RE: [soa-rm] Definition(s) of "service"

Another possibility:

In general terms, a service is a process performed for a person(s) or non-human entity(s) that often hides (abstracts) certain activities required to perform the service, and that provides some level of value for the recipient(s). A person or entity may take advantage of a service because (a) it is simply offered to them and available, (b) the person does not have the ability to perform the service due to lack of resources or ability, (c) they simply do not have the desire to perform the service themselves, (d) they are not authorized to perform the service, or (e) they are required to use the service for whatever reason.

Joe

As part of the closing remarks of the F2F, I read some of the attempts to
capture a satisfactory definition of "service". For info, here they are:

"A service is an action boundary between a resource and a consumer of the
resource. It is characterized by a well-defined interface that permits the
consumer to access the functionality provided by the resource without
requiring knowledge of the implementation of the resource or the service
that enables the access."
- we rejected this on the basis that this was a better fit to the concept of
"service interface";

"A behavior or set of behaviors offered by one entity for use by another
according to a policy and in line with a service description."
- reservations about the qualifiers introducing policy and service
description;

"The use by one entity of a resource made available by another entity"
and
"A service provides a resource or set ot resources to accomplish a task
required by another entity"
- reservations about the use of the term "resource", could be misunderstood
in IT circles (== "anything that has identity");

"A service is the capability to accomplish a task on behalf of another
entity."
- reservation over use of expression "on behalf of", implying agent and
proxy;

A couple of other formulations could be:

"A service is the capability to accomplish a task required by another
entity."
or
"A service is a behaviour made available by one entity for use by another."

Peter F Brown
Chair, CEN eGovernment Focus Group

ICT-Strategy Unit
Austrian Federal Chancellery

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