Ecosystem Architecture

Ecosystem architecture can be at a number of different levels. At its highest level, it is the intentional design of an ecosystem of organizations as a “system of systems,” to facilitate their integration, collaboration and joint governance. At this level, a healthy architecture enables organizations in the ecosystem to focus on their core competencies while leveraging the capabilities of others in a mutually beneficial way to achieve results that they could not deliver on their own.

Below this, it is the intentional, integrated design of an organization as an ecosystem (within a broader ecosystem) that optimizes how the organization is designed and managed to achieve outstanding results for all its stakeholders. It encompasses everything from strategy, culture, and governance to human capability, processes, and technology.

Ecosystem architecture can also involve the design of a system designed to promote excellence within an ecosystem and help drive it through a series of well-governed excellence award assessments.