InformationEnterprise Architecture Analysis
Establishing a Clear Direction and Flexible Roadmap for Modernization
The Challenge
The MA DCS and DUA wished to move from its mainframe environment to a .NET platform within three years. Although its Unisys 2200 mainframe supports its current unemployment insurance and revenue legacy operations very well, it is more than 20 years old. As such, it lacks the flexibility to accommodate program changes rapidly. Additionally, the MA DCS and DUA has an increasingly difficult time finding the IT skills to maintain the system, a problem that will get worse because of an early retirement program. While re-platforming the unemployment insurance and revenue systems is the thrust of the project, the MA DCS and DUA also wished to position itself as a customer service leader—nationally and within Massachusetts. To tackle these challenges, the MA DCS and DUA engaged Collaborative to create innovative solutions to minimize the disruption the initiative would entail.
The Solution:
MA DCS and DUA executives recognized that the problems posed by the Unisys 2200’s limited flexibility would only worsen as time went by, making migration more important every day. To begin this process, the MA DCS and DUA engaged Collaborative as a strategic partner, and Collaborative quickly established a high-level plan to help the division migrate to a more nimble environment.
Next, Collaborative executed an Enterprise Architecture Analysis, which defined the technical direction the MA DCS and DUA would pursue. This element of the engagement included several workshops to ensure that the EAA linked to the MA DCS and DUA’s people, process and technology. It also included considerable efforts by the MA DCS and DUA to identify its priorities. Specifically, the EAA was a multi-pronged project. During the EAA, the team:
- Defined the technology direction and aligned it with MA DCS and DUA’s business requirements
- Executed the Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method to identify the agency’s IT priorities
- Created a conceptual architecture diagram of the future state, as well as application analysis worksheets, a tradeoff analysis of key quality attributes and an organizational constraints analysis
- Created a technology "Roadmap" and outlined a target platform, development technologies, architecture characteristics, integration technologies and migration tools.
The Results:
The team generated the “Roadmap” for modernization, which enabled MA DCS and DUA employees to manage the migration successfully, saving time and money while enhancing their capabilities. In addition, Collaborative provided the division with a clear picture of its future and outlined precisely what it must do to achieve its objectives.
In addition, the structured, iterative approach provided MA DCS and DUA executives with considerable peace of mind. Instead of an enormous and challenging engagement, the MA DCS and DUA’s modernization has been split into a series of small and eminently achievable projects, each of which will add considerable value in its own right.