EA Principles
Enterprise Architecture principles are the foundational rules that guide every technology and design decision across the organisation. They translate business strategy into actionable constraints, ensuring that the architecture evolves in a coherent, governed direction rather than accumulating ad-hoc complexity.
The Four Principle Domains
Principles are organised into four domains, each addressing a distinct architectural concern:
| Domain | Focus | Principles |
|---|---|---|
| Business | Aligning systems to business capabilities, customer outcomes, and organisational agility | 3 principles |
| Data | Governing data as a strategic asset with clear ownership, quality, and accessibility | 3 principles |
| Application | Shaping how software is structured, integrated, and deployed | 3 principles |
| Technology | Setting standards for the technology estate, security posture, and operational excellence | 3 principles |
How to Use These Principles
For project teams: Before beginning any design work, review the principles relevant to your domain. Each principle includes a statement, rationale, and concrete implications. Use the implications as a checklist when preparing for an Architecture Review Board (ARB) submission.
For architects: Reference these principles when evaluating options and trade-offs. Where a decision conflicts with a principle, document the exception in an Architecture Decision Record (ADR) and seek ARB approval.
For leadership: These principles represent the EA Team's interpretation of organisational strategy in architectural terms. Changes to strategic direction may warrant a principle review.
Governance
All principles carry a status of approved and are reviewed at least annually by the EA Team. The last_review date on each principle page reflects when the content was last validated. Proposed amendments are submitted as pull requests against this repository and require EA Team sign-off before merging.