FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENT RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10 and Rule 13)
Title of invention:
A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ASSESSMENT OF AN ENTERPRISE'S PROGRESS TOWARDS SERVICE ORIENTATION
Applicant
TATA Consultancy Services Limited
A company Incorporated in India under The Companies Act, 1956
Having address:
Nirmal Building, 9th Floor,
Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021,
Maharashtra, India
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to maturity assessment of a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) in an enterprise. More particularly, the invention relates to an SOA maturity model for assessing the maturity levels of SOA.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hitherto, Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) is well known as a business-centric IT architectural approach that integrates disparate applications for linked, repeatable business tasks, or services. Considering its benefits, business leaders and decision makers would not only expect each component of SOA to function in an integrated fashion but also would require a tool to ascertain relevance of existing implementation, future scalability and integration of business/organization initiative, goals, culture, stakeholder relations and overall communication to new or improved SOA implementation.
A typically SOA implementation includes various SOA adoption strategies and complete methodologies for SOA-Ied transformation roadmap. Some are provided by product vendors, some by system integrators and some by consultants. The assessment involves the determination of maturity states of SOA which is a way of examining the broad range of capabilities and assets that are required to support a successful adoption of SOA.
Amongst existing SOA assessment solutions includes Open Group Service Integration Maturity Model (OSIMM), these solution typically concentrate on limited aspects of architectural and technology dimensions and are mostly aligned to vendor specific SOA suite of products whereas an aspect related to scalability for future implementation is rather subjective and non-configurable with these solutions.

Moreover, the SOA dimensions are not detailed out to the specific characteristics or capabilities that drive those dimensions.
The maturity states in existing SOA maturity models are not defined as specific implications of each maturity state to SOA transformation at detailed sub-dimensional or characteristic level are not available. This limits the specificity of assessment with respect to detailed SOA capabilities and IT sub-processes and makes it less consumable for IT stakeholders at all levels.
Therefore, there is a need of an assessment model which covers all aspects of service oriented transformation and is also agnostic of SOA products and technologies so as not to have limited usage or bias.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is the primary object of the invention to provide a system and method for the assessment of an enterprise's progress towards service orientation.
It is yet another object of the invention to develop a maturity model for conducting the SOA maturity assessment.
It is yet another object of the invention to generate an assessment report to provide recommendations for achieving a target maturity level.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a system for assessment of an Enterprise's progress towards Service Orientation. The system comprises of an input capturing module configured to continuously capture an info flow within a first loop of a plurality of information sources of an enterprise, a storage device for storing a plurality of assessment parameters associated with behaviors; quality and characteristics of the information flow within the first loop of the enterprise and a processing module configured to decipher at least one behaviors/quality parameter of the captured

information. The processing module further comprises of a determination module for determining a plurality of benchmarked maturity level adapted to indicate an associated behavior, quality and characteristics of the object information within the first loop and an assessment module configured to build at least one progression of the each deciphered behaviors/quality parameter and benchmark obtained progression to ascertain a maturity level. The system farther comprises of an output module configured to render an assessment report comprising one or more recommendations to scale up the detected maturity level to each ascending level.
The present invention also provides a method for assessment of an Enterprise's progress towards Service Orientation. The method comprises of steps of capturing continuously an information flow within a first loop of a plurality of information sources of an enterprise, defining a plurality of assessment parameters associated with behaviors, quality and characteristics of the information flow within the first loop of the enterprise and processing the captured information to decipher at least one behavior/quality parameter of the said captured information. The processing further comprises of determining a plurality of benchmarked maturity level adapted to indicate an associated behavior, quality and characteristics of the object information within the first loop and assessing the captured information to build at least one progression of the each deciphered behaviors/quality parameter and benchmark obtained progression to ascertain a maturity level. The method further comprises of generating an output to render an assessment report comprising a one or more recommendations to scale up the detected maturity level to each ascending level.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the assessment of an enterprise progress in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a hierarchical assessment model and a maturity model in accordance with an alternate embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Some embodiments of this invention, illustrating its features, will now be discussed: The words "comprising", "having", "containing", and "including", and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items, or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items. It must also be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Although any systems, methods, apparatuses, and devices similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of embodiments of the present invention, the preferred, systems and parts are now described. In the following description for the purpose of explanation and understanding reference has been made to numerous embodiments for which the intent is not to limit the scope of the invention.
One or more components of the invention are described as module for the understanding of the specification. For example, a module may include self-contained component in a hardware circuit comprising of logical gate, semiconductor device, integrated circuits or any other discrete component. The module may also be a part of any software programme executed by any hardware entity for example processor. The implementation of module as a software programme may include a set of logical instructions to be executed by the processor or any other hardware entity. Further a module may be incorporated with the set of instructions or a programme by means of an interface.
The disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms.

