Governance Framework

NIH’s information technology (IT) governance structure establishes the decision-making framework within which NIH Enterprise Architecture decisions are made. These decisions not only include the approval of enterprise architecture artifacts (e.g., bricks, patterns, process models, etc.), but also the approval of enterprise architecture-related policy, management processes, funding and program priorities.

The governance structure assigns decision rights and creates an accountability framework that encourages desirable behavior in the use of IT throughout the NIH. Basically it determines who has the authority, and the responsibility, for making which decisions.

NIH IT Governance

NIH’s IT governance framework is comprised of business rules (i.e., the allocation of decision rights); governing bodies; and processes. The picture in figure 1 below illustrates how NIH’s IT governance framework impacts enterprise architecture-related decision making. The green rectangle identified the portion that has the most direct impact on architecture-related decision making.

Figure 1: Governance Framework Impact 

View Larger Image | Instructions for Viewing and Printing Images

Business Rules

The NIH Office of the Chief IT Architect (OCITA) is currently developing a “Decision Matrix for Enterprise Architecture” that, when complete, will illustrate the business rules that govern the allocation of decision rights¹. Decision matrices, such as the one illustrated in figure 2 below, identify who retains decision making authority versus those who provide decision support (i.e., “input to decisions”), and under what circumstances they provide that support. 

The decision matrix shown below was developed to document decision rights for a current initiative that is documenting the information architecture of the Grants business domain.  It is provided here as an example of the way decision making allocated among specific groups.
  

Figure 2: Grants Information Architecture Decision Matrix

View Larger Image | Instructions for Viewing and Printing Images

Back to Top

Governing Bodies

The NIH IT governance framework cosists of several governing bodies, including committees and working groups. These bodies include the decision makers and key contributors to the NIH Enterprise Architecture.

Processes

Four key enteprise architecture management processes that are executed within this governance framework are:

• The Standards Development Process  - the process by which NIH enterprise architecture standards are developed and approved.
• The Domain Team and Working Group Process - the process by which domain teams propose enterprise architecture standards for approval.
• The NIH Requests for Comments (NIHRFC) Process - the process by which any NIH stakeholder proposes a standard for approval.
• The Best Community of Practices Process - a process for documenting and communicating enterprise architecture related best practices at NIH.