International Conference on Enterprise Integration and Modeling Technology 1997 (ICEIMT'97)

Workshop 2, NIST, Gaithersburg MD USA: 1997 April 21/23

Subject: Workshop on ENTERPRISE METRICS AND STRATEGIC STANDARDIZATION POLICY

ICEIMT Objectives: The purpose of the ICEIMT is to develop an international pre-normative consensus among both suppliers and users on a synthesized set of technical issues sufficient to provide a common context for the discussion and comparison of EI technology alternatives. Further, we tried to enumerate the various approaches and characterize them so as to reach consensus on where they overlap, complement, and conflict. Where they conflict, we tried to develop approaches for resolution, potentially leading to collaborative research demonstrations. The workshop reports identify problems and gaps in the current technologies that point to new research. Where applicable, the report refers to relevant standardization efforts aiming on a coherent set of standards supporting enterprise integration.

Workshop 2 Objectives: ENTERPRISE METRICS AND STRATEGIC STANDARDIZATION POLICY

• Define basic set of EI metrics (degree of enterprise integration, enterprise model quality, enterprise model use)
• Define standardisation needs for enterprise integration and integration support (infrastructures, modelling).
• Identify relations to other standards.
• Propose standardisation strategy.

Workshop 2 Themes:

Assess the quality and competency of enterprise models and investigate needs for standards development.

Related Themes:

• Enterprise metrics for integration improvements, Metrics for model quality (adequacy, completeness, etc.), Metrics for model use (quality of decision support, design of optimization/simulation experiments, etc.)
• Metrics to assess level of integration in an enterprise
• Strategic standardization policy for improving integration
• Standards for better integration, Standards for enterprise modeling (Unified business-process model, Modeling languages), Workflow process-description language (WPDL), Integrating infrastructure-standard services, STEP/EXPRESS, EDI, SGML, Standardization work in ISO, CEN, etc.

Workshop 2 Format:

April 21: Familiarization--Participants presentations, Development of Expectations
April 22: Direction--Open brainstorming on Alternatives (Workgroups)
April 23: Commitment--Consolidate Workgroup Results, Formulate and adopt plans of action.

Workshop 2 Reports:

Assessing Enterprise Integration for Competitive Advantage; Workshop 2, Working Groups 1 and 2.
Workgroups were combined because goals became similar.
Workgroup 1: H.T. Goranson, B.W. Hollocks (editor), D N Shorter, and F. Vernadat.
Workgroup 2: P. Clements, K. Kosanke, J. Nell, T. Williams, and M. Zelm.

This workgroup report considers enterprise integration as a tool in developing business strategy. To this end, the report presents: (a) a profiling process, embracing benefits and capability, through which the EI status and potential of a business can be assessed, and (b) the employment of models and standards in establishing appropriate action. The report focuses on Standards, Metrics, and Models in enterprise integration (EI) within a context of:

• An apparent need for clear business justification for EI
• Conflicting EI solutions
• Confused objectives to EI
• The need to position further EI research and development work.

As with any approach or technology, the potential of enterprise integration will vary by organisation. This paper presents a process, involving business benefits and capability profiling (with metrics), through which the EI status and potential for a business can be assessed. It has also presents a process, involving models and standards, to establishing appropriate action.

Results of the workgroup shows how enterprise integration can contribute to corporate strategy and hence is a tool that can be exploited for competitive advantage in an increasingly competitive world.

Return to: ICEIMT'97 home page.
Edited by: JG Nell, NIST. Updated 1997-September-25.
Send message to: nell@nist.gov, or kosanke@ipa.fhg.de, or both.