Uses of an Enterprise Architecture

An Enterprise Architecture can be used in a number of contexts but all of these can be summarized in to three categories:

Prescriptive - Articulates the designs to transform an enterprise.
Restrictive - Acts to govern, guide or constrain the implementations.
Descriptive - Describes the enterprise so as to facilitate decision making.

In practice an architecture can be used in the context of Mergers and Acquisitions, Corporate Divestiture and Business and Systems Improvements. It can also be used as a powerful communication mechanism to inform stakeholders of aspects of the enterprise and how they are related. Architectures can assist with Portfolio Management and act as a guide for implementation initiatives and can be used for a range of other uses.