• the characteristics of the architectural engagement,
• the timeliness or availability of internal and external information (the engagement may be undertaken in discreet fashion).

The Business Context will however typically address the following:

• Current state organisation and structure and processes,
• External influences (e.g. government regulations),
• Internal influences (e.g. budgetary limits, financial targets).

The Business Context will assist in determining the contextual architectural artifacts (Business Objectives, constraints, architecture scope, assumptions) and therefore ensure that the architecture is appropriate to the customer’s business environment.

The “Business Context” information will also indicate the level of resources that will be needed to support the architecture from the business.

Business Context detail should be appropriate to the intended Architecture Scope. Typically, the Business Context will address some or all of the following areas:

External information

External information has its origins outside the organisation that is specific to and has consequences for the objectives, constraints and assumptions of the architecture.

It is a set of information that provides insights to the external factors that influence the organisation

External Information is typically concerned with constraints, developments and issues that pertain to:

• Government regulations
• Legal constraints
• Branch regulations
• Branch agreements
• Distribution channels

Internal Information

Internal information has its origins within the existing organisation.

It is a set of information that provides insight to the existing organisation that is specific to and has consequences for the objectives, constraints and assumptions of the architecture.

Internal information is typically concerned with current internal objectives, constraints, developments and issues that pertain to:

• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Globalisation
• CSFs (critical success factors)
• KPIs (key performance indicators) you need to support within the architecture
• Business life cycle (the planning cycle the business uses)
• Other organisational development issues
• Governance and security policies implemented within the customer’s organisation
• Other working agreements with organisation
• Agreements with external organisations (Service providers etc.)