The present invention provides a system and method for assessment of an enterprise progress towards service orientation. The system and method determines a target maturity level towards Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) adoption based on a benchmarked maturity levels. The system and method further generates an output for providing an assessment report and also provides recommendation in order to scale up the maturity level detected.
In accordance with an embodiment, referring to figure 1, the system (100) comprises of an input capturing module (102) configured for capturing an info flow of a plurality of information sources of an enterprise. Since the enterprise could be a small enterprise or a large enterprise, the input capturing module (102) will capture the information in loops. For example, in a first loop the input capturing module (102) may capture information related to a customer management module of the enterprise. Similarl y, in the second loop the input capturing module (102) may capture an info flow related to some other area. Capturing the information will be a continuous process. The input capturing module (102) may also capture information directly from the information sources without forming a loop in case the enterprise is a small enterprise.
The system (100) further comprises of one or more storage devices (104) configured to store captured information. The captured information will be stored in the form of a plurality of assessment parameters associated with behaviors, quality and characteristics of the information flow within the first loop of the enterprise. In accordance with an embodiment, the assessment parameters may include but is not limited to strategy and business, architecture and technology, standards, policies and processes, governance and management and knowledge and skill. Referring to figure 2, these assessment parameters are further divided into dimensions, sub-dimensions and characteristics hence forming a hierarchical assessment model.

Each dimension represents a particular track of Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), each sub-dimension represents a focus area within the track and each characteristic represents a work item within the track.
The system (100) further comprises of a processing module (106) configured to decipher at least one behavior/quality parameter of the captured information. Referring to figure 2, the processing module (106) processes the info flow and further develops a maturity model. This maturity model works on a mechanism for conducting SOA maturity assessment of an enterprise.

The assessment module (110) further includes a gap identification means configured to identify a gap in one or more maturity level of the SOA.
The processing module (106) further comprises of a determination module (108) configured to determine a plurality of benchmarked maturity levels. These benchmarked maturity levels are adapted to indicate an associated behavior, quality and characteristics of the object information within the first loop. The processing module (109) further comprises of an assessment module (110) configured to build at least one progression of the each deciphered behavior/quality parameter and benchmark obtained progression to ascertain a maturity level. The assessment module (110) assigns weightages at the dimension, sub-dimension and the characteristic level in terms of high (3), medium (2) and low (1) based on importance/criticality of the same towards SOA adoption in line with the adoption objectives of the enterprise. The assessment module (110) then uses the weighted average at sub-dimension and dimension levels and derives a maturity score by using the below mentioned formula:

By way of specific example, the overview of the assessment parameters is provided below:
Strategy and Business: The strategy and business assessment parameter contains four dimensions and fifteen sub-dimensions corresponding to SOA strategy, business process, service portfolio planning and business IT collaboration. Some of these sub-dimensions are SOA alignment of vision, SOA planning, process adaptability, service strategy, service portfolio profile. SOA awareness, business buy-in etc.
The strategy and business assessment parameter focuses on the maturity of the SOA strategy and the business aspects of SOA adoption like business processes and business-IT collaboration. The dimensions in this assessment area are:
1. SOA Strategy: This dimension assesses the maturity of the SOA strategy. It checks the enterprise's SOA vision and its alignment with the business vision, comprehensiveness of the SOA strategy of the enterprise, completeness of the SOA planning as well as SOA roadmap.
2. Business Process: This dimension assesses the maturity of the business processes as relevant to SOA adoption. The assessment is focused on the service coverage of processes and service realization of the same, process choreography, process adaptability and process monitoring aspects.
3. Service Portfolio and Planning: This dimension assesses the maturity of the overall service strategy including service focus, maturity of the process decomposition and service identification processes as well as outcomes, service realization planning and extent of realization, and portfolio profile development and analysis.
4. Business-IT collaboration: This dimension assesses the collaboration of business and IT stakeholders in the SOA adoption program in terms of SOA awareness amongst the stakeholders, business buy-in and sponsorship of the program as well as business participation in the SOA lifecycle activities.

