What is the difference between 'Baseline' and 'Target Architecture'?

The distinction between 'Baseline' and 'Target Architecture' is crucial in the context of enterprise architecture. The baseline architecture represents the current state of the systems, processes, and technologies within an organization at a specific point in time. This serves as a reference point for understanding the existing architecture's strengths and weaknesses.

On the other hand, the target architecture outlines the desired future state that an organization aims to achieve. It represents the planned improvements and enhancements that will align with organizational goals and strategic objectives.

Understanding this differentiation is critical for any enterprise architect because it helps to identify the gaps between the current state and future goals. This gap analysis is fundamental to formulating effective strategies for transition and implementation of changes.

The description provided in the correctly chosen answer accurately summarizes these concepts, clarifying that baseline architecture is the current state while target architecture is the envisioned future state, thereby guiding the development and planning processes within the architecture framework.