Editor’s note: Yoshimasa Masuda, Ph.D., CISM, CGEIT, Teaching Faculty, Instructor, Carnegie Mellon University, USA / Sr. Manager, NTT Data Institute of Management Consulting / Associate Professor, Keio University, Japan, was recognized this year as an ISACA Global Achievement Award-winner for Innovative Solutions. He recently visited with ISACA Now to discuss his Adaptive Integrated Digital Architecture Framework (AIDAF) for digital transformation and innovation and its connections in areas including pandemic response, healthcare and academia. The following is a transcript, edited for length and clarity.
ISACA Now: What is the Adaptive Integrated Digital Architecture Framework, and how did it come about?
The Adaptive Integrated Digital Architecture Framework (AIDAF) is our proposed/verified new digital framework that can address the digital agility elements for digital IT strategy and digital transformation that lack in traditional Enterprise Architecture (EA) frameworks. The AIDAF framework is important and necessary for digital transformation with the following characteristics:
Process: The AIDAF framework can improve Agility elements such as Speed, Responsiveness, Flexibility, Leanness and Learning, while promoting digital strategy and Innovation. The AIDAF framework is an EA framework integrating an adaptive EA cycle with existing EA frameworks for different business units in alignment with each department’s guiding principles, corresponding to each strategy in the mid-to-long-term.
Technology: The AIDAF framework covers models capable of developing innovative digital platforms with digital IT technology and knowledge management as published in multiple international journals. This approach is adopted and verified in global companies and governmental offices, etc. as the framework for accelerating digital transformation and innovation. New Digital Enterprise Architecture courses based on the AIDAF are planned to start at Carnegie Mellon University in the US this year and in universities in Asia-Pacific going forward. My book, Enterprise Architecture for Global Companies in a Digital IT Era: Adaptive Integrated Digital Architecture Framework (AIDAF) from Springer Nature was rated among the three best new EA books for the first half of 2020 and was ranked among the top 10 EA books of all time.
ISACA Now: In what ways do you think this project is having the most impact?
The impact of the AIDAF in global healthcare enterprise (GHE) was evaluated to be 5 to 20 times stronger than existing EA framework like TOGAF from the standpoints of five agility-related elements of “Speed/Responsiveness/Flexibility/Leanness/Learning,” factoring in qualitative/quantitative analysis, as a result of a case study that referenced Agility elements published in prominent international journals.
ISACA Now: What lessons has the pandemic taught us when it comes to the future of digital transformation?
At first, the AIDAF framework-based digital strategy and transformation focused on healthcare industries because of preferences among professors in universities in the US and Japan. Today, the AIDAF framework continues to be recognized especially in the healthcare fields. I hope that AIDAF-based digital healthcare can also contribute to reducing risks of pandemic-related disease and accelerate digitalized business processes and application architecture to further cope with challenges brought on by the pandemic.
ISACA Now: What attracted you to academia?
By leveraging EA framework with Agility elements in the digital IT era, relationships between IT managers/CIOs and digital IT practitioners in Agile and DevOps should get closer and bring about synergetic effects. Moreover, by applying the AIDAF framework as ecosystem levels in societies, Industry 4.0 and Society 5.0 can be accelerated and supported efficiently and strategically, which will lead to a number of research opportunities. In the prestigious IEEE-EDOC international conference, our workshop, “Industry 4.0, Society 5.0 and the AIDAF framework,” has been included and will be held in collaboration with professors in Europe later this year. There are opportunities in academia to publish the latest papers in the special issue, “Enterprise Architecture in the Digital Era” in the international MDPI journal as well.
ISACA Now: You have been involved with ISACA both with the Tokyo and Pittsburgh chapters. What are the main similarities and differences in those experiences?
Both are large chapters. The main differences are preferences for the perspectives of IT management and strategies. As characteristics of each region, very innovative people and organizations come together in the Pittsburgh chapter, while members and companies in the Tokyo chapter tend to think very prudently of risk management.
ISACA Now: What are some of your favorite things to do outside of work?
Swimming and fitness exercises are my favorite things to do outside of work. I like seashores as well and boardsailing has been a past hobby.
ISACA Now: What does it mean to be recognized as an ISACA Global Achievement Award winner?
As a Global Achievement Award winner for “Innovative Solutions,” it is valuable that the AIDAF framework and my approaches are globally recognized as practical, innovative solutions in the digital IT era. I hope that this framework can be disseminated in each region worldwide through the ISACA community.
