What attributes do you look for in an enterprise architect (EA)?

Good enterprise architects (EAs) have the 4 C’s: critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication. Soft skills are critical to the role, especially listening skills.

If we're looking for an enterprise architect (EA), the most important factor is not necessarily their technical ability, it’s their business acumen. They have to be able to understand your business or a business similar to yours from their past experience. They also need to be very forward-thinking, both in thinking about the business as well as keeping up to date with the latest technology and the latest issues happening in the industry.