IAZ401 Enterprise Architecture
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | IAZ401 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | (IFB103 and IFB105) AND (IAZ251 or IAB203) |
| Equivalent(s): | IAB401, IAB301 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
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| International unit fee | $5,640 |
Unit Outline: Flexible Period - 11A 2026, Non-QUT location, Internal (Start Date: 01 Sep 2026)
| Unit code: | IAZ401 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | (IFB103 and IFB105) AND (IAZ251 or IAB203) |
| Equivalent: | IAB401, IAB301 |
Overview
This unit covers Enterprise Architecture (EA) theory and practice concerning how business and IT systems are planned and designed using modelling techniques. EA focuses on organisational capability maps, which reflect what companies do, independent of business. The techniques for capturing different artefacts relevant to systems planning at business and IT levels will include business services, processes, information and resources. You will be taught to develop a multi-layered EA using state-of-the-art techniques, such as TOGAF, Archimate, and UML modelling, based on industry-relevant digital practices and technologies. Significantly, this unit extends your knowledge and skills to model and design enterprise architecture solutions, enabling you to pursue careers in EA, modelling, design and solution architecture. The unit links to and extends learning from previous units in Data and Information Management and Process Modelling.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Explain Enterprise Architecture (EA) theories, princples, framewords and technical concepts.
- Apply Enterprise Architecture languages to model business capabilities, services, processes, information, and IT resources.
- Analyse a real-world organisational context to develop Enterprise Architecture Models that ensures strong connection between business and IT
- Propose a solution architecture based on developed architecture models that integrates and aligns various IT strategies with business goals and objectives.
- Collaborate with others in a team environment to deliver an Enterprise Architecture solution for a client.
- Communicate enterprise architecture models professionally in written and visual formats to key stakeholders.
Content
This unit will cover Enterprise Architecture theory and practice-based overall frameworks, individual parts and perspectives, and case studies. The framework will cover key activities in developing and maintaining enterprise architectures based on the widely adopted TOGAF framework and industry-relevant digital practices and technologies. The individual parts and perspectives will cover techniques for capturing enterprise architecture components. These include organisational capability maps, which reflect what businesses do, independent of business or technical implementation concepts.
The techniques for capturing different artefacts relevant to systems planning at business and IT levels will include business services, processes, information and resources. An EA technique, Archimate, supported as part of TOGAF, will illustrate how operational models of key scenarios are captured at the business and IT levels, combining these different artefacts. Dedicated techniques used to capture detailed aspects of different artefacts, such as BPMN for business processes or UML for information models, will referred to but not taught in full detail. You will be allowed to choose from different case studies to develop different aspects of enterprise architecture, to work on these in teams, and to present your proposals formally.
You will also gain valuable insight into integrating sustainable practices and principles into IT systems and processes design, implementation, and management. Further, you will gain relevant experience on how to apply different perspectives, such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, to design and implement enterprise architecture solutions, using relevant theories and cases.
Learning Approaches
Lectures/Lectorials: 1 hour weekly
Workshops: 2 hours weekly
A case-based approach is used for this unit. Weekly lectures will develop your knowledge, frameworks, activities and technical skills related to enterprise architecture while the workshops will enable you to further the understanding and development of the skills. You will be required to work in groups, as would be expected in an enterprise architecture related role. As part of your learning, you will undertake a WIL project drawn from a real-world case study. This project will allow you to interact with an industry partner who will provide you with industry context.
You can expect to spend 10-15 hours per week involved in attending classes, undertaking independent study and completing assessment tasks.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Assessment is designed progressively across the semester to provide multiple opportunities for feedback and improvement. This includes a mix of oral and written feedback from peers and teachers on a portfolio-based learning report, assignment report and multi-choice exam.
Assessment
Overview
General Assessment Information
The assessment in this unit has been designed so that you develop an understanding of different perspectives that influence and are influenced by the work of enterprise architects. You will develop the skills to learn individually and to engage in reflective practice. You will also develop the skills to work collaboratively on an EA project, demonstrate effective interpersonal skills, and develop particular oral skills for formally presenting enterprise architectures. The assessments are designed to give you proficiency and confidence in understanding and developing enterprise architectures at different levels.
