Implementing a Software Prototype for Enterprise Architecture Rationalization: Lessons Learned

Enterprise Architecture (EA) modeling languages describe an enterprise architecture holistically. Therefore, they show an enterprise´s business products and services, and how these are realized by IT infrastructure and applications. However, EA modeling languages lack the capability of capturing rationalization information behind these models in terms of selection criteria, alternatives etc. Our earlier work proposes the EA Anamnesis approach for enterprise architecture rationalization. Its major contribution is a formal metamodel and a corresponding concrete syntax to interrelate business and IT decisions and in turn complement EA models with design rationale information. Yet, up to now the EA Anamnesis approach lacks software tool support. In this paper we discuss the lessons learned during the implementation of our metamodel into a software prototype. Furthermore, we provide a reflection of our aim to develop a tool by rapid prototyping, whereby practitioner feedback enables concurrent maturation of the software tool and metamodel and the idea of presenting a tool to foster acceptance and practical uptake of EA Anamnesis.