PeerSpot user
Principal Consultant - DPA at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Has a variety of notations and custom attributes but renders slow with large models
Pros and Cons
  • "We could capture the process models around 24 countries with all their local variations."
  • "When the model is large, it is a bit slow to render."

What is our primary use case?

I have used the solution for BPMN Modeling for a German Bank where regulatory processes were required to model for around 24 countries. After process modeling, process harmonization, process standardization was also included. SPARX EA, with a variety of notations and custom attributes, helped track the process delivery for each center smoothly. 

We have also created application, information, and data models linked them with BPMN process models. So net-net, process modeling, process improvement, and process optimization were the primary use cases.

How has it helped my organization?

We could capture the process models around 24 countries with all their local variations. After process modeling, we have depicted the similarities and differences in SAPRX for process harmonization, process standardization. 

SPARX EA, with a variety of notations and custom attributes, helped track the process delivery for each center smoothly. We have also created applications, information, and data models linked with BPMN process models. 

What is most valuable?

SPARX EA is well suited for a client that does not have an Enterprise Architecture or Business Process and that needs to get started, so you can leverage the product right from scratch. You can import from Word and Excel. That is the best feature. The information is available in Excel and you can get started by importing the artifacts in the proper structure. Word documents can also be imported by using the proper plugins. It can be used as a jump-start for a team of five people that can share a common repository. This import/export reduced a lot of licensing requirements too.

What needs improvement?

When the model is large, it is a bit slow to render. Also sometimes it is difficult (selecting and holding it) to move a single attribute from one entity in the diagram to another. At times check-in and check-out procedures are slow. 

Navigating from EA Models to Business Process Models becomes a nightmare if the repository is heavily loaded. I have worked on some other tools which work pretty well in this area. SPARX Systems should consider improving on this point in their upcoming releases.

Buyer's Guide
Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect
March 2024
Learn what your peers think about Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2024.
765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used the product for around two years.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Principal at Mire Consulting
Real User
Top 20
Reliable, beneficial streams, and good support
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is the value streams."
  • "The initial setup of the Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect It's very complicated. It's very difficult to start with the right templates because there are many possibilities. The deployment took approximately two days."

What is our primary use case?

We use the Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect to guide the enterprise data model used for documentation.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is the value streams.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect for approximately three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate the scalability of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect a four out of five.

We have approximately 60 people in my organization using this solution.

How are customer service and support?

I rate the technical support of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect a four out of five.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of the Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect It's very complicated. It's very difficult to start with the right templates because there are many possibilities. The deployment took approximately two days.

I would rate the ease of implementation of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect one out of five.

What about the implementation team?

I did the implementation of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect myself. It's a long whole process to activate it and to be on the right path. It takes a lot of communication with the technical team.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

There is no license required for this solution.

What other advice do I have?

My advice to others is to get off to the right start by choosing the correct template. That's very important, otherwise, you will be lost.

I rate Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect
March 2024
Learn what your peers think about Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2024.
765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.
CEO at SEP Consulting kft.
Real User
Practical, stable solution for electronic signature design
Pros and Cons
  • "The advantages of Enterprise are that it's cheaper and much more practical than MagicDraw."
  • "The integration could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use cases are electronic signature design. The electronic signature is typically the NETLOCK, and the electric number is a secret, so it's the NETLOCK electronic signature.

The solution is deployed on-premises.

What is most valuable?

The advantages of Enterprise are that it's cheaper and much more practical than MagicDraw.

What needs improvement?

The model integrity is not the same as MagicDraw, so MagicDraw is a bit better as a tool.

The integration could be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for one year, but I don't use Enterprise Architect on a daily basis.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable. It doesn't require any specific maintenance.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's scalable.

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

I have also used MagicDraw. We changed from MagicDraw to Enterprise Architect because the client has Enterprise Architect, and we have tried to export all the delivery products to the Enterprise Architect, and more or less, it should be possible.

How was the initial setup?

My understanding is that setup is easier than MagicDraw.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We had a yearly license.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate this solution 9 out of 10. 

That tool is still alive. We recognize that 10 years back, it was the same product, and at the moment it seems to be still alive. That means the background of the product is okay, and it can be in life for the next 10 years.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Sr. Solutions Architect at a insurance company with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Flexible, light on resources, but portfolio planning could improve
Pros and Cons
  • "Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is very flexible and it is simple to define the metamodel. Additionally, it is lightweight on resources."
  • "In a future release, they should improve portfolio planning."

What is our primary use case?

Our customers are using Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect for enterprise architecture modeling, where interrelationship among different enterprise entities.

What is most valuable?

Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is very flexible and it is simple to define the metamodel. Additionally, it is lightweight on resources.

What needs improvement?

The solution could improve by having more aggressive working sessions with other product vendors. It would be a benefit to have demo sessions where users of the solution can ask questions to product experts and receive answers. For example, people who are struggling with the initial setup.

The team setup is very crucial for the success of a tool like this. I don't know if we looked into it properly. However, if some part of it, such as user setup can be automated, then it would be great for adoption.

In a future release, they should improve portfolio planning.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect for approximately eight years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is fairly good. However, I do not have, for example, 100 users to be able to fully determine the scalability.

In my organization, we have the chief, enterprise, architect, infrastructure, and security architect that are supposed to use the solution. However, only one or two people are using it at this time.

We are pushing for evolving tools but I am not sure if we are going to increase the usage.

How are customer service and support?

I have never used technical support.

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

We were using other solutions and we switched to Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect because it is lightweight, simple to use, and inexpensive.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is easy to do. However, with the implementation, people struggle with how multiple people can work in a collaborative structure. That doesn't come easily. You have to define many things. There is room for improvement because people do not understand the solution.

The solution is not fully deployed but individual people are using it. The beauty of enterprise modeling tools is to collaborate into a single workspace. A single workspace means a single model where everything is interrelated. People have traceability.

If you are using Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect as an individual contributor, then it's not a great choice. It's not implemented in the current organization effectively. If Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect can provide demonstrations or a checklist it would be very useful.

What about the implementation team?

We do not have a separate team that manages the solution. We all manage the solution.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is priced well. The price we pay is approximately $20 per month. Other solutions I have found to be much more expensive.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We evaluated other solutions before choosing Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect. Most of the other solutions had very big footprints and were very heavy tools. Our use cases were mostly related to EA modeling. For that, this tool was good.

What other advice do I have?

The customer that is using this solution has not implemented it in the right way, but they are expected to. It's not fully utilized. If you start putting the model together, it's definitely a great thing to improve the overall ecosystem. If you put tools, such as Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect everything is always up to date.

If we will have this fully implemented, our productivity will increase. Since I work as an architect, most of the time we spend understanding as-is state and current state. If somebody is utilizing this solution, you don't need to spend a lot of time. You will always have an up-to-date depiction of the current state.

I rate Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect a seven out of ten.

There are other use cases that cover enterprise architecture, which is not part of the tools. This tool does what it is built for, which is modeling the enterprise architecture. I gave the seven ratings based on the overall ecosystem which is required.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Solution Architect at a insurance company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Easy to use, very stable, works with different standards, and has an incredible repository of artifacts
Pros and Cons
  • "Its ease of use and the breadth of the toolkit are most valuable. It has an incredible repository of artifacts to work with, and they're all cross-referenced. It works with a whole bunch of different standards. It works with BPMN, which is Business Process Modeling Notation, and it also works with something called TOGAF, which is the Open Group Architecture Foundation. There are different layers when you're dealing with architecture. There is the user interface, application, data, data servers, and all that kind of stuff. You have the infrastructure, hardware, and software layers, and then you have the application and business capability layers. You can model a business process and decompose it into all of the applications, data, and hardware to support it."
  • "They should make the Save button easier to find. A simplified user interface for a lighter user would probably be useful. I am not sure if such an interface is already there."

What is our primary use case?

We are building it right now. We first have to build a repository and the tool, and then we have to develop the training for different types of users. We are using its latest version.

What is most valuable?

Its ease of use and the breadth of the toolkit are most valuable. It has an incredible repository of artifacts to work with, and they're all cross-referenced. 

It works with a whole bunch of different standards. It works with BPMN, which is Business Process Modeling Notation, and it also works with something called TOGAF, which is the Open Group Architecture Foundation. There are different layers when you're dealing with architecture. There is the user interface, application, data, data servers, and all that kind of stuff. You have the infrastructure, hardware, and software layers, and then you have the application and business capability layers. You can model a business process and decompose it into all of the applications, data, and hardware to support it.

What needs improvement?

They should make the Save button easier to find. 

A simplified user interface for a lighter user would probably be useful. I am not sure if such an interface is already there.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for six months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is very stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is scalable. Right now, we've only got a hundred books, but we want to have hundreds of thousands of books. There are only three of us using it in our architecture group, and then there are probably 30 other architects in other parts of the company who are using it.

How are customer service and technical support?

My colleague is dealing with technical support. 

How was the initial setup?

One of my colleagues did that. I am not familiar with the setup, but I know it is pretty elaborate because, like anything, you got to configure it the way you want. The more robust the tool, the more configuration it usually needs.