Architecture and technology: This assessment parameter focuses on the architecture and technology aspects of SOA adoption and covers the maturity of architecture practices as well as technology superiority and infrastructure sufficiency. This parameter represents the technology aspects of SOA-led transformation. The assessment dimensions in this parameter are:
1. Architecture Elaboration: This dimension assesses the maturity of the service architecture elaboration and the process of development as well as the current state and utility of the service realization architecture, orchestration and choreography architecture and delivery architecture.
2. Architecture Implementation: This dimension assesses the degree of implementation and the technology maturity of SOA implementation across service realization, service orchestration and choreography, service delivery, integration, security management, deployment and service management aspects.
3. Infrastructure: This dimension assesses the maturity of the infrastructure spanning service lifecycle infrastructure, service runtime infrastructure, service governance and management infrastructure as well as SOA competency development infrastructure.
Standards, Policies and Processes: This parameter focuses on the maturity of the SOA-related standards, policies and processes as well as the application of and adherence to the same in the enterprise. This parameter represents the process aspects of SOA-led transformation. The dimensions of assessment are:
1. Standards: This dimension assesses the maturity of the standards defined with respect to architecture development, IT process standards, development-related standards and technology selection standards.

2. Policies: This dimension assesses the maturity of the SOA-related policies spanning business policies, service lifecycle policies, operational policies and compliance and exception handling policies.
3. Processes: This dimension assesses the maturity of service portfolio management, service development, service provisioning and service delivery processes.
Governance and Management: This assessment parameter focuses on the governance and management-related aspects of SOA. The dimensions in this area are:
1. Governance: This dimension assesses the formation and effectiveness of SOA-specific enterprise structures and governance processes including SOA strategic, program and architecture governance structures and governance processes.
2. Management: This dimension assesses the maturity of SOA management covering aspects like funding and chargeback, measurement and monitoring and SOA program management.
Knowledge and Skill: This parameter represents the people aspect of SOA-led transformation. In this aspect, the key levers of SOA-led transformation are assessed through the following dimensions:
1. Personnel: This dimension assesses the availability of personnel as well as their participation in service lifecycle management, service development, service governance and service portfolio management.
2. Skill-set: This dimension assesses the availability of appropriate skill-set across business, technology and governance communities for service modeling, service design and development, service management etc.
3. Knowledge Management: This dimension assesses the facilities available and the utilization of these facilities for knowledge repository, knowledge

dissemination and collaboration amongst SOA practitioners as well as industry participation. 4. Training: This dimension assesses the coverage of the training domain relevant to SOA, training process as well as training effectiveness review and monitoring.
In accordance with an embodiment, the benchmarked maturity levels are defined keeping in mind the gradual progression of an organization to a service oriented enterprise (SOA). By way of specific example, following are the levels:
Level 1- Initial: - At this level, the enterprise has experimented with SOA or
adopted SOA in discrete units. An overall plan or business case for SOA adoption
has not been developed and the approach to SOA is still as an experiment, the results
of which are expected to convince the decision makers. If any enterprise has not even
started experimenting with SOA they probably would not request for a SOA maturity
assessment.
Level 2 - Defined - At this level, the enterprise has defined SOA adoption strategy
and roadmap along with other key enablers for SOA adoption. The enterprise has
defined what it intends to achieve with SOA and how it plans to realize the same and
therefore has a greater maturity and greater probability for success.
Level 3 - Managed - Enterprise at this level have initiated SOA adoption programs
as per defined plan and roadmap. They have established the enablers for SOA
adoption and are managing the SOA adoption initiative in the enterprise with the
help of these enablers. They have started to realize SOA and may also have started to
accrue benefits but do not have a plan to quantitatively assess their progress and
improve.
Level 4 - Measured - Enterprises at this level of maturity measure their progress
quantitatively and continuously strive to improve upon the current state. At this

level, each aspect of SOA adoption is reviewed critically and against their utility and alignment to the business goals and objectives of the enterprise. Any deviation is quickly analyzed and corrected so that the SOA adoption in the enterprise stays on course.
Level 5 - Adaptive - At this level of maturity, enterprises are not only adopting SOA to address their current or near-term goals and objectives but are also analyzing business changes, threats and opportunities to use SOA and become more adaptive. The enterprise analyzes each aspect of SOA adoption in light of its flexibility and adaptability in addition to excellence and is focusing on realizing the full potential of SOA by becoming an agile and adaptive enterprise.
In accordance with an embedment, the system (100) further comprises of an output module (112) configured to render an assessment report. The output will further include a current maturity level for each assessment parameter, a target maturity level considering business priorities and constraints of the enterprise, a recommendation action to move from the current maturity level to the target maturity level.
Referring to figure 2, the report further comprises of one or more recommendations to scale-up the detected maturity level to each ascending level. The report will further identify the target state of maturity in line with the enterprise's priorities and constraints.
BEST MODE/EXAMPLE FOR WORKING OF THE INVENTION
The process illustrated for assessment of an enterprise's progress towards service orientation may be illustrated by a working example showed in the following paragraph; the process is not restricted to the said example only:

