Creating a best fit between Business Strategy and Web Services Capabilities using Problem Frames Modeling approach

Transcription

1 Creating a best fit between Business Strategy and Web Services Capabilities using Problem Frames Modeling approach Anju Jha 1, Karl Cox 2 & Keith T. Phalp 3 1 School of Computer Science and Engineering University of New South Wales, anjuj@cse.unsw.edu.au 2 Empirical Software Engineering National ICT Australia Sydney, Australia, karl.cox@nicta.com.au 3 School of Design, Engineering and Computing Bournemouth University, UK, kphalp@bmth.ac.uk People: User/Customer Requirements Engineer Software Architect/ Developer Environment Problem Space Solution Space Products: Needs Specification Design/ Architecture 1

2 Problem Description Much of Requirements engineering for Web services research concentrates on the late-phase requirements engineering and focuses on producing a specification document to pass on to the developers. Less attention has been paid to describe the real world problems and the business objectives of an organisation deploying Web services. Requirements engineering community has not realized the importance of aligning Web services initiative with business strategy, business goals and business objectives as much as it should be. What do we Propose? We propose a strategy-oriented methodology that: 1) Is designed to support the business strategy of a firm that is leveraging Web services initiative. 2) Provides a roadmap from business strategy to the strategic objectives in four dimensions: service innovation, customer relationship management, infrastructure management and financials. 3) Uses Progression of Problems to understand the strategic objectives, business needs and business context of Web services from strategy to implementation. 4) Uses Problem frames to describe the operational needs and the Web services context. 2

3 Research Questions RQ1: Is it possible to describe a business to IT problem in the context of requirements for Web services? RQ 2: Is it possible to describe the business context, business requirements and problem domain of an organisation adopting Web Services through appropriate requirements engineering framework? This research question leads to a sub research question: Is it necessary to describe the business and problem context for Web services? - Industry Research shows that a good grasp of the business context and domain context of Web services is needed before describing the specifications. - There are several requirements engineering frameworks that could be used but not all are appropriate to describe the business context, business requirements and problem domain for Web services adequately. An Overview A requirement is a condition or capability needed by the user to solve a problem or achieve an objective. A Web service is a capability that an organization would deploy to meet its business objective. 3

4 Overview of problem Frames Problem frames classify software developments problems. It describes what is in the real world and how the intended software will change or guarantee real world conditions in accordance with the requirements. The real world problem context provides information about the structure, processes and tasks that are true of the problem domain. Requirements states which properties we wish to be true given a built software solution, which is the machine. Progression of Problems D A R A B u s in e s s S t r a t e g y D B R B D C R C D D R D M M R M IT C a p a b il it i e s 4

5 RE Methodology S te p 1 :U n d e rs ta n d O rg a n iz a tio n a l S tra te g y / B u s in e s s O b je c tiv e S e rv ic e In n o v a tio n C u s to m e r R e la tio n s h ip M a n a g e m e n t W h y? W h a t? H o w? T a r g e t C u s to m e r s T a rg e te d T o V a lu e P ro p o s itio n R e q u ire s C a p a b ility In fra s tru c tu r e M a n a g e m e n t R e s o u rc e s V a lu e A c tiv itie s B a s e d o n F u lfill B a s e d o n F e e d b a c k F o r M a rk e t e d T h ro u g h B a s e d o n R e s o u rc e F o r R e s o u rc e fo r Cos t For B e tte r C u s to m e r R e la tio n s h ip N e w C h a n n e l i n c re a s e s T ru s t & lo y a lty F in a n c ia ls R e v e n u e M o d e l F e e d s C o n trib u te s to p r o fita b ility d e c re a s e s In c o m e fo r W h o? H o w M u c h? S te p 2 : U s e P ro g r e s s i o n o f P r o b le m s to d e s c ri b e th e O rg a n iz a tio n 's b u s in e s s o b je c tiv e a n d b u s in e s s c o n te x t fr o m s tra te g y to i m p le m e n t a tio n N e tw o rk o f P a rtn e rs L o w C o s t M o d e l H o w? H o w M u c h? W h a t? W h y? C a p a b ilitie s o ffe r e d a s P o r tfo lio o f S e rv ic e s W h o? S te p 3 : D e s c r ib e th e C a p a b ilitie s u s in g p ro b le m fr a m e s RE Methodology..(cont) 1) This methodology provides constant support to the business strategy and helps understand what capabilities the firm holds, how can it innovate, improve customer relationship and profitability goals. 2) This methodology helps align Web services capabilities to the business strategy. 5

