Morten Stender, Partner & Sabrina Lyhne, Senior Management Consultant, Staun & Stender

This workshop will introduce you to a modern approach to Enterprise Architecture (EA). What is it? What are its components? Why today’s organisation cannot go without it? What bridges should we build to close the gap between business and technology side of the organisation to bring strategy into reality? The workshop will include discussions, dialogue, and interactions to define different architecture domains, definitions, identify overall processes, and map out core EA products as well as typical stakeholders, their roles and responsibilities. It will also introduce you to methods how to break barriers and solve pain points to make an organisational impact and ensure business success. The workshop will therefore elaborate on modern EA’s integration with Business Architecture.

Learning objectives:

• What is modern Enterprise Architecture?
• What is the purpose of EA?
• What are the main characteristics, processes, and deliverables of modern EA?
• Who are the main stakeholders, their roles and responsibilities?
• What does success look like with EA?
• How to overcome the main barriers to make a business impact?
• How to implement EA to break down silos, leverage emerging technologies, and drive digital innovation?

Alex Romanov, Business Architect, Avrolabs Inc.

Governments, law, healthcare and other Large legacy organisations—face mounting pressure to overcome inefficiencies in an increasingly complex and rapidly digitising and AI-driven world. Decision-makers are often drawn to the allure of agile IT solutions as a quick-fixes, pushing transformation projects into a reactive “just digitise something now!”, or “just show me some AI” mindset. This approach frequently sidelines the critical role of comprehensive, enterprise-wide Business Architecture (BA).

Traditional, high-quality BA, while thorough, is perceived as way too slow to compete with the speed of ad-hoc implementations.

To remain a relevant and indispensable success factor, BA must evolve to not only enable agility in business and IT but also serve as a catalyst for thoughtful, enterprise-level agility across business transformation methodologies, governance, systemic innovation, and change management.

Drawing on lessons from multi-million-dollar transformation initiatives, this presentation introduces a multi-disciplinary framework designed to enhance BA’s “speed of relevance.”

Key components include:

• Strategic architected agility for rapid enterprise transformations
• Modular BA practices with a two-speed delivery model
• Predictive transformation opportunity analysis
• Adaptive enterprise service models for dynamic change
• Pattern-based governance, business process optimisation, and systemic innovation
• Practical applications of AI in developing modular architecture and accelerating strategic outcomes
• ROI-driven continuous capital investment strategiesThis session provides actionable insights for architects and transformation leaders aiming to align BA with the fast pace of modern organisational change.

Donald Farmer, Principal, TreeHive Strategy

AI agents, or “Agentic AI,” represent a transformative approach to improving workflows, decision-making, and customer experiences. In this workshop, we explore how AI agents can be effectively implemented for operationas, innovation and strategy development. Participants will learn how to leverage AI agents to create not just more efficient work, but more meaningful, creative, and rewarding human experiences. We’ll also address key concerns around ethics, workforce impact, and responsible deployment to ensure AI becomes a force for good in your organisation.

What You Will Learn:

1. Understanding Agentic AI

• What are AI agents, and how do they differ from traditional AI models?
• Overview of key functionalities: autonomy, adaptability, and interaction.
• Examples of AI agents in operations, innovation and strategy development.

2. AI Agents in Action: Applications and Use Cases

• How AI agents enhance customer journey mapping and personalisation in service design.
• Streamlining workflows and decision-making with AI agents in enterprise architecture.
• Enabling proactive, data-driven insights to drive transformation initiatives.
• Real-world case studies of successful AI agent implementation.

3. Ethics and Workforce Empowerment

• Ethical considerations in the deployment of AI agents: bias, privacy, and compliance.
• Balancing automation and human creativity: ensuring AI agents support rather than replace human talent.
• Designing AI agents to enable more meaningful, innovative work for employees.

4. Strategies for Implementation

• Identifying high-impact opportunities for AI agent adoption in your organisation.
• Overcoming common challenges: technical, cultural, and process-related.
• Practical frameworks for integrating AI agents into existing systems and workflows.

5. Workshop Takeaways

• A practical roadmap for implementing AI agents in your domain.
• Actionable ideas for leveraging AI agents to improve both efficiency and employee experience.
• Insights into aligning AI agent strategies with organisational goals and values.

Rachel Arthur, Head of Service Design, BPP

Only 46% of employees feel supported in trying to grow their careers at their organization, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc. This statistic underscores a significant gap in employee development—and we can do better.

In this hands-on workshop, we will explore the question: How might we design services to create better learning experiences for employees in hybrid working? Using practical Service Design methods, participants will collaboratively uncover insights, generate ideas, and prototype solutions that address this challenge.

