Level 4 Enterprise Architecture Maturity— Advanced Enterprise Anatomy™
- Sunil Dutt Jha
- Feb 6
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 7
Variable-Rich Anatomy
Level 4 does not introduce new scope.
The enterprise already operates with one shared anatomy (Level 3).
Level 4 deepens that anatomy by explicitly modelling each perspective using six internal variables.
This makes anatomy precise, traceable, and usable for predictive decision-making.
The Six Internal Variables
At Level 4, each perspective (P1–P6) is refined using:
Motivation / Rules - Why decisions exist; governing logic and constraints.
Network / Location- Organizational relationships, channels, or locations where behavior occurs.
Data / Inventory- Information structures, states, and operational assets.
People / Roles- Human responsibilities, authority boundaries, decision ownership.
Services / Activities- Work performed — manual and system-driven activities.
Timing / Events- Triggers, sequencing, lifecycle transitions, and operational events.
These variables make anatomy explicit beyond diagrams or narratives.
They define how behavior actually propagates.
What Changes at Level 4
Before Level 4:
anatomy exists,
enterprise initiatives follow shared structure,
decisions are structurally governed.
At Level 4:
anatomy becomes parameterized,
dependencies are measurable,
scenarios can be analyzed structurally,
decision impact becomes predictable rather than reactive.
Propagation Stages Inside Level 4
Level 4 maturity progresses as variable-rich modelling expands.
Stage A — Refined Anatomy in One Department
One departmental anatomy is deepened using all six variables across P1–P6.
Example:
HR anatomy refined:
rules governing hiring decisions,
roles responsible for approvals,
timing events for onboarding,
data states for employee lifecycle,
service activities combining manual and IT execution.
This stage proves anatomy can become computable.
Stage B — Multiple Departments Refined
Several departmental anatomies adopt variable-rich modelling.
Patterns emerge:
shared definitions across departments,
clearer dependency mapping,
enterprise decisions supported by structural variables rather than assumptions.
Stage C — Enterprise Initiatives Refined
Enterprise-wide initiatives operate using variable-rich anatomy.
Example:
cross-department processes clearly show timing dependencies,
roles and rule ownership are explicit,
data states align across departments.
Enterprise initiatives stop requiring repeated clarification because anatomy is precise.
Stage D — Enterprise-Wide Variable-Rich Anatomy
The entire enterprise anatomy is parameterized.
At this stage:
strategic decisions can be tested structurally,
operational capacity constraints are visible early,
trade-offs can be evaluated using anatomy rather than negotiation.
What Level 4 Certification Confirms
ICMG does not certify modelling complexity.
It certifies whether:
enterprise anatomy exists (Level 3), and
each perspective is refined using explicit internal variables that govern behavior and decisions.
Key Distinction
Level 3 answers:
Do we operate as one enterprise anatomy?
Level 4 answers:
Is that anatomy precise enough to predict behavior before execution?
