Selling SOA requires big-picture view
Stories Columns Opinions Resources
Preflight builds spread wings for smoother projects
Developers are increasingly turning to preflight builds, allowing them to experiment with ...
|
Coverity creates program to enforce code adherence
The Architecture Analyzer uses mapping technology from the company's Software DNA static a...
|
QCon 2008 features domain-driven development
This year's QCon invites speakers like Eric Evans and Dan North to talk about domain-drive...
|
.NET similarities prove golden for Silverlight
Microsoft has focused on making Silverlight 2 symmetric with the .NET platform, and that h...
|
SOA Watch: New economic realities
In the current economic downturn, agile programming and SOA are attractive options that bu...
|
Integration Watch: A new twist on threads
The key to raising the efficiency of multiprocessors is to shrink the overall workload by ...
|
Integration Watch: The Return of NetRexx?
Java scripting languages are seeing a surge in popularity, with NetRexx looking particular...
|
Windows & .NET Watch: Transaction crowd gets a boost
With multicore chips becoming the standard for processors, the need for a flexible, usable...
|
From the Editors: Election should shake up JCP
Rod Johnson has the right ideas for opening up the Java Community Process, and he may be a...
|
Letters to the Editor: Sun gives REST, SOAP choice
A reader takes issue with a headline on our story about Sun working with REST along with S...
|
Guest View: Be smart and lazy
The optimal solution for problems is the simplest one, so always aim to streamline your ap...
|
Zeichick's Take: From EXEC to EXEC 2 to REXX to NetRexx
Andrew Binstock's column last week, "The Return of NetRexx," brought back some fond memori...
|
Advanced Corda CenterView™ Data Visualization for the BusinessObjects™ Intelligence Platform
Corda Technologies presents a white paper on pervasive BI. The BusinessObjects business in...
|
From Mobile to SOA: A Guide for Optimized Application Deployment
Customer need has driven the emergence of multiple computing tiers. Today’s application d...
|
e-Kit: Web Application Security
Is your network secure? What about your web applications.
If IT security is your top p...
|
Practical tips for saving money on code maintenance
If software design is expensive, well, code maintenance is even more so. When you look...
|
By David S. Linthicum
August 1, 2008 —
Many organizations don't really have to sell SOA. They understand that the hype is the driver, so they leverage the thousands of articles and books on the topic to sell this architectural pattern. SOA is easy to sell if everyone else seems to be doing it, and there are plenty of smart people espousing its benefits.
However, in most cases, SOA must be sold within the enterprise; it’s not a slam-dunk. Indeed, if you were doing SOA right, you'd find that the cost quickly reaches well into the millions. As a result, you'd need executive approval for that kind of jump in spending. But the benefits are there as well, including agility, which could save the company many times the cost of building a SOA. At least that's the idea.
Truth be told, technical folks are not good at selling the value of a single technology or, in this case, a grouping of technologies into the enterprise. Those people rely on the assumption that everyone sees the benefit without their having to explain it, but that is not always the case. Moreover, while the advantage often is clear, in the majority of cases it’s not. Also, there is a chance that SOA may not be a fit, and you better figure that out upfront.
So, how do you sell SOA? Let's explore a few key concepts:
» Shining a light on existing limitations
» Building the business case
» Creating the execution plan
» Delivering the goods
Shining a light on existing limitations is translated simply: Admit how bad things are. For most architects, that is difficult to do, because they expose themselves to criticism. In many instances, you're the person in charge of keeping things working correctly. The architecture within most Global 2000 companies, however, is in need of fixing. You can't change the architectures; they are too complex and ill-planned. If your architecture has issues—and they all do—now is the time to list them.
This is analogous to admitting that you're 20 pounds overweight before going on a diet, or owning up to a substance abuse problem before taking the famous 12 steps. In essence, you're defining your issues and, thus, have a clear understanding of the problem before trying to solve it.
As you list the limitations, note also the impact on the business in both lost productivity and the concomitant money wasted. That will feed into the business case.
Building the business case refers to the process of writing down numbers that attach a value of the SOA to the enterprise or business. This requires examining the existing issues (from the previous step) and putting dollar figures next to them. For instance, how much are those limitations costing the business and how does that influence the bottom line? Then, how will the addition of SOA affect the business, positively or negatively?
Attach numbers to the core values of reuse and agility. You'd find that agility is the most difficult concept to define, but it has the most value for those who are building a SOA. Then, if the ROI for the SOA is worth the money and the effort, you move forward. This tactic communicates a clear set of objectives for the effort and links the technical notion of SOA with the business.
The deliverable for this business case should be a spreadsheet of figures, a presentation for the executives and a report for anyone who could not attend those meetings. Keep in mind you’ll see this business case again, so be conservative but accurate.
Creating the execution plan refers to the detailed plan that defines what will be done, when it will be started, what resources will be used and for how long. At its core, this is a project plan, but most people would find that the systemic nature of SOA requires that a great deal of resources work together to drive toward the result. Leveraging and managing those resources is complex, as is the project management aspect of SOA.
Delivering the goods means just doing what you said you would do. Execution is where most SOA projects fall down. However, if you fail to deliver on time and on budget, chances are your SOA efforts won't continue to have credibility within the enterprise and future selling would be impossible. So, say what you'll do, and do what you say.
Selling SOA is more of an art form than a well-defined process. It requires understanding the big picture, including the technology, the business and the culture of the enterprise. More importantly, the sale needs to be followed up with delivering the value of the SOA. That's the tough part. What works so well in PowerPoint is a bit more difficult in real life.
Reach analyst David S. Linthicum at david@linthicumgroup.com.
Related Search Term(s): SOA & SaaS
Share this link: http://www.sdtimes.com/link/32549