The FEA Reference Models. The Performance Reference Model (PRM) seeks to improve strategic and tactical decision making by setting targets for action, and measuring the degree of transformation that might be achieved through such action. The PRM aligns and articulates a path between process inputs and consequent organizational output. In essence, the PRM provides a “line of sight” to desired results. The PRM also helps identify performance improvement opportunities that span organization structures and agency boundaries. The Business Reference Model (BRM) holds process and methodology guidelines for identifing and describing business activities, and focuses specifically on various “lines of business” (LoB) within an agency’s functional enterprise. The BRM helps describe the organization sources and customers for the business transactions within the agency mission. IT investments are mapped to the BRM to identify collaboration opportunities. The Service Reference Model (SRM) is the baseline for identifying agency business applications, and then aligning these activities to reusable Service Components. Each of these may then by further described by Service Domain and Service Type. These services become guidelines for establishing reusable/accessible services. The Data Reference Model (DRM) categorizes, describes, and establishes the standards for data exchange. The DRM promotes identification and discovery of data, and helps contribute to the reuse and sharing of data across the federal government. The Technical Reference Model (TRM) categorizes the products and technologies that physically enable Service delivery. A TRM is typically used to align capital investments and identify the technologies and solutions that best support business functions, mission activities and target architectures. The TRM helps ensure solutions within an agency are in compliance with industry and Federal standards, and therefore most likely to readily integrate to a multi-agency information sharing and processing environment. While EA, in general, and FEA specifically, can provide insight into the enterprise IT portfolio, the purpose for EA initiatives must be to deliver actionable results that are aligned with the business. To be efficient, responsive and actionable, the EA process must be designed to deal with the following challenges: • Find alternatives to heavyweight and costly methodologies. Avoid over-compliance to methodology, process orthodoxy, and heavy-handed application of EA techniques that st...
