Principal Enterprise Architect at a construction company with 201-500 employees
Real User
Easy to map fact sheets of EA domains and has a user-friendly UI/UX
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features are that it's user-friendly and the user experience. It's easy to map the fact sheets."
  • "They should improve the out of the box connectors that they provide. They should see if clients are really ready to adapt them."

What is our primary use case?

Cataloguing the application and system inventory. Develop data driven decision for business goals, Identify gaps in application presence are few key use case that we wanted to achieve.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features are that it's user-friendly and the user experience. It's easy to map the fact sheets. Instant access to data and reports

What needs improvement?

They should improve the right adoption in native connectors that they provide with clients. They should see if clients are really ready to adapt them during evaluation and it will help client to take informed call to purchase those connectors to other products.

We also use ServiceNow and during our LeanIX evaluation phase, the native connector from LeanIX and Service now was looked into it. But we didn't realize that it would cost almost half of Core LeanIX subscription, it is considerable amount. Then we realized that we were not actually ready for them and we opted out. We didn't understand how this integration were going to help our organization. It make sense only if we are matured with other product(Service now) to get full benefit of this integration in organization. Please, get the quote of cost involved before you plan for checking feasibility of any native integration that comes out of LeanIX.

After the contract signed for specific year with ServiceNow integration in LeanIX,  Amidst We wanted to discontinue from the later year(due to non readiness of ServiceNow data and situation, it really not yielding any value/benefits ) and we got push back from LeanIX when approached for any workouts on this deal. We really want to go ahead with core LeanIX. We are completely happy with the core LeanIX, the only part where we want to disengage is having those additional connectors conditions.

We are even looking at alternative vendor  in industry reluctantly due to unsettling discussing with LeanIX. The relationship with the vendor is very important to us and would always want to have long year tenure. They should as well reciprocate the same.

For how long have I used the solution?

I used LeanIX for one year in my previous company and with the company, I am with now, I have been using it for two years, so three years total.

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I would rate the stability an eight out of ten. It is a fast platform. I'd take away two points because they rarely respond if you have an issue. 

How are customer service and support?

The support is good. We have weekly calls with them and they offer continuous support. The best part is that there is no additional cost involved. 

It depends on luck though. If you get somebody experienced, it's very good but if it's a rookie then it can be a challenge as in any other product support. They also provide open channel to reach to director of customer success team, he never fails to address us.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have also used Power Designer before in my career. It was complex and heavy as learning. I have experience using other tools but LeanIX is good for end-users and the admin to go in action quickly.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward. It took us more than six months because we started from the ground up and we were also building the data catalog.

What other advice do I have?

LeanIX is typically a data center application. So first prepare your internal organization for data repository and where you want to conceptualize. Have that in hand and then speak to businesses, gather all the system information, and process information. Then go to LeanIX and start building based as per their model. So your part is only bringing your data to support the application. The native connectors look very attractive but comes with a huge price for certain products.

Please be informed on price part before getting attracted towards the benefits that you are going get from those native connector, Because like us, we may not be in a position to have more ROI than the actual expense that we incur for that native connectors. Its good to avoid the surprises later stage and struck with contract sign without learning the actual impact. 

Overall, we are very happy with the LeanIX features and functionalities, the way they are with customers but the bitter part is their customer payment strategies for native connectors. LeanIX CEO Andre Christ is real visionary in EA, appreciate that, sincere suggestion is addressing customer concerns in win-win mode would greatly help in long relationship.

I would rate it an eight out of ten. I would recommend this tool for sure.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Consultant at a consultancy with 11-50 employees
Consultant
Easy repository, high usability, and maintaining and adding new data to your repository is very easy
Pros and Cons
  • "The usability is very high. It almost looks like a Facebook for Enterprise architecture, it's pretty nice. It's HTML5 based. The repository is very easy. It has 10 different ways of sorting the objects you have in your architecture repository. Maintaining new data or to add data to your repository is very easy."
  • "Not a ten because you always have that gap between complexity and easy to use. And the more complex the tool becomes, the more difficult it is to get the usability."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case is for architecture management. Signavio has a standard integration for BPM, but everything that is related to architecture is on the LeanIX side. It's application portfolio management, project portfolio management, engine components, and technology spec. It's for typical enterprise architecture.

What is most valuable?

The usability is very high. It almost looks like a Facebook for Enterprise architecture, it's pretty nice. It's HTML5 based. The repository is very easy. It has 10 different ways of sorting the objects you have in your architecture repository. Maintaining new data or to add data to your repository is very easy.

The whole repository itself is very easy to be maintained. The reporting capability allows you to develop custom reports in JavaScript and just upload it to your LeanIX solution so that you can use your custom reports. Due to the JavaScript implementation, we have almost an endless library of any kind of layout we want to have. 

The new feature LeanIX offers is actually that you have a so-called LeanIX store where you can download custom reports that already have been built and uploaded to the LeanIX store, partly for free. You can already download existing solutions or access new reports to your repository. You just add them. You just click add and they automatically add it. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using LeanIX for three years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

From its functionality, it is extendable at a high level, but to get your full-blown majority in Enterprise Architecture is not so easy. From a scale from zero to 10 from the maturity of Enterprise Architecture LeanIX could hold together from zero to seven but you will not get the last three points.

How are customer service and technical support?

The technical support is actually very good. It depends on your SRAs that you defined with the company. If you have a huge solution board, a huge number of fact sheets, you will have tech support within 24 hours. It depends on the number of objects you have in your repositors and the more objects you have and the bigger license you have, the faster the SRAs are defined. You have, at maximum, a 24-hour response. I received emails around two hours after my question was submitted to tech support, that was very quick.

If you press the critical button you can always get in contact almost instantly.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is actually straightforward. You need about 15 minutes to get used to the tool. It's very quick.

You don't need a tech person to do the deployment. Any business person could just review data and add data. They simply just need to understand the meta-model within 15 minutes. 

What other advice do I have?

My recommendation would depend on the use case. We cannot go to the customer and just advise them to have one kind of tool. It depends on what they have in the architecture and what kind of solution they want to have. Some companies are just fine with a seven-point solution. Some companies want to implement very difficult workflows. Then I would tend to use Alfabet from Software AG but it really depends on the use case.

If you have a company that's setting up Enterprise Architecture and already has all the documents produced in Microsoft environments, iServer's a nice solution. It really depends.

I would rate it a nine out of ten. Not a ten because you always have that gap between complexity and easy to use. And the more complex the tool becomes, the more difficult it is to get the usability. For example, Alfabet is not bad, it looks good and it's not bad, it's easy to use. But therefore the meta-model has over 700 classes from the standard in comparison to the 10 classes in LeanIX. LeanIX is very, nice from the visibility side. This is the one point that I wouldn't give, but this was something that the gap is really hard to fill.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free LeanIX Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: May 2024
Buyer's Guide
Download our free LeanIX Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.