TYPES OF APPROACHES

Unlike methodologies that concentrate on the process of the life cycle, approach focuses on the "how" of system evolution. Unfortunately, many approaches have loosely wrapped methodology around these techniques and have thus helped convolute the industry. This trend is not a detriment to organizations as these techniques have proven successful, but successful system evolution should not be the bane of strict guidance to methodology or approach. However, the mixing of approach and methodology has led to confusion over accountability within organizations over which methodology or approach should dictate the direction for resources. In addition, new approaches have improved system development and often spurred practices that have proven successful for many organizations and, when formalized, present a compelling process for organizations to replicate.

The main approaches seen in organizations today include the following:

Standard

Prototyping

Object-oriented (O-O)

Agile

Process

While these are a few of the approaches, with many more existing in the industry, these provide the best spectrum and popular approaches with which the practitioner of enterprise architecture should become familiar.