Integrating IT Portfolio Management with Enterprise Architecture Management

The management of information technology (IT) as a business has become a crucial factor in today’s complex and dynamic environments. Many firms thus have implemented IT portfolio and enterprise architecture (EA) management practices, and academic research has paid increasing attention to these concepts. However, their integration seems poorly substantiated; this article therefore seeks to answer two main questions: (1) What are differences and common characteristics of IT portfolio and EA management, and in what way can they be integrated? and (2) what factors and types might describe an integrated process design of EA management and project portfolio management in particular? To answer these questions, this study synthesises previous research and surveys EA practitioners to propose an EA management process map, as well as three descriptive factors and four clusters, which provide an integrated process design with project portfolio management. The interrelations with organisational aspects and software tool support are also explored. This article thereby clarifies and systematises the subject area while also offering advice for researchers and practitioners.