6 An example of our analysis : Amazon Web services Amazon Web services is a business unit within Amazon.com that exposes the service capabilities to its business partners for a commission. Some of the Amazon s WS capabilities offered to the associates are: Product details and pricing information for virtually all products in the Amazon catalog. Extended Search: s can use Amazon s Advanced Search functionality to search by multiple attributes like brand, price and category. Remote Shopping Cart: Amazon allows associates to add Amazon s Shopping Cart functionality to their own website. Step 1: Understand Amazon s Business strategy Amazon s mission is to increase market share by exposing their products to end-customer. Amazon has created a Web API that allows associates(business partners) to incorporate Amazon s features into their website. 6

7 From ebmo to Progression of Problems D i m e n s i o n s S t r a t e g i c O b j e c t i v e s / O p e r a t i o n a l o b j e c t i v e s C o n t e x t P r o g r e s s i o n o f P r o b l e m s 1 ) S e r v i c e I n n o v a t i o n S t r a t e g i c O b j e c t i v e s : 1 ) S e r v i c e I n n o v a t i o n 2 ) T a r g e t i n n o v a t i v e s e r v i c e s t o t h e t a r g e t c u s t o m e r. 3 ) V a l u e p r o p o s i t i o n t o t h e c u s t o m e r s 4 ) V a l u e c a p a b i l i t i e s o f f e r e d t o t h e A s s o c i a t e s. O p e r a t i o n a l O b j e c t i v e s : E m b e d W e b s e r v i c e c a p a b i l i t i e s i n t o t h e A s s o c i a t e s h o p f r o n t 1 ) A m a z o n. c o m 2 ) A m a z o n W e b s e r v i c e s. 3 ) A s s o c i a t e 4 ) W e b S e r v i c e s 5 ) A s s o c i a t e S h o p f r o n t P O P ( 1 ) 2 ) C u s t o m e r R e l a t i o n s h i p M a n a g e m e n t S t r a t e g i c O b j e c t i v e s : 1 ) I m p r o v e C u s t o m e r R e l a t i o n s h i p 2 ) N e w c h a n n e l s a r e o f f e r e d b y A m a z o n w e b s e r v i c e s. 3 ) T r u s t a n d l o y a l t y b e t w e e n P a r t n e r s 4 ) N e w B u s i n e s s O p p o r t u n i t i e s t o t h e A s s o c i a t e s. O p e r a t i o n a l O b j e c t i v e s : E m b e d W e b s e r v i c e c a p a b i l i t i e s i n t o t h e A s s o c i a t e s h o p f r o n t 1 ) A m a z o n. c o m 2 ) A m a z o n W e b s e r v i c e s. 3 ) A s s o c i a t e 4 ) W e b S e r v i c e s 5 ) A s s o c i a t e S h o p f r o n t P O P ( 2 ) 3 ) I n f r a s t r u c t u r e M a n a g e m e n t S t r a t e g i c O b j e c t i v e s : 1 ) I n f r a s t r u c t u r e M a n a g e m e n t 2 ) R e s o u r c e s o f f e r e d b y A m a z o n W e b s e r v i c e s. 3 ) R e s o u r c e s m a d e a v a i l a b l e t o N e t w o r k o f P a r t n e r s. 4 ) V a l u e a c t i v i t i e s t o m a k e c a p a b i l i t i e s a v a i l a b l e O p e r a t i o n a l O b j e c t i v e s : E m b e d W e b s e r v i c e c a p a b i l i t i e s i n t o t h e A s s o c i a t e s h o p f r o n t 1 ) A m a z o n. c o m 2 ) A m a z o n W e b s e r v i c e s. 3 ) A s s o c i a t e 4 ) W e b S e r v i c e s 5 ) A s s o c i a t e S h o p f r o n t P O P ( 3 ) 4 ) F i n a n a c i a l s S t r a t e g i c O b j e c t i v e s : 1 ) I n c r e a s e p r o f i t a b i l i t y 2 ) H a v e a L o w c o s t M o d e l 3 ) N e w r e v e n u e s t r e a m s t o t h e a s s o c i a t e s. 4 ) L o w c o s t c a p a b i l i t i e s o f f e r e d t o t h e c u s t o m e r s O p e r a t i o n a l O b j e c t i v e s : E m b e d W e b s e r v i c e c a p a b i l i t i e s i n t o t h e A s s o c i a t e s h o p f r o n t 1 ) A m a z o n. c o m 2 ) A m a z o n W e b s e r v i c e s. 3 ) A s s o c i a t e 4 ) W e b S e r v i c e s 5 ) A s s o c i a t e S h o p f r o n t P O P ( 4 ) Step 2: Understand Amazon s business objective and business context from strategy to implementation Service Innovation Progression of Problems (1) Customer Relationship Management Progression of Problems (2) Business Strategy Strategy Level Service Innovation Amazon.com Amazon.com DA Customer Relationship Business Strategy Strategy Level Strategic Alignment Value Proposition Amazon Web services Amazon Web services DB New Channels Strategic Alignment Target Customers DC Trust & Loyalty Machine Level Capabilities Web Services Web DD Services Business opportunities Machine Level IT Capabilities IT Capabilities Shop Front M Shop Front IT Capabilities Shop Front Embed Web service Capabilities Shop Front IT Capabilities Machine Level Machine Level Value activities Web Services Web Services Low cost capabilities Strategic Alignment Network of Partners Generate Revenue Stream Strategic Alignment Resources Amazon Web services Amazon Web services Low Cost Model Strategy Level Infrastructure management Amazon.com Amazon.com Increase Profitability Strategy Level Business Strategy Business Strategy Infrastructure Management Progression of Problems (3) Financials Progression of Problems (4) 7

