Congratulations!
You took the very first step in vocalizing your innermost thoughts: you want to be an Enterprise Architect! Coming to that realization is rare, let me tell you. Most people (including those in technology) have no clue what we do or the value we bring to the table.
Thanks for reading this post and putting your faith in me to point you in the right direction. I hope I do it justice. If not, feel free to comment and let me know!
Back to Basics
There are plenty of free online resources to learn about Enterprise Architecture, and TOGAF is always a good place to start. I’ll be honest, I haven’t read it cover to cover, just the parts in time of need. I’m not certified (yet), but it’s on my list.
Still, I refer to TOGAF often because it helps me maintain a theoretical foundation for how EA works. It’s my way of grounding myself in the basics. Otherwise, it’s easy to get lost in opinions and one-off frameworks.
You can visit https://www.opengroup.org/togaf, sign up, and access the material for free.
LeanIX by SAP
A surprisingly good source of basic information about Enterprise Architecture is this site by SAP: https://www.leanix.net/en/wiki/ea. It promotes LeanIX, an Enterprise Architecture Management tool. The articles are all free and very well written in simple language, assuming no prior knowledge of Enterprise Architecture.
Write It Down
My next recommendation may be surprising. The next step in your learning journey is to take notes on everything you’ve learned. This is the best way to truly connect the dots and understand EA. Any EA worth their salt can do this in their sleep, connecting the dots, I mean.
It’s the one crucial skill that makes you a good architect. I use a mind mapping software called Xmind. It lets me note my thoughts in a freeform way instead of rigid outlines. Bonus: I can just copy-paste those notes into ChatGPT and ask it to summarize them in plain English.
If you completed all this, know that I’m proud of you. You’ve taken the most important and difficult step in your journey to becoming an EA.
Good luck!