A peculiar trend has emerged among IT-centric Enterprise Architects, especially those trained and certified in TOGAF—they habitually refer to everything outside IT as "the business." Initially, this might seem harmless, just a linguistic shortcut.
But beneath this simple habit lies a dangerous structural misunderstanding that has caused repeated enterprise misalignment and confusion.
1. The Real Meaning of "The Business" in TOGAF Language
TOGAF-certified architects frequently say things like:
"We need to align IT with the business."
"The business must provide clear requirements."
"Business needs to clarify its processes."
At face value, these statements appear logical. However, they clearly imply a troubling structural assumption: that IT exists separately from the enterprise. This artificial distinction immediately fragments organizational thinking and enterprise integration.
Remember clearly: Real enterprises don't operate as "business vs. IT." They operate as unified, interconnected structures.