Case USA85: Why a Professional Licensing Authority Claimed Workflow Digitization as Enterprise Architecture Success

Sunil Dutt Jha
Aug 5
2 min read

Updated: Nov 3

Overview:

This case is part of a 100-diagnostic series revealing how US regulatory bodies have mislabeled process automation as “Enterprise Architecture progress.”

In professional licensing, a recurring pattern is treating online application and renewal workflows as proof of architectural success.

Applicants could submit forms digitally, pay fees online, and receive faster confirmations — yet the enterprise structure linking verification, continuing education compliance, disciplinary action, and inter-state license reciprocity was never modeled.

P1–P6 Insight Preview:

These six perspectives define how an enterprise connects intent to execution

— P1: Strategy, P2: Business Processes, P3: System Behaviors, P4: Component Governance, P5: Implementation, P6: Business & Technology Operations.

P1 (Strategy): Digitization was positioned as modernization, but no architecture-led plan tied it to workforce mobility, public protection, or regulatory collaboration.

P2 (Process): Application intake and fee processing were automated, but verification, audits, and disciplinary workflows remained fragmented.

P3 (System): Licensing platforms weren’t behaviorally integrated with education providers, disciplinary databases, or other state systems.

P4 (Component): Payment gateways, document storage, and verification tools operated under separate governance rules.

P5 (Implementation): Rollouts prioritized applicant-facing functionality over backend integration and governance.

P6 (Operations): Business ops processed standard applications quickly, but tech ops managed growing exception queues and data reconciliation work.

Stakeholder Impact Summary:

CEO/Executive Director – accountable for regulatory performance and public safety: Limited by weak P1 Strategy — faster application turnaround hasn’t improved compliance or enforcement outcomes.
CIO – oversees licensing systems and integration: Impacted by P3 System Behaviors and P4 Component Governance — core systems remain siloed, making cross-agency coordination costly.
Sales Head (Outreach & Industry Engagement) – maintains relationships with licensees and stakeholders: Affected by P2 Processes and P5 Implementation — can promote efficiency gains but can’t support seamless reciprocity or multi-jurisdiction licensing.
Chief Enterprise Architect – ensures the licensing process aligns with regulatory strategy: Confronts P1–P6 issues — the architecture is optimized for intake, not for the full lifecycle of license management.
Head of Licensing Operations – manages day-to-day application, verification, and renewal: Feels P2, P3, & P6 — still needs manual coordination with multiple systems to verify credentials and enforce compliance.