ICMG Enterprise Anatomy™ Maturity & Certification Program
- Sunil Dutt Jha
- Feb 6
- 4 min read
Updated: Feb 7
Enterprise Architecture has long been misunderstood as architecture limited to IT. What is commonly labelled “EA” in organizations is in fact EA-IT — architecture owned and operated within the IT function.
The ICMG perspective looks at Enterprise Architecture differently.
Enterprise Architecture refers to the architecture of the enterprise itself.
The CEO is the owner of EA at the enterprise level.
EA (IT) is owned by the CIO.
EA (Sales) belongs to the Sales Head.
EA (Engineering) belongs to the Engineering Head.
These architectural realities often exist implicitly, even if they are not formally labelled as Enterprise Architecture. Historically, however, EA-IT became synonymous with EA, narrowing architecture to the IT department.
EA (IT) was never wrong — it was simply incomplete. It addressed one organ of the enterprise, not the anatomy of the whole.
Architecture already exists across the enterprise — the real question is whether its anatomy is explicit.
Enterprise Architecture maturity is therefore not the progression of IT governance practices or tools. It is the elevation from isolated architectural activity toward explicit enterprise anatomy governing decisions across the organization.
Level 1 — EA (IT)
One IT Anatomy
Description
Level 1 establishes anatomy inside IT. The organization demonstrates that all IT initiatives operate using one consistent internal anatomy rather than redefining architecture project by project.
This level does not certify governance processes, tools, or frameworks. It certifies whether IT initiatives behave consistently because one anatomy governs them.
What exists
A defined P1–P4 anatomy of IT:
IT Strategy
IT Processes
IT Logic (rules, sequencing, controls)
IT Components (applications, platforms, infrastructure)
Certification principle
ICMG does not certify how advanced IT architecture appears. It certifies whether one IT anatomy actually exists.
Evidence includes:
Multiple IT initiatives operating simultaneously (e.g., 100–160 projects).
All initiatives instantiating the same anatomy.
No project inventing its own structure.
Many IT projects → One IT Anatomy.
Boundary
Architecture governs IT only. Business departments remain external.
Level 2 — EA (Departments / Functions)
One Department One Anatomy™
Description
Level 2 extends anatomy beyond IT into business functions. Each department operates through one shared anatomical model across all initiatives.
Architecture becomes organizational rather than technology-centric.
What exists
Each department has a complete P1–P6 anatomy:
Strategy
Process
Systems / Logic
Components
Implementation
Operations
Certification principle
ICMG does not certify departmental maturity through frameworks or governance models. It certifies whether one anatomy governs all initiatives within a department.
Evidence includes:
Multiple initiatives within a department following identical anatomical logic.
Consistent decision patterns across programs.
No initiative introducing ad-hoc structural variation.
Multiple initiatives → One Department Anatomy.
Structural limitation
Departments operate consistently internally, but enterprise behavior may still rely on cross-department negotiation.
Level 3 — EA (Industry / Enterprise)
One Industry One Anatomy™
Description
Level 3 represents true enterprise architecture. Departmental anatomies converge into one integrated enterprise anatomy governing organisational behavior.
Decisions are shaped by shared anatomy rather than departmental optimisation.
What exists
A unified P1–P6 enterprise anatomy governing:
capacity
resilience
energy
SLAs
cost
enterprise-wide trade-offs
Certification principle
ICMG does not certify enterprise architecture based on governance structures or organisational charts. It certifies whether one enterprise anatomy governs cross-department decisions.
Evidence includes:
Integrated departmental anatomies.
Consistent enterprise decision logic.
Enterprise initiatives following shared anatomical constraints.
All departments → One Enterprise Anatomy.
Level 4 — EA (Advanced Anatomy Model)
Variable-Rich Anatomy
Description
Level 4 deepens anatomy rather than expanding scope. Anatomy becomes parameterized and computable.
What exists
Each P1–P6 layer operates with defined internal variables.
Certification principle
ICMG does not certify predictive maturity tools. It certifies whether anatomy is sufficiently explicit to enable simulation, scenario evaluation, and structural decision-making.
Evidence includes:
Scenario modelling using anatomy.
Predictive evaluation of decisions.
Use of anatomical variables across planning cycles.
All decisions → One variable-rich anatomy.
Certification Levels and Focus
Level | One Anatomy Rule |
L1 | All IT projects → one IT anatomy |
L2 | All initiatives per department → one department anatomy |
L3 | All departments → one enterprise anatomy |
L4 | All decisions → one variable-rich anatomy |
ICMG Enterprise Anatomy™ Maturity & Certification — Integrated View
(EA as elevation into Enterprise Anatomy)
Level | Focus | “One Anatomy” Rule | What Exists | Propagation Logic | What Certification Confirms |
Level 1 — EA (IT) | IT anatomy | Many IT projects → One IT Anatomy™ | Full P1–P6 IT anatomy governing strategy, process, logic, components, implementation, operations | 1 project → 10 → 100 → entire IT portfolio inherits same anatomy | One IT anatomy exists and governs decisions across IT initiatives |
Level 2 — EA (Departments) | Department anatomy | Sub-functions → One Department Anatomy™ | Each department (HR, Sales, Finance, etc.) has P1–P6 anatomy including manual + IT work | One sub-function → multiple sub-functions → full department convergence | Department initiatives instantiate one shared anatomy consistently |
Level 3 — EA (Enterprise / Industry) | Enterprise anatomy | Departments → One Enterprise Anatomy™ | 15 departmental anatomies integrated into shared enterprise structure | 1 enterprise initiative → 5–10 → 50+ enterprise-wide initiatives follow shared anatomy | Enterprise initiatives propagate one integrated P1–P6 anatomy across departments |
Level 4 — Advanced Enterprise Anatomy™ | Variable-rich anatomy | Decisions → One Computable Anatomy™ | Each P1–P6 refined using six variables (rules, network, data, roles, activities, timing) | One department refined → multiple departments → enterprise-wide variable-rich anatomy | Anatomy becomes precise, parameterised, and decision-predictive |
How to Read This Model
Traditional EA maturity models measure how architecture is practiced.
ICMG Enterprise Anatomy™ maturity measures:
how many separate anatomies exist — and how far convergence toward one anatomy has progressed.
Each level represents a shift from:
isolated interpretation → shared anatomy,
project-specific design → anatomical propagation,
coordination → governing anatomy.
Core Progression
Level 1 stabilizes IT behavior.
Level 2 stabilizes departmental behavior.
Level 3 stabilizes enterprise behavior.
Level 4 makes anatomy precise enough for predictive decision-making.
The ICMG Enterprise Anatomy™ Model Is Not an EA Maturity Ladder — It Is an EA Convergence Model
