Overview: Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) and Cloud Computing projects are no different from other IT projects in that larger projects tend to fail and issues regarding people and change can scuttle projects. Oftentimes, such change issues are not identified early enough in the project. This session introduces Incremental SOA Analysis. It aims to improve the project selection process in a way that also improves the chance of success for the selected project. This analysis takes into account both project size and human change issues. 

Incremental SOA Analysis uses three tools that address change issues:

• Force Field Analysis provides a perspective on the various forces involved in an organization when trying to make a change. In Force Field Analysis, change is seen as a goal or vision. There are driving and restraining forces that affect the likelihood of achieving this goal or vision. Driving forces help achieve the goal or vision. Restraining forces hinder achieving the goal or vision. The visual nature of Force Field Analysis gets people involved in finding solutions to change issues. Force Field Analysis is simple to learn and can be used in a group setting.
• The Worksheet for Resistance Issues and Suggestions allows a group to engage in problem solving. The purpose is to find ways to weaken the restraining forces for a given Force Field Analysis in order to allow the driving forces to shift the status quo - thus making it easier for change to occur.
• The Decomposition Matrix deals with a common problem that occurs when attempting to change an existing system. With an existing system, it is often difficult to think about that system in a new way. Many of us tend to replicate what we have done before. Instead of starting out with a diagram (and drawing something we likely have seen before), the Decomposition Matrix provides us with a way to think differently about the system we are about to design. This free tool can be used in a group setting much like the other two tools.

These tools are used in Incremental SOA Analysis to engage people in such a way that they can come to their own resolution on the concepts that are causing human change issues. There are five principles explained in this session that provide the basis for Incremental SOA Analysis: 

• Make projects as small as possible.
• Involve stakeholders appropriately and as much as possible.
• Make decisions as late as possible.
• Weaken the restraining forces within the project as much as possible.
• Realize that your Service-Oriented/Cloud Computing Architecture will never be done.

For most organizations, a Service-Oriented/Cloud Computing Architecture will be ever changing because it will need to respond to the changing nature of business and technology. The primary goal of Incremental SOA Analysis is to eventually position your organization so that it can respond quickly to those changes. It will provide you with a loosely coupled architecture that should improve your organization’s ability to change. A secondary goal is to leave you with functioning architecture whenever you stop. Budgets and other demands often derail the best-laid development plans. With this type of analysis, you should be able to restart your development at some later time if work is suspended for some reason. Even though this session addresses a technical topic, it is presented in such a way that this session is also suitable for nontechnical members of your team. 

Why should you attend: You may have noticed statements of problems with service-oriented architecture (SOA) projects. For example, one published statement was that 50% of SOA projects are a complete failure. Another statement characterized what is described as rage over the changes being instituted as part of the SOA projects. This is pretty dismal stuff. Is it reality? We need to put these statements in perspective. This session describes how SOA and Cloud Computing projects are really no different than other IT projects in that larger projects tend to fail and that many change issues are not identified early in the project can scuttle those projects. 

This session focuses on the people involved in the change, including leadership, users, and those working on the project. People are understandably concerned about the future of their jobs and about learning new tools and technologies. An organization must deal with managing the human aspect of the change that occurs with the adoption of a Service-Oriented Architecture with Cloud Computing. Nevertheless, there is always the chance that a given SOA/Cloud Computing project could fail. To understand one way to minimize this chance, Incremental SOA Analysis is introduced. The purpose of this analysis is to improve the project selection process in a way that it also improves the chance of success for that project. This analysis takes into account both project size and human change issues. Even though this session addresses a technical topic, it is presented in such a way that this session is also suitable for nontechnical members of your team. 

Areas Covered in the Session:

• Change Issues Related to Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) and Cloud Computing
• Three Tools to Address Change Issues
  • Force Field Analysis
  • Worksheet for Resistance Issues and Suggestions
  • Decomposition Matrix
• Incremental SOA Analysis: Facing Reality, Coping with Change, and Improving Your Chance of Success
• Five Principles for Incremental SOA Analysis
• Incremental SOA Analysis Explained
  • Business Process Analysis
  • Candidate Process Analysis
  • Deployment Selection
  • Deployment
  • Vocabulary Management
• An Example Incremental SOA Analysis Using the Three Tools

Who Will Benefit:

• CIOs
• IT Managers/Directors
• Project Managers
• Application Development Managers
• Project Team Leaders
• Enterprise Architects
• Application/Software Architects
• Solution Architects
• Application/Software Developers and Engineers
• Business Architects
• Business Analysts