SOAr

In my post SOA = SOS I summarized several concerns about enterprise SOA. This week John Hagel, Jeff Nolan, Joe McKendrick add their perspectives. And Joe asks "What's the alternative?"

For SOA to soar like an eagle, not waddle like a turkey I think there are 5 changes needed:

- SOA sponsors need to find a Line of Business executive with a specific project where they can use the technology/concept. Then another, then another. If there are not enough volunteers give up - at least for a couple of years. It is the classic solution looking for a problem.
- Think constraints. Project team of no more than 3. Project time no more than 3 months. Total burdened cost less than $ 100K. And that's for the pilot. Even less for on-going ones. You are competing with web 2.0 team sizes and budgets.
- If you are a tools vendor, package everything in to one "wrapper". Do not show customers your sausage factory of 10-15-20 products
- If you are an application vendor, for every time you mention SOA plans, make sure you have 5 mentions of application functionality improvements.
- Everyone - it's about web services, not people services. Send the consultants home.

For those who call me a SOA cynic, they forget. I love architectures. Check out my blog name.  Just talk to me in dollars and cents not acronyms like WSDL and UDDI. Give those - and the hype about SOA - a REST.

Update: Phil Wainewright says SOA may have hit rock bottom and should re-emerge with more realistic expectations.