Build a Technical Reference Architecture for Utilities
Build the utility technology landscape of the future.
Many utilities remain constrained by legacy systems, data silos, and fragmented IT/OT architectures. This complexity slows digital transformation, increases integration costs, and weakens reliability. Without a TRA, organizations struggle with:
- Misalignment between business and technology. Technical designs that are not traced back to business capabilities and outcomes become technology-centric exercises and face elevated risk of underutilization.
- Complexity from legacy technology. Utility companies still operate on legacy systems that are incompatible with modern IT.
- Disconnected IT/OT domains. IT and OT technology systems are deeply interwoven; however, the ways of working are disjointed.
Our Advice
Critical Insight
To achieve resilience and strategic innovation, a unifying technical architecture must be in place to support technology advancement. The pace of innovation within utilities is at an all-time high. Complex pressures from regulators, customers, government, and every changing demand landscape are forcing utilities to digitally transform. A TRA can help your organization invest in technology and skills strategically.
Impact and Result
- Align technology decisions with enterprise strategy and goals.
- Ensure interoperability across IT and OT teams.
- Standardize technical domains where appropriate, reducing duplication of work and increasing operational efficiency (e.g. limiting customized solutions).
- Evaluate the gaps across technical capabilities to assess the risk to the organization.
About Info-Tech
Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.
We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.
What Is a Blueprint?
A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.
Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.
Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst
Get the help you need in this 3-phase advisory process. You'll receive 6 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.
Guided Implementation 1: Align to Organizational Goals via BRA
- Call 1: Review your organization’s goals and value stream.
- Call 2: Review the BRA and discuss where the technical and business capabilities align.
Guided Implementation 2: Develop Current- and Target-State Technical Capability Maps
- Call 1: Identify current and aspirational technical capabilities across each layer.
- Call 2: Assess any gaps, redundancies, and technical debts to consider for initiatives.
Guided Implementation 3: Operationalize the TRA Through Use Cases
- Call 1: Walk through key use cases for the TRA.
- Call 2: Embed architectural governance processes – leveraging the BRA processes.
Contributors
- Amy Meger, Platte River Power Authority, Sr. Information and Cyber Governance Manager