business architecture elevator pitch

By: A Staff Writer

Updated on: Jun 02, 2023

A fable with a business architecture elevator pitch to position the discipline and demonstrate the value.

It was all hands on deck in the frenetic landscape of SuperBigCorp’s skyscraper. Outside, the city woke up to another morning full of rush, honks, and the clicking sound of stilettos on the pavement. Inside, Uma Uncertain, the formidable COO of the corporation, walked briskly towards the elevator bank, heels clicking on the marble floor like a metronome counting off the relentless beat of commerce.

She caught sight of Eric Entirely, the head of business architecture, waiting for her by the elevator, anxiety painting his features into an expression that resembled an overcooked noodle.

Business Architecture Elevator Pitch

“Eric,” she greeted him curtly. “I hope you got my message.”

“I did, Ms. Uncertain,” Eric replied. “Ready to pitch like a pro baseballer on Red Bull.”

Uma smiled, impressed despite herself. She pushed the button to the 75th floor, and as the elevator doors closed, sealing them in a cocoon of quiet efficiency, Eric cleared his throat.

“Think of our business like a city, Ms. Uncertain,” Eric started. “Our employees are the citizens, our departments are the neighborhoods, and our processes are the roads that connect everything. For example, business Architecture is the city planning department.”

Uma raised an eyebrow. “Is it? And what if I told you we don’t need city planning? We’ve got a recession looming, Eric. We might not be able to afford the luxury of city planning.”

“But that’s just it, Ms. Uncertain,” Eric argued. “In the face of a recession, city planning isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. A city without a plan quickly falls into chaos, and the cost of that chaos is much higher than the cost of planning. The same applies to our business.”

He held up a hand as though visualizing a spreadsheet in the air between them. “The value of Business Architecture comes in many forms. The first is alignment – ensuring all our business units, from production to sales to customer service, work towards common goals. This eliminates wasted effort, redundancy, and miscommunication.”

“The second,” he continued, fingers tracing invisible bullet points, “is decision-making support. We can make better informed strategic decisions with a clear view of our business processes and capabilities.”

“And third,” he finished a triumphant spark in his eyes, “risk mitigation. With good business architecture, we can spot potential issues and opportunities earlier, saving us from costly surprises down the road.”

The elevator hummed in quiet agreement. Uma was silent for a moment. “So you’re saying Business Architecture is like our corporate insurance, a blueprint, and a crystal ball, all in one.”

Eric nodded, encouraged. “Exactly. It might seem like an overhead now, but I guarantee you, its absence will cost us more in the long run.”

As the elevator dinged their arrival to the 75th floor, Uma nodded thoughtfully, eyes narrowed as she processed his words. “Impressive, Eric. You managed to paint quite the picture. I see there’s more to city planning than I thought.”

They both stepped out, Eric with a little more spring in his step and Uma with a slightly less furrowed brow. It seemed Business Architecture had earned itself another day at SuperBigCorp.

As they parted ways, Eric said, “Remember, Ms. Uncertain, even the biggest skyscraper needs a strong blueprint. The same goes for our business.”

She turned back, offering a small smile, her uncertainty replaced with a thoughtful look, “Well, then, Mr. Entirely, it seems our elevator ride was entirely enlightening. Let’s plan our city, shall we?”

The double doors closed behind her, leaving Eric grinning in the empty corridor. The city planning of SuperBigCorp was safe, for now. But who knew what the next elevator ride might hold?

So, what do you think of Eric’s business architecture elevator pitch? What would be your business architecture elevator pitch?