This workshop is designed for beginners or those with a curiosity about Service Design, making it accessible to individuals new to the field. Through interactive group activities and discussions, participants will gain the confidence to apply these methods to real-world challenges.

By the end of the workshop, participants will:

• Gain skills in identifying key stakeholders and defining challenges in existing services
• Recognise opportunity areas for creating new or improved services
• Apply Service Design tools and methods, such as journey mapping and service blueprinting.
• Leave with actionable insights and a Service Blueprint to inspire change in their organisations

John Gotze, CEO, EA Fellows
Ksenija Bickova, Enterprise Architecture Consultant, EA Fellows

This workshop explores how mental models shape perceptions, problem-solving, and decision-making in enterprise architecture. Mental models, such as those related to systems thinking, decision biases, and collaborative frameworks, act as lenses through which we view the world. These frameworks influence how we identify challenges, engage with stakeholders, and design solutions. By understanding and applying a variety of mental models, enterprise architects can approach complex problems more holistically and adapt to dynamic organisational environments.

We will also dive into the principles of single-loop and double-loop learning, concepts critical for organisational adaptability. Single-loop learning focuses on making adjustments without questioning assumptions, while double-loop learning challenges those underlying mental models to drive deeper, systemic change. Understanding these approaches enables enterprise architects to uncover the root causes of challenges, foster innovation, and promote a culture of continuous learning.

Key Takeaways:

• Learn how mental models influence approaches to enterprise architecture.
• Understand key frameworks like systems thinking and collaborative decision-making.
• Explore single-loop and double-loop learning to foster organisational adaptability.
• Develop strategies to improve stakeholder engagement, and enhance decision-making processes.
• Understanding mental models of organisational behaviour helps EAs address resistance to change and manage transitions effectively.This workshop is ideal for enterprise architects, leaders, and professionals seeking to improve collaboration, drive innovation, and create a resilient organisational culture. Join us to unlock the potential of mental models and organisational learning for your architecture practice.

Sasha Aganova, Managing Partner & University Lecturer at University of Toronto, Process Renewal Group

Have you ever successfully implemented a technically superior solution to only see its performance degrade and break down over time? If you have, then you have witnessed the effect of cultural inertia first hand! Having a great solution, what we call structure, is not enough, the cultural implications have to be considered, and a plan developed to bring the culture along and sustain it, or to adapt the solution.

In this interactive working session, Sasha will present a unique approach to bringing sustainable long-lasting change to organisational performance. Through hands-on exercises and engaging activities, participants will discover how to allow structure and culture to move together harmoniously. Sasha will share real-life case studies and guide delegates through practical exercises that demonstrate how to develop a coordinated change plan that ensures solutions are implemented, accepted and sustained.

Learning Objectives:

• Discover a methodology with case studies for creating long-lasting results.
• The un-stickiness of change and why it happens
• Process-centric change projects – structural and cultural aspects
• Designing supportive cultural solutions
• Sustaining the change and making it stick

Donald Farmer, Principal, TreeHive Strategy

Quick-win AI projects provide a powerful pathway to demonstrate the value of artificial intelligence while minimising risk and resource investment. This workshop equips participants with the tools and frameworks needed to identify, scope, and prioritise high-impact AI projects across the business. Through interactive exercises and real-world examples, attendees will leave with actionable strategies to deliver measurable results in their organisations.

What You Will Learn:

1. Identifying AI-Ready Opportunities

• How to recognise processes and tasks that are ripe for AI enhancement.
• Characteristics of high-ROI AI projects: feasibility, scalability, and impact.

2. Scoping AI Projects for Success

• Balancing ambition with practicality: setting realistic goals for quick-win projects.
• Frameworks for defining project scope, timelines, and resource requirements.
• Techniques for aligning AI project objectives with organisational priorities.

3. Prioritising for Maximum Impact

• Tools for estimating ROI and evaluating potential risks.
• The role of data readiness and infrastructure in project feasibility.
• Building stakeholder consensus to accelerate project adoption.

4. Implementation and Execution

• Developing a strategic rollout plan tailored to your organisation’s needs.
• Identifying potential obstacles and strategies to mitigate them.
• Leveraging quick wins to build momentum for broader AI adoption.

5. Real-World Case Studies and Interactive Exercises

• Examples of quick-win AI projects that have driven measurable value in diverse industries.
• Hands-on activity: participants will collaborate to identify and scope 2-3 high-potential AI projects for a hypothetical organisation.