8 Step 3: Describe the capabilities as portfolio of services using Problem Frames Once the associate accepts Amazon web service s value proposition it is all set to select appropriate capability at the 4 th layer of Progressions diagram. We use Problem frames to explicitly describe: The business service capability provided. Application-to-Application interaction. The problem context and the domain in which the service operates. The outward description of the interfaces between the problem domain and the software that will integrate the interfaces. How the service consumer will use the capability. We describe Amazon s capability using Problem frames. Example of Amazon- relationship A m a z o n. c o m s u b p r o b l e m R e q u e s t D a t a c d A W S a A m a z o n. c o m b A s s o c i a t e e P r o d u c t D a t a f P r o d u c t D a t a P W S R g I n p u t D a t a h P r o g r a m i O u t p u t D a t a j F o r m a t t i n g R u l e s A s s o c i a t e S h o p s u b p r o b l e m k S h a r e d P h e n o m e n a : a : A W S! { I d e n t i f i c a t i o n _ v e r i f i c a t i o n } b : A S! { I d e n t i f i c a t i o n _ d e t a i l s, d a t a _ r e q u e s t } c : A W S! { D a t a _ s e n t } ; d : A S! { D a t a _ r e c e i v e d } e : A S! { P r o d u c t _ D a t a } ; f : P D ( p )! { P r o d u c t _ D a t a } g : P D ( r )! { P r o d u c t _ D a t a } h : I D! { P r o g r a m _ C o d e } ; i : P! { O u t p u t _ C o d e } j : I D! { P r o g r a m _ D e s c r i p t i o n } k : O D! { S c r e e n _ O u t p u t } 8

9 Which quality features are addressed by the paper? This research proposes a strategy-oriented methodology that creates a best fit between the business strategy and the Web service capabilities It captures Web services as capabilities using Problem frames. It aims to capture the strategy/business objectives of an organization using Progression of Problems. It provides a roadmap from business strategy, to the strategic objectives in four dimensions: innovation, customer relationship management, infrastructure management and financials to implementation. What is the main novelty/contribution of the paper? Progression of Problem is used to describe the alignment between Amazon s strategy and IT capabilities it chooses to offer to to the outside world. We also show how Web Services context and requirements can be described as Problem Frames. How will this novelty/contribution improve RE practice or RE research? The fundamentally important purpose of this work is to realize the significance of aligning Web services initiative with the strategic objectives. The requirements engineers need to take a deeper look at the firm s business strategy, business needs and how to create alignment between the firms business strategy and the Web service capabilities. Can the proposed approach be expected to scale to real-life problems? Application on a live project is the next step in testing the idea s scalability. 9