Wednesday, July 29, 2015  03:51 AM

 

The Industry Reference Blueprint documents reference architecture for the P&C insurance industry by mapping an organization with three models: the business model, information systems model and the technology model.

This vendor-neutral blueprint is targeted at the following roles:

  • Senior executives who are responsible for creating organizational strategies. The IRBI enables the creation of a detailed map of the organization, which greatly aids in such efforts of senior executives.
  • Enterprise architects who leverage either the Zachman framework or TOGAF ADM approach to architecture development. The IRBI is based on industry best-practice frameworks and methodologies, enabling the EAs to more efficiently document and structure their organization.
  • Operational teams: the IRBI prevents such teams from “reinventing the wheel” in their projects, as it efficiently lists the components already available for reuse and thus minimizes redevelopment of solutions.

Any executive responsible for development of the detailed plan (in other words, the blueprint) of the organization knows its importance for success. The IRBI enables such executives to:

  1. Create strategies linked to specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound (S.M.A.R.T.) goals
  2. Create detailed plans that allow tracing each strategy to their impact on people, processes, and technology
  3. Ensure that consistent terminology is used inside and outside the organization, which facilitates efficient communication
  4. Accelerate initiatives by avoiding reinventing the wheel as part of each initiative
  5. Readiness for strategic, competitive and regulatory changes including M&A
  6. Align IT and business functions
  7. A framework to catalog and optimize various assets like requirements, applications, and technologies

The reference blueprint is specific to P&C insurance and documented in the form of a large format book of 11-inch x 15-inch size. This size provides large diagrams that provide a visual representation of each element of the blueprint. A detailed explanation of every element follows in the subsequent text.  Such a representation allows the blueprint to be readily used by executives—no software needs to be installed to read the blueprint.

The industry reference blueprint is open to contribution by anyone in the industry and thus will be frequently updated and released as new editions. This also provides avenues for discounts for those who are willing to contribute back to the industry. Currently, all buyers of the book will receive credit equivalent to the value of the next edition of the book when it becomes available.

More at www.referenceblueprint.com