In this episode, we welcome Finnish enterprise architect and author Eetu Niemi to explore what it means to make enterprise architecture (EA) “lightweight”—practical, collaborative, and relevant in the real world. From frameworks to fiction writing, from ivory towers to coffee-fueled collaboration, this conversation dives into how to make EA actually work for organizations.

With over 16 years of experience in architecture consulting at CGI, Coala, and Accenture, Eetu has guided more than 45 private and public organizations in transforming their business and IT landscapes. He specializes in enterprise and solution architecture, helping organizations align technology with strategy, improve EA practices and tools, and strengthen information security.

A published author and recognized thought leader, he wrote the first EA book in Finnish and two bestsellers on IT consulting and frequently shares insights through blogs, newsletters, and speaking engagements. Holding a PhD in enterprise architecture benefit realization and an MSc (Econ.), his cross-industry work spans finance, telecom, manufacturing, and the public sector—delivering results in EA modeling, governance, and tool implementation with platforms such as BiZZdesign, Ardoq, and Sparx EA.

In this episode of the podcast, we talk about:

• Eetu’s background — Author, architect, and advocate for democratizing enterprise architecture so it’s accessible beyond the ivory tower.
• Rethinking EA’s relevance — Success comes when EA shifts from being “nice diagrams” to being indispensable guidance that helps organizations plan, adapt, and reduce risk.
• Defining “lightweight EA” — It’s all about communication and cooperation, using models as tools for dialogue, not as ends in themselves.
• Avoiding EA’s common traps — Filling every box in a framework or modeling everything down to cables and servers misses the point. EA should focus on solving real business problems.
• Where to draw the line — Model at the logical level (applications, processes, data) — not every internal detail. EA is the layer above IT and process modeling, not a replacement for them.
• Kickstarting EA right — Start small, plan with stakeholders, and document goals and methods early. Collaboration beats over-engineering every time.
• Who to talk to first — Don’t wait for the C-suite; start where you have access, build trust, and work your way upward.
• Quick wins matter — Focus on tangible outcomes like system maps for upcoming projects — those early wins open doors and earn invitations “to the next party.”
• Light tools for light EA — Begin with approachable modeling tools instead of overcomplicated platforms. Save the big systems for when you truly need them.
• Governance without the grind — Keep EA blueprints current but concise. A handful of well-maintained diagrams is better than hundreds of forgotten files.
• Collaboration is key — EA succeeds through engagement: creating models with people, validating them with people, and helping those people make better decisions.
• Selling the value — Show how EA helps others succeed — whether that’s IT planning, compliance, or transformation — and you’ll overcome “I have no time for this” resistance.
• EA + AI = opportunity — Complexity is growing, not shrinking. AI can help classify, visualize, and assist — but architects still provide the judgment and storytelling.
• Making EA stick — Keep the practice alive through persistence and visibility. Even when budgets tighten, lightweight EA thrives by staying practical, connected, and useful.

You can reach Eetu on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eetuniemiphd/

Please reach out to us by either sending an email to hello@whatsyourbaseline.com or signing up for our newsletter and getting informed when we publish new episodes here: https://www.whatsyourbaseline.com/subscribe/.

Welcome to a very special episode of What’s Your Baseline? — where we demystify enterprise architecture and business process management. In this milestone 100th episode, we are joined by fellow BPM podcasters from Prozess Philosophen and BPM360 to celebrate, reflect, and talk about the wild ride of creating content in this niche space.

In this episode of the podcast, we talk about:

• Milestone celebration — 100 full-length episodes! A look back at the journey and what's ahead.
• Origin stories — How each podcast got started: from Munich restaurants to airport lounges, and "anonymous alcoholics for BPM enthusiasts."
• The evolution of podcasting — From rough first episodes to polished productions (or intentionally unpolished ones).
• Video vs. audio debate — The pros, cons, and time costs of adding video to podcasts; why some stick to one-take recording.
• Editing realities — 10 minutes vs. 8 hours: wildly different approaches to post-production and what works for each team.
• Authenticity over AI polish — Why staying real and soulful matters in an era of AI-generated, hyper-polished content.
• Community-driven content — Listener feedback shapes episodes; the power of niche audiences and recurring themes.
• Lessons learned — Top advice for aspiring podcasters: just start, don't overthink, make guests comfortable, and embrace imperfection.
• Underrated vs. Overrated — Change management (underrated), AI hype (overrated), process models (underrated), BPMN notation alone (overrated).
• The future of BPM podcasting — Where the medium is headed, from knowledge lexicons to safe spaces for authentic discussion.
• Listener challenge — What content do you consume? How do you consume it? What resonates with you and why?
• Gratitude and reflections — A heartfelt thank you to the audience, guests, and the BPM community for four years of support.

Please reach out to us by either sending an email to hello@whatsyourbaseline.com or signing up for our newsletter and getting informed when we publish new episodes here: https://www.whatsyourbaseline.com/subscribe/.

Last week we took a deep(-er) look at what BPMN is today and pointed out the scope, difficulties, and misconceptions in the current specification.

But what are ideas for improvements?

I am glad that you asked, because this episode is exactly about this (with a slight twist to the business side of things). In this episode of the podcast, we talk about:

• Today’s topic: What should BPMN 3.0 look like? Spoiler—it's more than just dots and arrows.
• The hosts unpack the missing hierarchy in BPMN—why we need clear distinctions between high-level, process, and task models. Roland argues for flexibility and “N levels of process”—from value chains down to sub-processes.
• J-M pushes for decision levels—models as tools for making decisions, not just communication artifacts.
• Call activities: misused, misunderstood, and overcomplicated. The guys agree—most analysts don’t touch them right.
• A deep dive into lanes and pools—why they’re conceptually fine but practically messy. (Stop naming your pool after your process, people!)
• Both want organizational elements as first-class citizens—RACI, org roles, and system links built right into the spec.
• Execution vs. documentation: the eternal BPMN dilemma. Should the spec drive engines, or help humans? (Hint: both.)
• J-M dreams of BPMN models training AI agents. Roland gets heartburn just thinking about it.
• “Lanes need intelligence.” The duo agree that automation, RPA, and AI will force clarity in BPMN sooner rather than later.
• Roland throws shade at the spec’s quality control—gateways aren’t decisions, folks! Read the fine print.
• The conversation drifts into data, risks, and controls—areas where BPMN could learn a lot from EPC and real-world practice.
• We are discussing other objects: “page connectors” (process interfaces), groups, milestones, etc.
• Closing thoughts: BPMN 3.0 should unify the best of documentation and execution, EPC’s expressiveness, and OMG’s rigor—with a bit more consistency, please.

Please reach out to us by either sending an email to hello@whatsyourbaseline.com or signing up for our newsletter and getting informed when we publish new episodes here: https://www.whatsyourbaseline.com/subscribe/.