Draft:Life Architecture

Life Architecture refers to the architecture of an individual’s life processes. Life Architecture is aligned with an individual’s personal goals, capabilities, and desires. It provides a structured approach for rationalizing an individual’s current life processes and translating a current state to a desired future state Life Blueprint. Life Architecture encompasses a set of principles, self-assessment behavioral techniques, process decomposition modeling, results and value chain modeling, and a deployment plan. Life Architecture represents a methodology to define, design, and transform an individual’s current life processes to a future state process understanding.

Definition

Life Architecture is a methodology – a set or system of methods, principles, and rules for regulating a given discipline, as in the arts or sciences – developed by Bob Ivkovic, a Canadian enterprise architect and information technology management consultant, for the purpose of life planning. The term “Life Architecture” has been used haphazardly in various books and literature to refer to the betterment of personal circumstances in a self-development or counselling manner, typically presented as a self-help book, life planning articles, self-improvement blogs, and other formats. Life Architecture as a methodology has been adapted from Enterprise Architecture, which is a structured approach used by organizations to optimize their business processes and align information technology to best automate their business processes. People also have processes, or what Life Architecture refers to as “life processes.” Similar to organizations that use Enterprise Architecture to develop and deploy optimized business processes, Life Architecture is a methodology used to guide individuals in improving their life processes while aligning them to personal ambitions and desires.

Life Architecture was introduced as a way to define a future Life Blueprint aligned with an individual’s goals, objectives, and personal desires. Life Architecture provides a structured approach to rationalize the current state of an individual’s life processes, and translates a current state process mapping to a desired future state Life Blueprint. The goal of Life Architecture is to articulate a future life value proposition as a basis for the development of future life processes. A Life Architecture methodology applies a structured and rigid approach and includes architectural principles, methods, practices, governance, and deliverables.

Process Decomposition

Life Architecture decomposes an individual’s life processes into all the life activities an individual performs and partakes during a lifetime. The decomposition of life processes is premised on “functional decomposition”, a computer science term referring to the breakdown of a complex problem or system into constituent parts that are easier to conceive, understand, program, and maintain. The decomposition of processes in the context of life architecture is also referred to as a “life process tree.” The life process tree is used to map current life processes. This process mapping is translated into a future state based on an individual’s life goals and desires. A plan and schedule are developed to guide an individual during the transition from a current to a future state life process definition.

Related Discipline

Life Architecture has a foundation in the organizational disciplines of Organizational Change Management and Enterprise Architecture. These organizational disciplines provide fundamental strategies, techniques, and deliverables to organizations for effecting change. The application of these organizational disciplines for personal growth and self-improvement are premised on the idea that organizations are business entities dependent on formalized business processes and the people who perform these processes. These organizational disciplines are engaged by management of organizations to evaluate and improve business processes based on six organizational capabilities: 1) Business Process, 2) Work Activities, 3) People, 4) Systems/Applications, 5) Data, and 6) Technology. An Enterprise Architecture relates these capabilities to identify and address issues, concerns, problems, and opportunities within an organizational setting. In some instances, an organization evaluates the rules by which it is governed and removes obsolete rules while establishing new ones to gain competitive advantage, optimize performance, or increase profits.

Constructs

Life Architecture focuses on the self-fulfillment and psychological needs of an individual (as defined in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs), as well as the capabilities of the individual to fulfill those needs. Life Architecture is based on its organizational counterpart, Enterprise Architecture, as it applies architecture principles and organizational theories to the personal growth of an individual rather than the development of an organization. A current life process mapping is completed as a precursor to a future life process mapping that ideally represents the desired future state of an individual. A roadmap is developed to guide the individual in the transition from a current to a future state life based on the capabilities of the individual. Existing capabilities or competencies are leveraged while other capabilities are learned or improved to achieve a future state.

The five constructs constituting a Life Architecture are represented in the diagram below:

See diagram HERE

These are the building blocks that enhance an individual’s life and can ultimately provide purpose and direction. There are several artifacts used to create a life architecture as follows:

See artifacts HERE

Criticism

Life Architecture is still in its infancy as a discipline for self-transformation. While systematic in its approach for personal development, success stories remain relatively small in sample size due to the relatively recent introduction and availability of Life Architecture.

Book

The book, Design Your Desired Life, was written by Bob Ivkovic and was published in December 2022. The book is offered by Amazon, Goodreads, and other book retailers as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover.

Further information about Life Architecture and the book can be found on www.ArchitectingYourLife.com.

References

1.	Ivkovic, Bob (April 2024). “Transitioning from EA to LA.” Architecture & Governance Magazine. April 4, 2024. https://www.architectureandgovernance.com/applications-technology/transitioning-ea-to-la/

2.	Ivkovic, Bob (April 2024). “Life Architecture For Transforming Your Life.” Personal Growth Magazine. April 18, 2024. https://www.personalgrowthmagazine.com/life-architecture/

3.	Ivkovic, Bob (March 2024). “Have You Thought About Designing Your Desired Life”. IT Architects blog. March 28, 2024. https://itarchitects.ca/blog/architecting-your-life/

4.	Ivkovic, Bob (2013). “How to Have a Happier Life with Life Architecture.” Daily Kindness. September 15, 2013. http://www.dailykindness.com/how-to-have-a-happier-life-with-life-architecture

5.	Ivkovic, Bob (2022-24). Design Your Desired Life. Issuu (2022): eBook only on www.ArchitectingYourLife.com. Kindle Direct Publishing (2024): eBook, softcover, and hardcover on Amazon and Goodreads. Issuu: https://architectingyourlife.com/ Kindle Direct Publishing (Amazon): Amazon (Goodreads): Goodreads