Planning for ICT: the information and technology architectures

We provide an overview of this guide in the context of an integrated set of publications. Next, we describe the principles behind the design of the ICT architecture as a major component in building an ICT strategy, and explain the set of architectures involved.

Enterprise architecture

Enterprise architecture is the design for the future structure and behaviours of an
organisation's processes, information systems, personnel and service units, demonstrating alignment with its corporate objectives and strategic direction in order to ensure achievement of vision and goals. As it covers the architectural tier above the principal topics of this report, it defines the overall scope and context.

Information architecture

Information architecture is the design of the structure, and means of labelling the content of an organisation's information and data assets.

Logical technology architecture

The logical technology architecture explains the design of how the systems that support the organisation's processes link together in a cohesive whole, from process inputs through to the process outputs in the hands of the customer.

Physical technology architecture

The physical technology architecture is the design of the infrastructure components, including the systems that run upon them, that connect together customers, internal personnel and partners through channels to their processing power and storage.

Pulling it together

With help from the work of the ICT and IM teams at Cheshire CC, we look at the way the architecture components fit together into an overall design for the organisation: the enterprise architecture.

Last modified: 21st July 2011