The great thing about SOA is that you don't have to have some overriding effort to "make it work". It's just the opposite. SOA is like opening a store -- it's up to you to offer a service and attract consumers to it. Yes, it's important to have common interfaces -- but, if the product/service is good enough, then people will learn how to connect to it.

So, SOA really is about creativity and individuality. Government employs many brilliant people, and they want their services to be used. Going SOA means unleashing individuals to put their show in the road.

Actually, the Feds have got it, probably much better than you think. at least THEY realize it begins with business. I don't know where you are looking, but if you really check out what has been going on, you'll see a lot more progress in changing the business and developing performance alignment with investments and business goals than in the private sector.

DOI has a great process in their MBT methodology for business transformation. Focusing on technology before business may make it appear to outsiders that great progress is being made, but without an enterprise (business) architecture and methodology first, SOA will fail to meet its potential.

Yes, of course it takes a longer time when you do it right.