April, 2017 | Novotel London West, London, United Kingdom

The OpEx of the future: how will we evolve the way we improve?

This year's event is being shaped by 50+ industry leading practitioners to ensure that it addresses the most pressing topics in today’s operational environment. As you read the agenda you will agree – its trailblazing case studies and frank discussions that will allow you to go back into the workplace ready to take your OpEx programme to the next level. Look out for our new Technology Excellence sessions in the agenda!

With over 200 business transformation leaders at the event from the UK, Europe and beyond, this is truly an opportunity you cannot miss in order to take a leap into the future with your strategy and execution.

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