What about the implementation team?

In terms of the software solution, it doesn't take a lot of maintenance. It is like building out a library.

What other advice do I have?

I would advise others to understand their needs and find a tool that really meets their needs.

I would rate Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect an eight out of ten. It is a very strong tool, but I don't have enough comparison points to give it a higher rating.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Process Architect at a energy/utilities company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Cost-effective, flexible, adaptable, and supports publishing reports to Confluence
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features are the flexibility and adaptability of Sparx Enterprise Architect."
  • "Using EA involves a steep learning curve if you want to understand its capabilities and functionality."

What is our primary use case?

I was using this solution to document a Business Architecture, and including BPMN 2.0 Process Models that were then used to create Process Design documents. We were running V13.0 in an internal network with the then third-party product, and Prolaborate. The implementation of Prolaborate was in a test environment and this became an increasingly frustrating problem.

How has it helped my organization?

We were able to produce a range of Process-based reports that were published to Confluence reports, as well as our Business and Processes Architectures, for use by a large internal program. The Business end-users and external vendors seemed happy with the outcomes, although some members of the program management team struggled to understand the importance of these documents. 

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features are the flexibility and adaptability of Sparx Enterprise Architect. However, these aspects come at a cost of complexity in configuration and management of customization. 

What needs improvement?

Using EA involves a steep learning curve if you want to understand its capabilities and functionality.

Providing more detailed information about how to configure and adapt EA for consumption by users with less technical knowledge or experience would be helpful. Plus, provide online training that covers the basics of as well as more advanced topics. An introduction on how to do the basic configuration for the non-technical users would also be of benefit.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for twelve months.

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

I was employed on contract by this company, but I had previously used Orbus iServer for Process modeling and developing Business and Enterprise Architecture artifacts. This company had previously used Visio

What about the implementation team?

You can search for Business and Process Architects, who have limited technical expertise, and that can be a challenge. In that sense, we were very lucky to have a fantastic team of consultants, who had vast experience and knowledge in how to configure and adapt to meet our needs. They were also able to give us guidance when we were going down the wrong path.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

In terms of cost, Sparx EA is probably one of the cheapest tools I have ever used. However, study the most important versions of EA before you buy it. I'd also recommend that you buy the edition up from the version you think you need, as we found that was an issue in our early days.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I wasn't involved in the selection and acquisition process. Since I began in this role, I have been working with SaaS products, such as Signavo's suite of products. In my view, these products are far more usable than client-server products, in terms of getting projects underway and using them in workshops. However, I think that they are not as versatile and functional as products such as EA, although they are rapidly catching up with desktop products.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
it_user186219 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Enterprise Architect at a transportation company with 501-1,000 employees
Vendor
Offers full development life-cycle modelling yet does not support analysis of the models

What is most valuable?

  1. Modeling to the Open Group’s Archimate specification
  2. Model objects stored to a database for analytical purposes
  3. TOGAF and Zachmann frameworks reinforce method-specific content models, etc.

How has it helped my organization?

  1. Sparx EA is used to capture the current state of technology systems as it pertains to the business infrastructure and application components, and how they combine to support the business needs and goals
  2. Similarly, it captures the planned state for projects that are delivering change
  3. Similarly, it captures the planned state for projects that are delivering change

What needs improvement?

  1. The product inherently does not support analysis of the models. For example, to determine what business processes will be impacted by work on a specific server requires a person knowledgeable in the notation to manually perform the analysis.
  2. Documents generated from the product leave a bit to be desired.

For how long have I used the solution?

Over one year

What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

There are various add-on components depending on what features/version you buy. Trying to install all products as a non-admin did create challenges. Otherwise, installation with admin privileges was uneventful. Installation of the product’s database schema to the database was simple and the subsequent use of the database as a store for modeling data was easy.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

No the product is generally very stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

No. This product is a desktop tool and generally would not have any scalability issues unless using a centralized service, such as a database server.

How are customer service and technical support?

Customer Service:

No customer service has been needed in the one year of service.

Technical Support:

No technical support has been needed in the one year of service.

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

Other solutions in earlier years. This product was an initial purchase for this need and did not replace any other product within this context.

How was the initial setup?

Installation was straightforward for all components and configurations.

What about the implementation team?

In house implementation.

What was our ROI?

The nature of this product did not justify an ROI but given a typical fully burdened rate for employee time, the sub-$1000 price tag is quickly recovered.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

List price for EA Ultimate Edition was just under $1000/seat perpetual license. Use of a shared Microsoft SQL Server as a repository adds approximately $2.00/day for all EA users based on the company’s negotiated license fee.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Archimate from the Open Group as well as other more robust EA products, both open source and proprietary.

