An enterprise is not a machine. It cannot be designed and set in motion to perform like a clock. The parts were not engineered to fit the design. The design (architecture) has to be devised to leverage the capabilities of the parts. Since many of these parts are human (or other enterprises), they have their own agendas, goals, capabilities, needs and foibles. The results of their interaction are emergent, i.e. they will emerge from the many interactions of the parts and are very hard to predict ahead of time.

As enterprise architects (especially business architects) we therefore have to accept that we cannot just design what we want. What we can do is to understand the environment and constraints, influence conditions, educate participants, bring knowledge, examples and logic to bear, persuade, influence, coach and guide. We can alert to possibilities. We can warn of risks and show how they can be avoided or ameliorated. We can remove myths and assumed constraints. We can show consequences through scenarios, models and simulations.

In a very real sense our job is to enlighten, to educate, to inform and to communicate persuasively.