ICT Portfolio: Mapping Business and ICT Servicescamellia.unipv.it/wcc/download/SSME-ICTPortfolio.pdf · ICT Portfolio: Mapping Business and ICT Services Giovanni Pignatelli, [email protected]

ICT Portfolio:

Mapping Business and ICT Services

Giovanni Pignatelli, [email protected] (1)

Gianmario Motta, [email protected] (1)

Giovanni Umberto Germani, [email protected] (2)

(1) Department of Computer Engineering and Systems Science, University of Pavia, Italy(2) Business Integration Partners, Milan, Italy

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PV-2008 - Gianmario Motta

INTRODUCTION

• IT applications of a large organization can be hundreds

• Large organizations operate hundreds of Business Processes

• Business Process uses multiple IT applications

• Each new business service requires to orchestrate business

processes and related IT applications

– How to map IT applications on Business Processes?

– How to map Services on Business Processes?

• Purpose: a tool for mapping IT applications / Business Processes

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Business Process / IT applications mapping

• References

– MIT Process Handbook proposes a universal taxonomy and uses

Software Engineering principles (aggregation, specialization and reuse).

– SCOR gives a reference model for supply chains

– eTOM framework gives a framework for telecommunications

– eTOM’s Shared Information Data (SID) gives a general model of

Business Entities (a generic logic entity of interest for the business) and

Attributes (facts that describe the logic entities).

• These frameworks are closer to ontologies

– list generic entities (classes)

– not relate performances and entities - a key in strategic IT management.

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The proposed framework:

elements and performances

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The proposed framework

• Reflects several experiences in IT

strategic planning

• Encompasses three levels

– Services are what users and / or

customers get (= business services)

– Business processes deliver services

through a sequence of activities

• man to man,

• man to machine,

• machine to machine

– IT processes support business

processes

• For each level considers

– Structure of the elements

– Performances (expected versus actual)

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The proposed framework: example… elements are in a many to many relations. A service supply involves a collection

of Business Processes and Business Process uses many IT Architecture elements.

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The Knowledge Base

• The framework is supported by a knowledge base where :

– “Initiative” represents a project affecting IT Architecture (i.e. development of new Systems) or requiring a new Business Process.

– An Initiative is described by a set of Requirements.

• The KB shows:

– The coverage of an individual Requirement

– new Macro-flows and related Detailed Flows

– Business Processes affected by an Initiative

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A case study in Telecomunications

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• Phase 1 - Design and

Implementation

– Gather information on

Architecture

• Systems,

• Infrastructures

• Flows

• Functionalities

– Map Business Processes and IT

Architecture.

– Define the perimeter of IT

Architecture and define

information relevant to the

different user classes

– Perform interviews.

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A case study in Telecomunications (continued)

• Phase 1 - Design and Implementation

• Phase 2 - Refinement and Updating

– KB increasingly used to support or replace the company documentation on architectures.

– Users identifying and fixing inaccuracies by a special web-tool.

– Design and implementation of a template for new Initiatives

• Phase 3 - Usage

– Gradual upgrade of the Knowledge Base (and query tool)

• Expectations :

– reduced workload for the analyst

– autonomy of users in updating / maintaining

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Conclusions

• We have developed a framework for IT planning that relates:

– IT Systems;

– Functional Framework and Application Framework;

– Business Processes.

• A first use in a real company was successful.

• The model allows

– To assess the impact of Business Requirements of projects on IT

Architecture

– To spot the Business Processes weakly supported

– To decide where to invest

Documents

ICT Portfolio: Mapping Business and ICT Servicescamellia.unipv.it/wcc/download/SSME-ICTPortfolio.pdf · ICT Portfolio: Mapping Business and ICT Services Giovanni Pignatelli, [email protected]