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IAC Emerging Technologies SIG:SOA Committee

SOA Survey Results

Steve Olding, Everware-CBDIJohn A. Smith, Ventera Corporation

Fourth Service Oriented Architecture for E-Government Conference

October 1-2, 2007

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Survey Background

When: October 06 – May 07 How: Online survey form Who: 67 respondents

50% government, 50% private Relatively small sample, particularly given the size of

government IT. Also a self selecting sample of people primarily associated with

SOA for e-Gov. Need to be careful about drawing any detailed conclusions.

Understanding Infusion:The Innovation Decision Process

Socioeconomic characteristics

Personality variablesCommunication behavior

AdoptionCharacteristics of the 'Decision-Making Unit'

Prior Conditions

Perceived Characteristics of

the Innovation

DecisionKnowledge Persuasion ConfirmationImplementation

Communication Channels

Relative advantageCompatibilityComplexityTrialabilityObservability

Previous practiceFelt needs / problemsInnovativenessNorms of the social systems

Rejection

Continued Adoption

Continued Rejection

Later Adoption

Discontinuance

Adapted from: Rogers (1995),”Diffusion of Innovations”

- the means by which a message gets from the source to the receiver-different channels may play different roles in creating awareness and persuading individuals to change their attitude towards the innovation

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Adopter Categorization on the Basis of Innovativeness

Innovators

EarlyAdopters

EarlyMajority

LateMajority

Laggards

2.5%

13.5%

34% 34%16%

Adapted from: Rogers (1995),”Diffusion of Innovations”

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How would you characterize your organization with respect to its willingness to adopt a new technology or innovation

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Innovator Early Adopter Early Majority Late Majority Laggard

Government

Private

No big surprises here. Government organizations tend to be more cautious; being prudent with the tax dollars. Not necessarily a bad thing. But may affect the readiness to adopt SOA if it is seen as too new and experimental.

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Gartner Hype Cycle

http://www.gartner.com/

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Senior Executives in my organization understand the principles of SOA

Private

29%

21%17%

21%

12%

Government

6%

18%

21%42%

12%

This question is important. SOA adoption is an enterprise level commitment that needs senior executive level support. But do they understand it enough to support it?

Over 50% disagree, only 25% agree. Indicates a limited understanding of SOA at the decision making level.

Disagree Agree

Neutral

Disagree Agree

Neutral

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Most senior executives / key organizational stakeholders have been provided with education about SOA

12%

32%

26%

21%

9%12%

18%

58%

12%

Private Government

Disagree Agree

Neutral

Disagree Agree

Neutral

9

Information Technology Professionals in my organization understand the technical requirements for implementing a SOA

Indication of a relatively low technical readiness for SOA. IT professionals are the people responsible for evaluating and recommending the technologies; as well as being responsible for their implementation.

Government

6%

24%

24%

24%

3%Disagree Agree

Neutral

Private

18%

38%18%

21%

6%

10

My organization has the technical capability to pursue SOA

12%

36%39%

3%9%

Government

Disagree Agree

Neutral

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My organization has developed a business case for Senior Executives in order to support the implementation of SOA

3%

36%

6%39%

15%

Government

Disagree Agree

Neutral 6%

35%

26%

18%

15%

Private

Actually, 40% having developed a business case isn't too bad at this stage, given that we are relatively early in the adoption cycle. But what about the 60% who haven't? Are they working on something or can't they identify the business case?

12

My organization has agreed on funding models for shared services

3% 3%

9%

55%

30%

Government

Disagree

Agree

Neutral

3%

29%

18%26%

24%

This is difficult, but important. Services are going to be shared across traditional departmental boundaries. The beneficiaries will often be those outside of the organization unit that develops the service. Who is going to pay? Services will not be built without funding.

Private

13

My organization has adopted a formal methodology or process for implementing an SOA

Another measure of organizational readiness. Traditional software development processes will need to be modified for SOA. Are we ready?21%

21%45%

12%

Government

Disagree Agree

Neutral

© Everware-CBDI 2007

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My organization has developed SOA Governance Policies

3%

21%

27%33%

15%

Government

Disagree Agree

Neutral

© Everware-CBDI 2007

Small agreement, but probably not unexpected. Governance policies more likely to follow the decision to adopt SOA, so I wouldn't really expect full governance policies at a relatively early stage in the adoption cycle.

15

My organization has developed incentives to promote SOA adoption

9%

18%

52%

21%

Government

Disagree Agree

Neutral

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My agency would be willing to reuse services from another organization to support critical business functions

9%

52%21%

15%3%

Government

Disagree

Agree

Neutral

An important cultural characteristic, critical to the successful implementation of SOA. Measures attitudes to potential risks, trust, reliability etc.

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SOA Education Priorities

Please rank "Web Services" importance as a training subject

Government

6%18%

27%30%

18%

Very Important

Important

Neutral

Not Important

Not Utilized

Where as a priority, from your point of view, does SOA education rank within your organization

61%15%

15%6%

Please rank "Service enabling of processes" importance as a training subject

12%

42%21%

15%

9%

Government Government

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SOA Education Priorities

Please rank "Architecture design" importance as a training subject

Please rank "Business Process Management" importance as a training subject

Government

15%

52%

21%

12%

Government

15%

58%

18%

6%

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What is the timing of your organization’s use of SOA?

Government

12%

36%39%

12%

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%

Currently inproduction

Underdevelopment

Planned for thenext 12 months

No plans for use

Gov’t Private

Experimental 48% 26%

IT Tactical 24% 18%

IT Strategic 12% 26%

Business Tactical 6% 15%

Other 9% 15%

What is the maturity of your organization’s use of SOA?

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Summary

Key Findings about SOA in the Federal Government Need to improve understanding of SOA at executive level Technical readiness for SOA emerging, but can be enhanced Business case for SOA needs to be better developed Funding models that support shared services are immature Agencies need to start addressing SOA development process and

governance policies SOA education is rated as important, but not a high priority

Next Steps Develop white paper [IAC SOA Committee] Apply lessons learned from the EA adoption experience to SOA adoption

[work with IAC EA Committee] Continue to share survey results with the IAC and SOA CoP community

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Acknowledgement and Thanks!!

The Industry Advisory Council Survey Respondents Past and present IAC SOA committee contributors:

Bob Brogan Christopher Ball Debbie Brown Greg Hauser Jana Jackson Janis Keating Pat Heninig Sid Chowdhary William Sweet