Since its development in 1995 by the Open Group, the TOGAF enterprise architectural framework has over the years been adopted in part or in full by enterprises across the globe for major architectural developments. Yet, having undergone nine revisions, TOGAF is still evolving to adapt to changing technological times and remains to be a relevant framework that meets the current software needs for enterprises. TOGAF addresses four architectural domains including data, application, technology, and business architectures upon which the operations of enterprises are founded. That it has been adopted by some of the world’s top organizations with IT professionals possessing TOGAF certification commanding handsome salary packages leaves a lot to be desired in TOGAF.
To this effect, The Open Group also offers TOGAF courses and certifications to professionals as a guideline for designing and implementing IT infrastructure development strategies based on business requirements.
What is TOGAF?
TOGAF, known in full as The Open Group Architecture Framework, is a world-renowned architectural framework that organizations adopt to align their business objectives with enterprise IT architecture development. Organizations use TOGAF to plan, design, develop, and implement their IT systems in a systematic way that minimizes errors while keeping to the allocated time and budgetary resources to yield high-quality software for the business.
TOGAF is centered around Architecture Development Method (ADM). ADM is a guideline that details the process of developing or changing enterprise architecture to meet the IT requirements of a business. TOGAF ADM essentially helps IT practitioners to manage the entire lifecycle of enterprise architecture development and is tailorable to the business’ specific system development needs.
What is the role of TOGAF professionals?
Overall, it is the responsibility of TOGAF certified professionals to implement TOGAF ensuring an alignment between IT software development and business objectives. This is a strategic management role that requires a professional
Who should get TOGAF certified?
TOGAF certification is a worthwhile credential for professionals involved in the organization’s IT architecture planning, design, development, and implementation such as the chief technology officer (CTO), developers, IT infrastructure architects, IoT developers, and project managers, application architects, and more.
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The roles of TOGAF certified practitioners include:
- They are responsible for creating the roadmap for the applications and systems strategy that meet the standards laid out in the TOGAF framework. They are the vision bearers of what an organization’s IT architecture should look like.
- Developing long-term IT architecture development strategies that support the business’s overall goals and objectives.
- They not only plan, develop, and implement TOGAF-based architecture but also ensure a streamlined transition and operations of the applications and processes.
- They manage the entire IT technology development lifecycle
- Responsible for the compliance of the organization’s IT architecture with current IT standards and policies.
- They help business stakeholders understand TOGAF principles and standards with regard to the business goals and liaise with other business departments to ensure TOGAF’s successful implementation.
Why is TOGAF certification important for IT professionals?
Given TOGAF’s wide adoption and popularity among enterprises, a TOGAF certification is a great way of demonstrating one’s knowledge and competency in implementing TOGAF principles and guidelines at a strategic level.
TOGAF professionals play the noble role of helping businesses to understand the current status of their IT infrastructure, the usefulness of TOGAF standards, and the importance of collaboration in IT infrastructure development and operations. In short, they are agents of change in the organization who contribute significantly to the overall productivity and profitability of the business. Yet, TOGAF certification is more important for business and IT professionals.
The benefits of TOGAF Certification to the organization
As we have seen, the TOGAF framework provides a means by which organizations can develop and implement or change software technology systematically in line with business requirements to enhance productivity and collaboration between IT professionals and other business stakeholders. While the TOGAF framework in its entirety is broad, businesses can adopt only parts that meet their requirements.
- Organizations that have adopted TOGAF use the certification as a standard for evaluating candidates’ knowledge and competencies of this global standard during recruitment.
- TOGAF sets consistent standards and guidelines for IT infrastructures across the globe and TOGAF certification ensures that practitioners are knowledgeable enough to implement the TOGAF framework effectively based on specific requirements of an organization.
- Enterprise architecture is key to aligning IT strategies with business objectives. TOGAF framework makes it possible to meet the needs of the business in a systematic manner whose outcome is measurable and evaluable based on recognized standards.
- TOGAF creates an opportunity for collaboration between enterprise architects and other stakeholders in the organization thus bringing everyone on the same page as far as IT solutions for business requirements are concerned. This yields overall productivity in the business.
- TOGAF is a progressive methodology. This means that its implementation happens over time following the enterprise architecture roadmap laid out during the planning stage. Also, it is a customizable and scalable framework to meet the organization’s present and future requirements.
The benefits of TOGAF Certification to professionals
TOGAF Certification is an important credential for enterprise architects. The Open Group TOGAF certification program has seen over 87,000 architects and trainers get credentials that demonstrate their skills in IT architecture development based on TOGAF standards.
- As TOGAF is a work in progress, TOGAF certifications empower professionals to be part of the larger community of experts which significantly contributes to the improvement of the frameworks hence the rollout of the latest versions of the framework.
- TOGAF certification is in two levels, the foundation and certified levels. In other words, the acquisition of knowledge and experience is also progressive allowing professionals to grow their careers from the basics to the expert level.
- TOGAF certification demonstrates a commitment on the part of professionals to the maintenance and improvement of TOGAF standards in organizations.
- TOGAF certifications lay a solid career foundation for IT professionals who desire to scale their enterprise architect careers to higher levels. There are four TOGAF specializations including:
- TOGAF Business Architecture Certification
- TOGAF Data Architecture Certification
- TOGAF Applications Architecture Certification
- TOGAF Technical Architecture Certification
- The demand for enterprise architects is rising. Acquiring TOGAF credentials gives a professional the knowledge and skills required to implement internationally recognized standards and best practices.
- A TOGAF certified enterprise architect commands an average of between $95,000 to $193,000 which is quite decent compared to their counterparts without TOGAF certification.
In Conclusion
Is TOGAF certification is no doubt a highly valued credential in enterprise architecture. One valuable advantage it offers is that rather than replacing other systems, it complements them. Together with the fact that it provides a roadmap and clarity required to develop an organization’s IT infrastructure in response to the needs and objectives of the business makes it a framework worth adopting. Thus, professionals have much to gain from learning TOGAF principles and best practices and getting certified.