Overview
With the emergence of e-business and other fast-moving business technologies, the efficient and successful development of information systems that support e-business has become increasingly critical. An architectural approach to building these systems can greatly increase the chances of success.E-Business and IS Solutions provides a high-level introduction and understanding of an architectural approach to building IT solutions, in particular those that support e-business. Written for IS professionals with a wide range of experience, as well as technical managers, the book delineates a seven-stage building process and offers experience-based guidance on issues critical to the success of e-business systems in the real world.
Featured is an overview of the essentials of e-business, IT architecture, and the relationship between architectural solution building and object-oriented design methods. Buffam explores the trade-offs and considerations of project scope for both large-scale and smaller projects. After reviewing fundamental architectural principles, the author details the seven-stage process: business modeling, IS modeling, current IS analysis, IS architecture planning, implementation planning, deployment, and review. He provides vital information on team roles and dynamics, incorporating legacy systems, cost-benefit and risk analyses, transition strategy, and project management.
Specific topics covered include:
- The effects of e-business on architectural IS solution building
- Object-oriented methods and architectural solution building
- Critical success factors for large-scale andnarrow-scope projects
- Aligning the IS solution with business objectives
- The importance of simplicity and elegance, conceptual integrity, and intellectual manageability in solution building
- Guidelines for business-driven and technology-driven IS strategies
- Defining architecture models and supporting IT infrastructure
You will also find an entire chapter devoted to practical issues you are likely to encounter. This chapter addresses such issues as dealing with consultants, putting a methodology into practice, allocating resources, integrating multiple projects, and working with software reuse. You will come away from this book with an enhanced understanding of the challenges facing you and a clearer idea of the direction to take.