Selling SOA

Dave,

Couldn't agree with you more, especially the bit about existing issues. I wrote this a few days back which expands on it some

http://unreasonablemen.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=21&Itemid=42

Dave -

Agree with the "Don't call it SOA" / speak to the business impact when selling outside of IT.

But within IT, how does this advise change?

Doesn't the IT leadership need to keep up their company's "buzzword compliance factor" in order to retain their top performers?

Or does IT need to apply the same ROI disciplines and operational metrics used on the business side?

If the later, what are the big 3-5 tangible, easy to measure/prove value props for SOA?

-Bob Eve, Composite Software

There are few (if any) opportunities for productivity increases in the 21st century that will not have some aspect of technology associated with it. That is, C-level executives need to make business decisions and realize that some aspect of that decision will incorporate a technology component. The fact that a business opportunity should be derailed or overlooked because of fear that the technology component is too complex, cannot be supported by current staff or is unavailable is irrational fear. Plain and simple, it's a mathematical equation, if cost of final solution to build, implement, deploy, maintain gains measurable costs savings inclusive of the technology costs or generates revenue in similar manner, then find a way to execute and stop blaming IT for not meeting expectations. It's the C-level executives responsibility to ensure that the right funding is in place to execute the plan, put the right team in place and get the mission accomplished.

There is a great advantage to having a clear and collaborative VISION for how software systems can support overall business objectives. The stronger and clearef this vision is, the more likely the advantages or disadvantages of adopting or expanding SOA in an organization will emerge. SOA could be thought of as an arrow. If no clear target is established it may fly aimlessly into the woods.

Hello

I am working right now on recommending the opportunity to adopt an SOA strategy and it will be a long journey to implement. Why, because SOA will involve a simultaneous mindset change at different levels of the organization and specially IT : from a CIO perspective the question is associated in changing the computing paradigm within the culture and vision of its IT team and in their very processes (it also concerns the functional people too). Successfull SOA path will make the n-tier architecture truely operative and effective as an architectural style in all disciplines of IT and business. Mindset change is at the very heart of the SOA paradigm. IT alignment with business wil just come as a consequence. Concepts like SaaS or Web 2.0 are just here to confirm that it is not a technical issue.