The EA Domain Team for Communications is built upon five EA Conceptual Principles and three EA Principles for Communications:

1. Minimize System Complexity
2. Maximize Agency Interoperability
3. Responsive Training

1. Minimize System Complexity

Office automation system will be designed to balance the benefits of an enterprise deployment against the user's need for flexibility.

Benefits/Rational:

• Avoids duplication in system resources and support issues
• Increases interoperability
• Enterprise investments will be better managed (Increased ROI)
• Increases ease of use for end user
• Solutions will meet end-user needs and expectations
• Projects a consisted view of state government to the public
• Leverages enterprise licensing

Implications:

• In order to achieve the long-term benefits of enterprise systems, short-term migration investments will need to be made
• Will be limiting the number of supported software versions, products, and configurations
• Existing technologies need to be identified
• Must understand user's work process before applying technology
• Requires coordination to implement enterprise-level technology
• Enterprise-level solutions require enterprise-level budgets

Counter Argument:

• Agency business requirements supercede enterprise concerns when deploying technology solutions.

2. Maximize Agency Interoperability

Office automation systems will be deployed across the enterprise in a standardized fashion so that complete interoperability among agencies exists.

Benefits/Rational:

• Scheduling of meetings and resources across agencies
• Instant messaging, desktop audio/video conferencing, white-boarding, chat, application sharing, and presence detection across agencies
• Unified Inbox for email, fax, and telephone messages
• Collaborative applications can be developed for the enterprise
• Electronic information can be transferred without the need for conversion utilities
• Makes information more accessible to users

Implications:

• A single, standardized suite of desktop software across the enterprise
• A single, standardized set of technologies deployed across the enterprise for groupware functionality

Counter Argument:

• Agency business requirements supercede enterprise concerns when deploying technology solutions

3. Responsive Training

The overall investment in communication will include the responsive training of end users.

Benefits/Rational:

• More knowledgeable and efficient users
• Maximize technology ROI through appropriate feature use
• Reduces support burden

Implications:

• Creation of an enterprise-level training plan for communication systems
• Agencies may need to develop supplemental training and survey users to determine their level of knowledge
• May require higher training investments

Counter Argument:

• May not be a ROI for training