Category Archives: Requirements Analysis

Scenario evaluation with the 5W2H

When trying to determine the best TO-BE architecture, it can be useful to describe future scenarios. Each scenario can be described by the 5W2H method : Why ? What ? Where ? When ? Who ? How ? How much ? (QQOCCP in french).

You can then discuss the pro/cons as well as the obstacles and pre-requisites of each scenario. Once you know the preferred scenarios, it’s easier to draw the target (TO-BE) architecture.…

AORE – Agents Oriented Requirements Engineering

In my EA/ICT architectural wolk I tend to apply Goal Oriented Requirements Engineering (GORE !), using KAOS as an inspiration.

I found a very good pdf on the web that also presents AORE : Agents Oriented Requirements Engineering.

The KAOS meta-model includes agents.

 

kaos_metamodel_en_01

The AORE technique adds ways to represent agents interactions.

See great examples here :

SOA Analysis Workshop

This march 2013, I give a “SOA Analysis” workshop at one of my customers.

Using a false scenario and pseudo business process, during the first workshop, we perform SOA Service Identification via the clarification of the architecture using a System Context Diagram. Then we identify the key system capabilities required for enabling the business process. From there, after looking at the messages exchanged between systems and the opportunity to use an Entreprise Data Model for those, we continue towards a Service Candidate List containing : Service Name, Capability Name, Capability Description, Input, Output, Consumer and Provider.

In the second workshop, we take one of the services out of the candiate list and specify it completely  : functional context, quality of service, SLA, security, capabilities, pre-post conditions, exceptions… I also stress the importance of UML modeling for SOA by showing examples in Entreprise Architect.

The Service Identification and Modeling phases are part of the generic SOA Governance Lifecycle defined by Thomas Erl.

As main white papers underlying the workshop I recommend the following reading:

– IBM / Arsanjani – “SOMA: A method for developing service-oriented solutions

Oracle – SOA RA (Reference Architecture) Foundation v 3.1

– Thomas Erl, Understanding SOA Governance  (see free chapter  in pdf, includes the Service Lifecycle )…

“Systeemarchitectuur Digitale Bibliotheek” Study for Bibnet (DIGB-SA)

Update 26 march 2014:  the study reports have been published.

In february 2013, we are starting a study on the future system architecture for digital libraries in Belgium/Flanders, orchestrated by Bibnet.

You can find the description of the sudy on their website : Een systeemarchitectuur voor de Digitale Bibliotheek.

We will mostly cover the development and the management of the libraries’ applications landscape and analyse how to balance the centralization and decentralization of the libraries underlying ICT systems.

But we will also spend some time thinking about some Business elements of the entreprise Architecture : which business processes will be impacted, which new business processes will emerge, which new roles will emerge, which new business collaborations…

Among the new business processes : the lending of eBooks or other digital material, the use of social networks to fullfil the library’s missions, the integration of the library systems with the other e-Gov systems (Culture, Regions, Provinces, Cities)…

I intend to use business and ICT capability maps to structure the the complexity of the libraries’ business.

But I will not work alone ! For this mission I can count on the collaboration of Rosemie Callewart (http://www.istoire.be/) and Ingensol (http://ingensol.com/)

If you know any good source for a library business map (organization, services, capabilities), let me know ! I can use it ! Otherwise we could publish such a library capability map end of 2013 after our study is finished (and if our customer agrees).

Project code : DIGB-SA…

The NEADS Analysis

Taylor uses a NEADS system to identify needs, adapting it to each of the four personality types. NEADS is an acronym for Now, Enjoy, Alter, final Decision, and Solutions.

  • Now: How are you handling your landscaping needs now?
  • Enjoy: What do you enjoy most about your current landscape contractor or vendor?
  • Alter: What would you like to change about your current vendor?
  • Decision: Who makes the final decision about what landscape contractor you use?
  • Solutions: What solutions can you suggest? (Taylor uses this to help her identify solutions she can offer.)

See also: http://jerrykennedy.com/2010/03/02/4-steps-to-get-to-your-favorite-answer-the-neads-analysis/