ARB – Tell the truth and do the right thing!

Welcome to the Architecture Review Board (ARB)

Ensuring Excellence in Enterprise Architecture and Security

The Architecture Review Board (ARB) is dedicated to guiding technology decisions, enhancing security, and driving consistency across Al Tayer Group. We focus on providing strategic architectural guidance, ensuring that all projects align with enterprise architecture principles.

Vision and Mission

ARB Vision

The ARB vision is to maintain a secure, efficient, and innovative technology environment.

ARB Mission

The ARB mission is to deliver strategic architectural guidance to achieve business objectives.

What we do

We provide dependable outcomes by adhering to our robust governance and compliance framework, ensuring that every project meets our high standards. Our structured approach minimizes risks and maximises efficiency.

Enterprise Architecture Review

The ARB reviews proposed technology solutions to ensure alignment with our enterprise architecture principles, maintaining consistency and quality across the organisation. We follow a structured process to evaluate and validate architectural designs, ensuring they meet business needs and comply with governance frameworks.

Security and Risk Management

Our team implements robust security measures and risk management frameworks to protect sensitive data and ensure compliance with industry standards. We assess the impact of changes on security and provide guidance on mitigating risks.

Application and Infrastructure Evaluation

We assess the impact of new applications and infrastructure changes on the overall architecture, ensuring seamless integration and optimal performance. Our evaluations include reviews of current, transition, and future state architectures.

Data and Information Governance

Our focus on data and information governance ensures that all data is managed as a valuable asset, with high levels of trust, accessibility, and protection. We enforce data governance policies to maintain data quality and compliance.

Strategic Deployment

Ensuring effective and timely deployment of technology solutions across the organisation, leveraging existing capabilities and managed service providers to reduce time to market.
Ask about the Application Catalogue and ESTME Model.

Compliance and Best Practices

Our commitment to compliance and best practices ensures that all architectural decisions adhere to organisational policies, regulatory requirements, and industry standards. We maintain a strong focus on security and operational excellence.

The ARB Team

Meet the Team

Aamir Khan: Head of Enterprise and Data Architecture (Chair)

Richard Wingfield: ITSC (Delegated Authority) CIO

Jagmeet Kang Singh: Director of Security and Risk

Karthic Kumar Loganathan: Applications

Vijayanand Kesavan: Data and Analytics

Sachin Xavier: Integration

Clara Montero: Business Process

Mohamed Al Joubory: Head of IT PMO

Adila Rehman: Vendor Management Office

Faisal Jawed: Head of IT Shared Service

Business & Service Leads: As required

Other 3rd Parties

Essential Resources

Click the links to download or open

Example of Business Requirements

This link gives an example of business requirements document for guidance and reference.

EA Principles Document

Enterprise architecture principles are a set of guidelines to be applied to increase the consistency and quality of technology decision making.

Security Questionnaire .xls

The Third Party Questionnaire should be filled by all projects to understand the Security and Architecture associated .

ARB Engagement Process

Checks and Due Diligence

Content Overview:

Purpose: This slide provides an overview of the checks and due diligence process involved in the approval and execution of IT initiatives within Al Tayer Group. It outlines the key steps and stakeholders involved from the initial budget presentation to project delivery.

Key Steps and Stakeholders:

Initiatives:
- Pre-Budget Presented: Initial presentation of the budget for proposed IT initiatives.
- Budget Approved: Approval of the budget by the relevant authorities.
IT Steering Committee (ITSC):
- Annual Review Year Ahead Roadmap: The ITSC reviews and approves the roadmap for the upcoming year, divided into quarterly updates (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4).
- Exceptions or Non-Agreements: Any exceptions or non-agreements are referred to the ITSC from the ARB for further deliberation.
Demand Review Committee (DRC) and Architecture Review Board (ARB):
- IT Demand Management Process: The DRC manages the demand for IT projects, ensuring alignment with business needs.
- EA Principles and Policies: The ARB ensures that all projects adhere to EA principles, architectural characteristics, and security information security policies.
Group Procurement Office (GPO):
- Group Procurement Policy: The GPO oversees the procurement process, ensuring compliance with procurement policies.
Legal:
- Contract Management Process: The legal team manages contract-related aspects to ensure all legal requirements are met.
Project Delivery:
- IT Project Governance Framework – Execution: Ensures that the project is executed according to the IT project governance framework.
- Change Advisory Board: Manages changes during the project execution phase.
Managed Service Provider:
- Engages with managed service providers as needed for specific IT services or project components.
Reuse Strategic Deployment:
- Focuses on the reuse and strategic deployment of existing resources and solutions.

Additional Points:

End-to-End Visibility: There is continuous visibility and reporting on the process via dashboards and PMO trackers.
Further IT Due Diligence Touch Points: Indicates additional points of engagement for IT due diligence.
Indicative Relative Engagement Time: Provides an indication of the relative engagement time for each step.

Conclusion: This slide outlines the comprehensive process for checks and due diligence in IT project approval and execution. It highlights the involvement of various committees and stakeholders to ensure alignment with strategic goals, compliance with policies, and effective management of risks and issues.

This summary captures the key elements of the checks and due diligence process, emphasizing the structured approach to managing IT initiatives within Al Tayer Group.