The Portfolio-based Learning is designed to build your confidence and proficiency in developing enterprise capabilities and business value alignment. In this assessment, you will explore the complexity of organisational activities and apply a technique for capturing the essence of what organisations do through capability maps. This will be undertaken individually to allow you to reflect on how enterprise architecture broadly shapes the understanding of organisations and in planning for systems, and to analyse real-world organisational context to develop architecture models that ensure strong business and IT connections.
The Applied Project allows you to apply modelling and design to capture both business and IT aspects of systems through a technique aimed at the enterprise architecture level. You will then show how detailed techniques such as BPMN (processes) and UML (information), which are more suitable for individual systems (or solution architectures), can be aligned to the enterprise architecture level. This assessment will be conducted as part of a group.
The Online Examination (non-invigilated) is designed to consolidate your knowledge through an end-of-semester exam. Through this assessment, you will explain enterprise architecture theories, principles, frameworks and technical concepts. This assessment will comprise short answer questions from the unit's lecture and tutorial contents.
Assessments in this unit are designed progressively across the semester to provide multiple opportunities for feedback and improvement. This includes a mix of oral and written feedback from peers and teachers on a portfolio-based learning report, assignment report and an online (non-invigilated) exam.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Portfolio
Develop a model of an organisational capability map from an example provided from a particular business domain. This will enable you to demonstrate how enterprise architectures can be used at high levels to frame what organisations do through compact, implementation-free representations.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Project (applied)
Working within a team, you will choose a case study drawn from different business domains and work together to prepare enterprise architecture models of selected areas in the business. You will then align the enterprise architecture models with solution architecture models to show how these can provide coherence of analysis and design for individual systems. And present and write a group report of your models, analysis and design. This assessment will allow you to interact with an industry partner to undertake a real-world task.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Examination (Non-Invigilated)
The Online Examination will be scheduled during the semester and will relate to the material in the respective lectures. It will cover general concepts and principles, not detailed analysis, architecture techniques, or exemplar solutions, which were already covered in the first two assessments.
The online examination is designed to allow students to demonstrate their EA knowledge and skills developed throughout the semester. You will be required to provide written responses to a series of written tasks. Each task/question will ask you to explain, describe, analyse, or discuss specific EA-related topics/concepts pertinent to the unit.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
The unit Canvas site will be a repository for all learning materials related to this unit. Library and web-based information for supplementary reading as will be indicated through lecture material.
Resource Materials
Recommended text(s)
M. Lankhorst et al. Enterprise Architecture at Work: Modelling, Communication and Analysis (2nd Ed). Springer-Verlag, 2009
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit. You will be made aware of evacuation procedures and assembly areas in the first few lectures. In the event of a fire alarm sounding, or on a lecturer's instruction, you should leave the room and assemble in the designated area which will be indicated to you. You should be conscious of your health and safety at all times whilst on campus or in the field.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.IZ02 Bachelor of Information Technology
- Demonstrate a broad theoretical and technical knowledge of well-established and emerging IT disciplines, with in-depth knowledge in at least one specialist area aligned to multiple ICT professional roles.
Relates to: ULO1, Examination (Non-Invigilated) - Critically analyse and conceptualise complex IT challenges and opportunities using modelling, abstraction, ideation and problem-solving to generate, evaluate and justify recommended solutions.
Relates to: ULO2, ULO4, Portfolio, Project (applied) - Integrate and apply technical knowledge and skills to analyse, design, build, operate and maintain sustainable, secure IT systems using industry-standard tools, technologies, platforms, and processes.
Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, Portfolio, Project (applied) - Demonstrate an understanding of the role of IT in enabling business outcomes and how business realities shape IT decisions.
Relates to: ULO3, ULO5, Project (applied), Examination (Non-Invigilated) - Demonstrate initiative, autonomy and personal responsibility for continuous learning, working both independently and collaboratively within multi-disciplinary teams, employing state-of-the-art IT project management methodologies to plan and manage time, resources, and risk.
Relates to: ULO5, Project (applied) - Communicate professionally and effectively in written, verbal and visual formats to a diverse range of stakeholders, considering the audience and explaining complex ideas in a simple and understandable manner in a range of IT-related contexts.
Relates to: ULO6, Portfolio, Project (applied)