SOA Requires Organizational Change

Author(s)

Business Relationship Manager - Product Lifecycle Management, Chevron Corporation

I recently have been working on service-oriented architecture (SOA) models for various clients. Doing this, I have noticed that the models are fairly technical and mostly rudimentary. The focus of my clients’ efforts are typically on the redesign of existing application interfaces to provide greater abstraction and simpler integration with other applications. However, when I query the customer about deployment and infrastructure, they acknowledge that these issues are important, but I notice that the conversation does not invoke action.

As a consultant, I care about my clients’ welfare. I want them to be successful, which requires them to accept that enterprise-wide SOA is more than just a redesign of how applications communicate. I know that what I’m asking of them requires a cultural shift to occur in their organization if they are to obtain all the real benefits of a service-oriented architecture for the development and deployment of applications.

Fundamental Change

At the root of this fundamental shift is a requirement to re-think about how most IT departments operate. The IT department has typically mimicked the architectures of the day. When everything was centralized on the mainframe, IT departments were typically housed in a centralized facility with close proximity to the data center and relatively little exposure to the users. As we decentralized with personal computing, the IT department began to offer services in a more decentralized fashion, working hand-in-hand with the users.

SOA embodies a shift in both the architecture of applications and the architecture of the environment in which it is deployed. This may be one reason for the vast disagreement about the definition of SOA. Ask a developer and they will tell you it’s a way to design software in a loosely-coupled manner. Ask a software architect and they will tell you that it is a way to deliver applications as a set of reusable components. Ask the operations and system administrators, and you will get a blank stare because SOA has not penetrated all areas of the organization that it needs to in order to be successful. This means that most organizations are still deploying coarse-grained Web services and not SOA.

Next Step

The next great shift in architecture is coming. It’s the utility computing model and SOA is just a piece of it. In order to take advantage of all SOA has to offer, the IT departments will need to transform themselves to match this new computing architecture. I liken this change in thinking to transforming from a systems integrator to becoming the power company. As users become more technically savvy and the tools they use offer greater capabilities for collaboration, less personal contact will be required with the user once again. Instead, the IT department of the future will become responsible for creating and managing an infrastructure that is capable of continuous service regardless of the ever growing demands and larger amounts of consumers.

Your organization’s introduction to SOA may be the redesign of a legacy application into a set of coarse-grained modules that are reusable, but this is simply an introduction. From here you need to leverage these first steps to look at how these new modules will be deployed, used, managed, discovered and, ultimately, decommissioned. This requires changes to your infrastructure, new tools and training, new skills and new resources. I wish you well on your path toward embracing this change and incorporating it into your organization.

Similar Resources

Understanding the Difference Between a Certificate and Certification

Understanding the Difference Between a Certificate and Certification

Author(s):

Editor & Founder, BPMInstitute.org, BAInstitute.org and DBIZInstitute.org

As professionals seek to advance their careers or pivot to new fields, understanding the variety of learning and credentialing options is essential. At BPMInstitute.org, we often encounter students wondering whether they should pursue a certificate or certification in Business Process Management (BPM). This article is designed to clarify the differences, highlight the benefits of each, and guide prospective students in making the best decision for their career goals.

Enhancing Your Team’s BPM Capabilities: The Value of External Expertise

Enhancing Your Team’s BPM Capabilities: The Value of External Expertise

Author(s):

Editor & Founder, BPMInstitute.org, BAInstitute.org and DBIZInstitute.org

Enhancing Your Team's BPM Capabilities: The Value of External Expertise In today’s dynamic business environment, managing and improving business processes is critical for any organization aiming to maintain a competitive edge. Many companies consider handling Business...

Exploring Shared Data Model and Notation (SDMN) and Its Role in BPM+

Exploring Shared Data Model and Notation (SDMN) and Its Role in BPM+

Author(s):

Editor & Founder, BPMInstitute.org, BAInstitute.org and DBIZInstitute.org

Exploring Shared Data Model and Notation (SDMN) and Its Role in BPM+ Introduction In the evolving landscape of Business Process Management (BPM), the introduction of Shared Data Model Notation (SDMN) marks a significant advancement. As businesses increasingly seek to...

Featured Certificate: BPM Specialist

Everyone starts here.

You're looking for a way to improve your process improvement skills, but you're not sure where to start.

Earning your Business Process Management Specialist (BPMS) Certificate will give you the competitive advantage you need in today's world. Our courses help you deliver faster and makes projects easier.

Your skills will include building hierarchical process models, using tools to analyze and assess process performance, defining critical process metrics, using best practice principles to redesign processes, developing process improvement project plans, building a center of excellence, and establishing process governance.

The BPMS Certificate is the perfect way to show employers that you are serious about business process management. With in-depth knowledge of process improvement and management, you'll be able to take your business career to the next level.

Learn more about the BPM Specialist Certificate

Courses

  •  

 

Certificates

  • Business Process Management Specialist
  • Earning your Business Process Management Specialist (BPMS) Certificate will provide you with a distinct competitive advantage in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape. With in-depth knowledge of process improvement and management, you’ll be able to take your business career to the next level.
  • BPM Professional Certificate
    Business Process Management Professional
  • Earning your Business Process Management Professional (BPMP) Certificate will elevate your expertise and professional standing in the field of business process management. Our BPMP Certificate is a tangible symbol of your achievement, demonstrating your in-depth knowledge of process improvement and management.

Certification

BPM Certification

  • Make the most of your hard-earned skills. Earn the respect of your peers and superiors with Business Process Management Certification from the industry's top BPM educational organization.

Courses

 

Certificates

  • Operational Excellence Specialist
  • Earning your Operational Excellence Specialist Certificate will provide you with a distinct advantage in driving organizational excellence and achieving sustainable improvements in performance.
 

 

OpEx Professional Certificate

  • Operational Excellence Professional
  • Earn your Operational Excellence Professional Certificate and gain a competitive edge in driving organizational excellence and achieving sustainable improvements in performance.

Courses

Certificate
  •  

  • Agile BPM Specialist
  • Earn your Agile BPM Specialist Certificate and gain a competitive edge in driving business process management (BPM) with agile methodologies. You’ll gain a strong understanding of how to apply agile principles and concepts to business process management initiatives.  
 

Business Architecture

 

Certificates

  • Business Architecture Specialist
  • The Business Architecture Specialist (BAIS) Certificate is proof that you’ve begun your business architecture journey by committing to the industry’s most meaningful and credible business architecture training program.

  • Business Architecture Professional
  • When you earn your Business Architecture Professional (BAIP) Certificate, you will be able to design and implement a governance structure for your organization, develop and optimize business processes, and manage business information effectively.

BA CertificationCertification

  • Make the most of your hard-earned skills. Earn the respect of your peers and superiors with Business Architecture Certification from the industry's top BPM educational organization.

Courses

 

Certificates

  • Digital Transformation Specialist
  • Earning your Digital Transformation Specialist Certificate will provide you with a distinct advantage in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape. 
 

 

  • Digital Transformation Professional
  • The Digital Transformation Professional Certificate is the first program in the industry to cover all the key pillars of Digital Transformation holistically with practical recommendations and exercises.

Courses

Certificate

  • Agile Business Analysis Specialist
  • Earning your Agile Business Analysis Specialist Certificate will provide you with a distinct advantage in the world of agile software development.

Courses

Certificate
  • DAS Certificate
  • Decision Automation Specialist
  • Earning your Decision Automation Certificate will empower you to excel in the dynamic field of automated decision-making, where data-driven insights are pivotal to driving business innovation and efficiency.