"Brick” - Technical Standards and Protocol

In my EDL 680 course, which is Introduction to Enterprise Architecture, we are reading several pieces of information and research on enterprise architecture and frameworks.  These past two (2) weeks we have focused on the systems of an organization; earlier I wrote on a systems review, now on the concept of a 'brick.'

According to this course, "a “brick” specifies technical standards and protocols or technologies and products. They define current and future standards. They also define products or standards in the current environment that are to be retired or contained.  From a planning point of view, once they have been evaluated holistically and approved centrally, the Bricks become ‘the bible’. They describe future plans and containment/retirement targets. Therefore, for example, if a proposal is offered that attempts to build a new service on something is marked as a retirement target the team can have a fully informed conversation about whether to recommend against that."

Great concept, and glad we spent some time talking about it.  This is something that we can utilize at AAS and elsewhere, as it helps create an understanding of where we are and where we are going in the short and long term.  I tested this model with our SIS and LMS systems.  It helped me understand all the systems we use for our SIS and LMS, and what would happen in the near and far term if we ever made changes to either system.  

The 'brick' is a terrific way to understand a system or process, and the implications of change, both on the system and process and on some of the support systems that surround said system or process.  This is a system that should be used to truly understand the evolution of change within an organization.