6. Workshop Takeaways

Practical tools and frameworks for identifying and prioritising AI projects.

• A set of 2-3 scoped project ideas ready for development in your organisation.
• Insights into leveraging quick wins as a stepping stone to long-term AI transformation.

Ingrid Gerstbach, consultant, trainer, author at Gerstbach Business Analyse GmbHPeter Gerstbach, consultant, trainer, author at Gerstbach Business Analyse GmbH 

Details
Experience firsthand how Artificial Intelligence (AI) enhances the design process in Customer Experience while understanding where human intervention remains essential. This interactive and practical session goes beyond theory – you will see AI tools in action and actively contribute to shaping the results. Together, we will explore parts of a Design Thinking process and discover how AI and human expertise combine to deliver innovative, customer-centered solutions.

This session will cover:

• How AI supports the design process, from needs analysis and ideation to prototyping.
• Practical demonstrations of AI tools in action.
• Critical points where human involvement ensures quality and drives decision-making.

Key Takeaways – You will leave with:

• Insights on how AI tools automate time-consuming tasks, such as transcribing and analysing interviews, allowing you to focus on strategic decisions.
• A clear understanding of when human intervention is crucial to ensure high-quality outcomes and better data-driven decisions.
• Hands-on experience of how the synergy between AI and human expertise accelerates the creation of innovative, customer-oriented prototypes.

Roger Burlton, President, Process Renewal Group, Founder of BPTrends Associates

The scope of business architecture has grown beyond IT to include business expertise in areas like strategy execution, performance improvement, transformation, and customer experience. With rapid market changes, external pressures, and outdated operations, traditional ways of planning and delivering value may no longer be effective. Business Architecture helps tackle these challenges by aligning change efforts with the key aspects of the business.

To stay agile and relevant, businesses must create solutions that balance the needs of various stakeholders while avoiding unintended consequences. Clear insights into strategy, capabilities, value streams, processes, technology, and workforce skills are essential to minimise risks and disruptions during change. A strong business architecture reduces redundancy, makes the most of limited resources, and establishes a foundation for transformation, digitalisation, AI integration, and continuous optimisation.

This class, led by experts with decades of experience, teaches practical and repeatable Business Architecture methods. Participants will gain the skills to navigate change effectively, ensuring their organisations achieve strategic goals with clarity and confidence.

• A business transformation framework
• Architectural artifacts
• Participant working sessions
• Collecting the dots
• Connecting the dots
• Correcting the dots

Martin Sykes, Enterprise Architect, Redgate Software

In the last 27 years, I have established EA practices in nine very different organizations, and a global consulting practice. I have gained valuable insights into the hard truths between the theory of EA and what works in practice.
Over the 6 hours of the workshop everyone can participate in the sharing of their experiences, considering how different approaches work for different scenarios, and in different organisations. The structure follows the five sections of the book “The Survivor’s Guide to Enterprise Architecture” to equip you with the knowledge and strategies to conquer the complexities of EA and build a successful, fulfilling career.

1. Beginning (Again) – We will discuss how to develop a mandate with a clear scope in the context of a modern organisation.
2. Doing – We will bridge the gap between theoretical frameworks and real-world day-to-day activities for the enterprise architect. The approach we take must adapt to the situation.
3. Managing – The management of enterprise architecture begins with an agreed portfolio of work and understanding how to allocate time and resources to the work, considering risks and governance.
4. Being – a trusted advisor; a critical thinker; a communicator; an influencer; a negotiator; and a change agent.
5. Surviving – This section recognises that to be successful you must also learn how to survive the tough periods and come out stronger. What worked in one context may be totally inappropriate in another. We’ll circle the chairs and reflect on the challenges we each face.

Victoria Sheer, Product Strategy & Operations Lead, Aldi Süd

In today’s fast-paced and competitive world, enterprises are shifting from project-based IT planning to a product-led approach. The goal? To deliver business value more effectively while optimizing costs by focusing only on the changes that truly matter.

This shift requires aligning IT strategy with product planning cycles, fostering agility, and ensuring that technology investments drive real business impact.

In this hands-on workshop, Victoria Sheer will guide you through the key changes needed to move from traditional project planning to an outcome-driven product portfolio. You’ll explore how to integrate strategic goal-setting, agile budgeting, and quarterly product planning into your enterprise roadmap.

Through interactive exercises, you will:

• Design a product portfolio aligned with business goals
• Shift from project-based budgeting to flexible, goal-driven funding
• Write impactful OKRs to drive alignment and measurable outcomes

This workshop is for leaders and teams looking to implement a product-centric operating model at scale.