PEX Network’s key takeaways:
- Gartner says enterprise architecture (EA) tools are at the center of a “$1 billion strategic battleground.”
- The momentum of the EA management suite market is transforming how organizations govern complexity, prioritize investments, and prepare for an artificial intelligence (AI) driven future.
- EA’s growth underscores its strategic role in enabling transformation.
EA tools are at the center of a “$1 billion strategic battleground,” with EA one of the fastest‑growing, most strategic software markets. That’s according to new research from Forrester.
The analyst giant’s research confirms that the momentum of the EA management suite market is transforming how organizations govern complexity, prioritize investments, and prepare for an AI-driven future.
From $200 to $250 million in 2018 to more than $1 billion today, EA’s growth underscores its strategic role in enabling business transformation, Gartner stated.
The burgeoning enterprise architecture tools market
“EA has moved from advisory to essential,” wrote Gartner analysts Stéphane Vanrechem and Charles Betz. “Businesses accelerating AI adoption face mounting technical debt, cloud sprawl, and regulatory pressure.”
Architecture tools now provide the connective tissue that links investments to outcomes and keeps complexity in check. “Modernizing architecture practices enables organizations to navigate disruption with clarity and confidence. Those that fail to evolve will struggle under the weight of their own complexity.”
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3 forces shaping the enterprise architecture market
Three major forces are converging to shape the modern EA market:
1. Vendor consolidation
Vendor consolidation is accelerating. SAP acquired LeanIX, Bizzdesign combined MEGA International and Alfabet, Orbus acquired Capsifi, and ServiceNow evolved its Application Portfolio Management module into a full EA offering.
“These moves expand global reach, unify capabilities, and create mature platforms that address both architecture and portfolio needs,” the analysts said.
2. Vendor-led innovation
Innovation is now being driven by large vendors. SAP LeanIX, ServiceNow, and Bizzdesign are emerging as the dominant players in the EA tools market and are likely to set its direction going forward.
Their investments in AI-driven modeling, integrated analytics, and cross-suite user experiences create significant opportunity, while also introducing new lock-in considerations for buyers.
3. The future IT control plane
EA is increasingly becoming the backbone of the future IT control plane. As explored in “CMDB” Is Dead — Long Live the IT Management Graph, the market is moving away from isolated repositories toward unified, analytics-first platforms.
“EA tools are now integrating financial governance, portfolio management, and architecture into a single operational decision layer. This signals a future where EA becomes the operational nerve center for business‑technology strategy.”