RE: [ebsoa] SOA BUP (was - Quick answers to David's questions)

["Ann Wrightson" <ann.wrightson@csw.co.uk>]

Joe,

You wrote: 

For example, a methodology could start out (roughly) as:

(1) Define all entities in your architecture
(2) Identify all data exchange points
(3) Identify the type of data (in general) that needs to be exchanged
(4) If the type of data is transactional (i.e. purchase order/invoice), then
the pattern is "Transactional"

I'm wondering:

How would you sort out whether *the type of data is transactional*? - this
question is in the context of an assignment I'm engaged on (concerning
interoperability of services between disparate IT and different
organizations) where I'm supporting a team doing 1&3, against a background
of knowing more or less the kind of 2s that are wanted, and explicitly
deferring steps like 4 since the data representations of entities are seen
as contingently rather than necessarily participating in transactions.

This feels right to me from a philosophical/theoretical point of view, and
also practically in that for example the assembly of information that is an
invoice plays a part in a transaction, but may also be stored in a system of
record, or play a role in a legal matter.

... or do I have the wrong end of the stick?

Regards,

Ann W.