Capability Pattern: IBM Rational SOMA 2.9 Workflow
This workflow represents the key activities in IBM Rational SOMA 2.9
Extends: IBM Rational SOMA 2.9 Workflow
Work Breakdown Structure
Purpose

The purpose of this reference workflow is to provide the core activities and tasks for completing the service solution design portion of an SOA project. The intent is to apply this reference workflow in an iterative manner.

Description

This workflow provides a recommended path through the three service solution design Practices of Rational SOMA 2.9.  This workflow can be executed within the context of either an incremental-iterative project delivery lifecycle model -- such as Rational Unified Process Classic or other modern delivery processes -- or a sequential ("waterfall") lifecycle model.  Service discovery and solution design is, in our opinion, inherently iterative in nature, so those who use this approach in a waterfall model needs to be prepared to revisit prior work to incorporate new findings.

We believe strongly that businesses can achieve maximum benefit from a SOA initiative only when those efforts are clearly focused on providing value back to the business.  A read through the Service Identification and Service Specification practices will quickly drive home how tightly these practices are tied to business-relevant things.  In case a using organization does not have the necessary business-oriented inputs to effectively apply the service solution design practices, the workflow inserts the Use Case Driven Business Modeling (UCDBM) practice as a means to develop some (but not all) of the useful business-related content.  UCDBM is useful for developing use-case-based descriptions of business processes.  Various guidelines in Rational SOMA 2.9 can be used to help develop other business-related input:

  • Guideline: Performing Functional Area Analysis gives advice for developing the functional business model which is used during both service identification and service specification.
  • Guideline: Defining Business Goals helps with defining business goals, which are other inputs into service identification.
Workflow

Activity diagram: IBM Rational SOMA 2.9 Workflow Use Case Driven Business Modeling Service Identification Service Realization Decisions Service Specification
Work Breakdown