Service-Oriented Architecture Adoption: A Normative Decision Model for Timing and Approach

  • Authors:
  • Andrew P. Ciganek;Marc N. Haines

  • Affiliations:
  • UW-Whitewater, USA;Ictect, Inc., USA

  • Venue:
  • International Journal of Information Technology Project Management
  • Year:
  • 2010

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Abstract

Service-oriented architecture SOA have been adopted by organizations in a wide variety of industries, however, best practices have still yet to mature. This article, which is part of a larger study on SOA, develops a normative decision model introducing key factors that influence the timing and approach of adopting a SOA. The decision model is based on the results of multiple case studies of organizations that had either employed or were considering implementing a service-oriented architecture project. The results indicate that there are four main areas an information technology IT manager needs to assess to determine when and how to move towards a SOA: the maturity of relevant standards, the technology gap, the organizational gap, and the nature of the benefits expected from a SOA. Analyzing these results suggest that differences in the business environment need to be considered in the decision of when and how an IT manager should pursue the move to a service-oriented architecture.