What other advice do I have?

This is really just a modeling tool. Despite its name it does not really compare to to other “enterprise architecture” tools from companies such as Orbus, and Troux. That said the product offers full development life-cycle modelling in addition to some project management tie-ins.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
it_user249285 - PeerSpot reviewer
it_user249285Works at a tech company with 51-200 employees
Vendor

I found this review helpful -- Clear feedback - words are not minced!

IT Project Leader at Bank Millennium SA
Real User
Powerful tool when it comes to modeling features and traceability
Pros and Cons
  • "The stability has been good and satisfactory. I would rate the stability a ten out of ten."
  • "In general, we now have a problem with Sparx Enterprise Architect because many analysts think it's too complicated to use in a giant environment."

What is our primary use case?

Modeling future solutions and using BPMN or use cases. So, in general, creating direct accounts.

How has it helped my organization?

We use it On the analyst level. So, analysts create specifications or storage using this tool. 

Sparx helped us facilitate better system modeling and design in our organization.  

What is most valuable?

I personally find the tool quite powerful tool and benefical, especially given its modeling features and traceability. However, I rarely use this tool now due to my management position.

What needs improvement?

In general, we now have a problem with Sparx Enterprise Architect because many analysts think it's too complicated to use in a giant environment. So, two years ago, it was used very, very often, and it was a basic tool in the organization. Now, there's a discussion. Is it worth using Enterprise Architect in the company? We need a better, lighter tool to create, for instance, user storage. So, our company is at a specific stage in our product development or software development, where there are some people who want to use it in connection with something like Papyrus, for instance.

For engineering, it's not a good description because it's complicated and for analysts in a dry environment. In the agile environment, the analyst focuses on use cases or creating user stories for support. It's not user-friendly for them.

It is not not user-friendly. But in general, it's complicated for very simple activities. For example, when we know and use Enterprise Architect well, and we can use all these features for such analysts, it's no problem to use it. 

But new analysts, modern analysts who work in a giant environment, don't want to learn how to use Enterprise Architect in the environment because they think it's too complicated and has too many functions.  

There should be ways to find what you need easily and use only the functions relevant to our project. For example, if we're just analyzing a small project, we don't necessarily need tracing or tons of diagrams.

We've also had issues installing the Proof of Concept (POC) for Sparx Prolaborate. Many people found it overly complicated and needed improvement. Overall, user-friendliness is a major pain point for Sparx in my company.

So, Sparx could look at similar products with a more user-friendly interface in the industry.

There are people who use Enterprise Architect religiously, and there are others who prefer simpler tools like point UML for just drawing diagrams. It depends on the needs of the project.

Another point for improvement would be enhancing the versioning of models. Although there's a way to establish timelines, it's not as powerful as it could be.

For how long have I used the solution?

We use it in our company. I have been using it for ten years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability has been good and satisfactory. I would rate the stability a ten out of ten. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Since each team uses its repository, the need to scale hasn't arisen. There are around 20 to 30 end users using this solution. 

However, a web browser version would be advantageous, considering current trends towards cloud-based solutions. The desktop version is somewhat limiting.

While we've attempted to use it for integration purposes, such as contract creation, there are challenges, especially with unique hardware integrations. It often proves simpler to use external tools for software development. 

How are customer service and support?

In general, we don't need support since we have an internal team in our company that maintains the queries related to this solution. 

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

I'm not well-versed in many other tools of this scale, though I've seen Visual Paradigm, which seems nice. However, Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect has been used by our company for many years, making it a staple tool for us. 

Despite some thinking it's complicated for modern development, its utility for those familiar with it is undeniable. I would recommend it, as we don't consider replacing it due to any significant shortcomings.

How was the initial setup?

I would rate my experience with the initial setup a ten out of ten, with ten being very easy to set up. It is very easy. 

However, setting up a common repository requires additional steps, or you need to place it in a dedicated SQL server. For instance, using an SQL server would make it easier to integrate creating a database or analytics script directly into Enterprise Architect. 

Because no (as far as I remember), there's a need to run scripts to download them from your page and run them separately. It should be integrated into the wizard to create a remote repository. 

So basic installations are rather easy, in my opinion. However, more complicated setups for groups and people need some technical skills and experience.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

It's reasonably priced for large organizations, though it may be perceived as expensive for individual users.

What other advice do I have?

I would definitely recommend using this solution for its modeling features. Improvements are always welcome in any tool. We're looking forward to a web browser version, among other enhancements. There's always room for improvement.

For me, it is a ten out of ten. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Buyer's Guide
Download our free Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: March 2024
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.