Phase A: Architecture Vision
Purpose and shape
Phase A creates the high-level, aspirational Architecture Vision and the Statement of Architecture Work that authorises the project. The step order is stakeholder-first: establish the project, identify stakeholders, concerns and requirements, confirm business goals and drivers, assess business capability and readiness for transformation, define scope (breadth, depth, time period, domains, partitions), confirm principles, build the vision, define the value proposition and KPIs, identify transformation risks, then obtain approval of the Statement of Architecture Work.
Techniques that belong here
Business Scenarios (a structured way to derive requirements from a business problem, ending in a refined vision), Business Transformation Readiness Assessment (readiness factors rated, risks mitigated), stakeholder maps using power and interest, capability-based planning, and interoperability requirements. The Architecture Vision itself is a short value-and-change story, not a detailed design.
Traps
- The Business Transformation Readiness Assessment is a Phase A technique; options often move it to Phase E or F.
- Scope has breadth, depth and time dimensions; an option mentioning only "which domains" is incomplete.
- The Statement of Architecture Work is the deliverable approved at the end of Phase A; the Architecture Definition Document is built later.
- Identifying stakeholders comes before defining scope in the recommended sequence.
Worked rule of thumb
A new regulation forces a redesign. Ask whether anyone has produced a Business Scenario and a readiness assessment. If not, that is your Phase A gap. Then confirm the Statement of Architecture Work is signed off by the sponsor before Phase B starts.