Let us assume that the system (100) for assessment was used for a leading utility company in North America that was facing challenges in terms of its ability to support business with greater agility & responsiveness, improve service quality and operate in a more agile IT set-up.
The specific application of the system (100) was towards assessment of organization's existing SOA capabilities, and identification of required process, governance, technology and infrastructure capabilities to support its SOA vision. The scope and objective of the application of the system (100) was identified with the key stakeholders, following which information was collected with the help of the input capturing module (102) and stored in the storage device (104).
The collected information is further processed through the processing module (106). The assessment module (110) was customized based on the importance of the capabilities to the SOA vision. The information was processed by this assessment module (110) to provide a detected maturity level and specific recommendations and opportunities for improvement identified to achieve a desired maturity level. The recommendations were consolidated and prioritized into a roadmap for realization of the SOA vision. The recommendations and roadmap were reported to the stakeholders using the output module (112). The assessment contributed towards greater visibility into organization's current strengths and gaps with respect to Service Orientation and formulation of an effective Service Orientation strategy

We claim:
1. A system for assessment of an Enterprise's progress towards Service Orientation, the system comprising:
an input capturing module configured to continuously capture an info flow within a first loop of a plurality of information sources of an enterprise; a storage device for storing a plurality of assessment parameters associated with behaviors, quality and characteristics of the information flow within the first loop of the enterprise;
a processing module configured to decipher at least one behaviors/quality parameter of the captured information; the processing module further comprising:
a determination module for determining a plurality of benchmarked maturity level adapted to indicate an associated behavior, quality and characteristics of the object information within the first loop; an assessment module configured to build at least one progression of the each deciphered behaviors/quality parameter and benchmark obtained progression to ascertain a maturity level; and an output module configured to render an assessment report comprising one or more recommendations to scale up the detected maturity level to each ascending level.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the assessment module further comprising of gap identification means configured to identify a gap in one or more maturity level of the SOA.
3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of assessment parameters further comprises of one or more dimensions, sub-dimensions and characteristics.
4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the assessment parameters may include but is not limited to a strategy and business parameter, an architecture

and technology parameter, a standard policies and processes parameter, a governance and management parameter and a knowledge and skill parameter.
5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the maturity levels are further comprises of an initial level, a defined level, a managed level, a measured level and an adaptive level.
6. A method for assessment of a Enterprise's progress towards Service Orientation, the method comprising steps of:
capturing continuously an info flow within a first loop of a plurality of information sources of an enterprise;
defining a plurality of assessment parameters associated with behaviors, quality and characteristics of the information flow within the first loop of the enterprise;
processing the captured information to decipher at least one behaviors/quality parameter of the said captured information, the processing further comprising:
determining a plurality of benchmarked maturity level adapted to indicate an associated behavior, quality and characteristics of the object information within the first loop;
assessing the captured information to build at least one progression of the each deciphered behaviors/quality parameter and benchmark obtained progression to ascertain a maturity level; and
generating an output to render an assessment report comprising a one or more recommendations to scale up the detected maturity level to each ascending level.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the method further comprises of identifying a gap between current and desired maturity levels for each assessment parameter.
8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the plurality of assessment parameters further comprises of one or more dimensions, sub-dimensions and characteristics.
9. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the assessment parameters may include but is not limited to a strategy and business parameter, an architecture and technology parameter, a standard policies and processes parameter, a governance and management parameter and a knowledge and skill parameter.
10. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the maturity levels are further comprises of an initial level, a defined level, a managed level, a measured level and an adaptive level.
11. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the maturity level is determined for each characteristic and aggregated by using a weighted average at the dimension and (he sub-dimension level.
12. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the output further comprises of a current maturity level for each assessment parameter, a target maturity level considering business priorities and constraints of the enterprise, a recommendation action to move from the current maturity level to the target maturity level.