Understand the DEAP Framework
Before any assessment begins, ground yourself in the four domains of technical architecture. Each domain has distinct concerns, questions, and outputs. Every stakeholder interview and architecture decision maps back to one of these pillars.
Data Management
Establishes standards and controls for high-quality, secure, and reliable data access. Ensures data integrity and consistency to maximise platform value and drive better decisions.
Environment Management
Defines the architecture and processes for structured environments supporting dev, test, and release workflows — including security controls and access prerequisites per persona.
App Dev Management
Establishes processes and standards for high-quality application creation while reducing technical debt. Provides unified tooling and standardised methods across the development cycle.
Platform Management
Defines practices, policies, and standards for granting access, upgrading, patching, securing, and maintaining the Now Platform — minimising maintenance effort over time.
Identify Key Stakeholders & Gather Information
Structured discovery is the foundation. Begin by mapping who needs to be involved, then plan and execute interviews systematically — aiming for depth over breadth.
Identify Key Players
Map all stakeholders impacted by or involved in the architecture. Include business stakeholders and end users — not just IT teams. Categorise by role and responsibility. Securing executive sponsorship early ensures buy-in and resource access throughout the process.
Plan Logistics
Schedule interview slots, confirm venues and resources. Keep sessions under one hour with no more than two participants at a time. Large group sessions produce shallow outputs — protect the quality of information with focused, bilateral conversations.
Decide on Relevant Questions
Align questions to the four DEAP domains. Prepare open-ended questions that encourage stakeholders to describe the current architecture in their own terms. Pre-determine what documents and data artefacts you will request during each session.
Conduct Stakeholder Interviews
Focus on building rapport and asking questions that prompt the interviewee to describe the architecture naturally. Document key takeaways. Apply leading practices from ArchX Requirements Gathering throughout each session.
Gather Documentation
Request artefacts covering: applications and software in use, infrastructure (cloud/on-prem/network/storage), data flows between systems, and security and compliance frameworks. Organise into structured categories immediately after collection.
Interview Leading Practices
Interview Questions by Domain
- Who is responsible for making decisions related to data within the current environment?
- Is the data in the current systems accessible for analysis — and are there existing reports available?
- Are there established standards for data management, formatting, and governance?
- Are there defined standards for data integration across different systems?
- What security policies are in place to protect data?
- What are the different environments in use and are there any key considerations for each?
- What applications are currently being used, and what are their primary functions?
- Are multiple environments connected — portals, backends, or integrations?
- What version of the software is currently in use?
- How are dev and production environments structured, and what are the key differences?
- Are there any established best practices or golden rules that must be followed?
- To what extent has the existing tool been customised — are there significant modifications in place?
- How many developers are currently working on the application?
- Is there a clear distinction between configuration and customisation in the current setup?
- Are there must-have features or functionalities in the current set of applications?
- What maintenance procedures are currently in place?
- What integrations exist within the system, if any?
- How are production and non-production environments managed and maintained?
- What documented processes and procedures are available for system operations?
- What types of non-functional testing (performance, security, reliability) are conducted?
Document, Analyse & Interpret Results
Structure raw interview data into categories, identify patterns and inefficiencies, and apply visual tools to communicate effort and complexity clearly. This phase transforms information into actionable insight.
Heatmap
A visual tool using colour intensity to represent effort levels — warm colours (red/orange) for high effort, cool colours (blue/green) for low. Created from workshop and interview feedback, it shows both customer (CUS) and engagement (ENG) effort side by side, making it immediately clear where attention is needed most.
Capability Map
Identifies what the customer is currently using across the ServiceNow platform, combined with heatmap hotspots. Used to determine the most effective future architecture and inform phased implementation planning. Download the template below.
| Data Mgmt | Environment | App Dev | Platform | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Effort (CUS) | High | Medium | Low | Medium |
| Engagement Effort (ENG) | Medium | High | Medium | Low |
Illustrative example — heatmap values are derived from actual interview and workshop output.
- Define an objective measure for how well each process is being operated before gathering data.
- Recognise that criteria are often subjective — acknowledging this ensures a balanced analysis.
- Structure findings into categories: Infrastructure, Applications, Data Flows, Security & Compliance.
- Align on the output format with stakeholders early — do not surprise them at playback.
Document Findings & Present to Stakeholders
The architecture diagram and structured findings document form the output of the assessment. The playback session should validate what stakeholders already know while introducing refined recommendations — not deliver surprises.
Include in the Diagram
ServiceNow instances, disparate systems, integrations, authentication systems, portals, data lakes, external service providers, external ticketing (e-Bonding), foundational data sources, and any other relevant elements.
Do Not Include
Not everything gathered in interviews belongs in the architecture diagram. Process details, governance standards, and operational procedures are captured separately — used to develop controls that ensure a sustainable implementation.
- Scope may require an incremental approach — transition architecture bridges current and desired end states.
- It manages complexity and risk while ensuring continuity of business operations.
- Represent as a phased implementation — each phase should have a clearly explained purpose.
- Align to the phased interactions diagram from ArchX Architecture Blueprints.
- Secure stakeholder buy-in on the output format early — not at the end of the process.
- Engage stakeholders throughout — never surprise them at the final presentation.
- The playback should validate familiar information while introducing a few refined details.
- Use diagrams, charts, heatmaps, and structured models to enhance understanding.
Common Challenges to Avoid
Insufficient Executive Sponsorship
Without leadership commitment, securing participation and funding is difficult. Secure executive buy-in early to ensure the process is structured, well-resourced, and aligned to the organisation's strategic vision.
Only Involving IT Teams
IT teams focus on technical architecture and service delivery — which creates a gap in understanding how technology is actually used. Business stakeholders and end users are essential participants in the assessment.
Too Many People in One Session
Gathering insights from 30–40 people in a single meeting is ineffective. Large meetings become unfocused, limit deep discussion, and produce shallow outputs. Limit to two participants per session maximum.
Template Resource
ServiceNow Capability Map
The standard capability roadmap template used to identify what the customer is using across the Now Platform, surface hotspots from the heatmap, and inform the most effective future architecture. Use this as your primary output artefact for capability assessment.