Architecture Maturity &
Requirements Engineering
Process Maturity Do not Explain
Each Other
Maya Daneva
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Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
Introduction
Motivation, Research Questions & Research Method
Working Context
Maturity Models for Architecture and Requirements
Engineering
5. Case Study Based on One Company’s Experiences
6. Conclusions
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Background
1. What we observe in practice?



ERP is a vehicle not only to excel but also to survive in a highly
interconnected business world.
Enterprise Architecture and ERP projects feed each other / share a
number of deliverables
ERP project failures are attributed to poor architecture reqmts
2. Research Questions:
 What are the linkages between architecture maturity
and to RE process maturity?
 How these linkages evolve over phases of ERP
evolution?
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Maturity Concepts
1. IBM
2. 1989, SEI, CMU: Capability Maturity Model (CMM) for
software development
3. Late 90-ties: CMM in any IT field
4. Architecture Maturity Models (AMM)
Goal:
- to optimize architecture-related processes,
- to increase organizational awareness of business
and technical architecture issues.
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Our Approach
Maturity Concepts
RE Good
Practice
Guide
RE Processes
RE Maturity
Assessments
Linkages
Architecture
Maturity
Model
Lessons
Learnt
Architecture
Assessments
EA Processes
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The Experience Base
13 projects, 67 instances, 1997-2002
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Business initiatives vs. IS projects
2
Fast growing (immature) IS-organization
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Process Instance Characteristics
total time = 4 weeks
risk-driven approach
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RE Teams
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Assessments: RE Good Practice Guide
(Sommerville & Sawer)
what worked?
what did not?
common points of
success/failure?
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RE Assessment Results
 22 Defined Level processes
 29 Repeatable Level processes
 16 Initial Level Processes
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Architecture Assessments
Establish
mappings
between
assessment criteria
& architecture
artifacts
Review
architecture usage
scenarios,
roles, standards,
process
documentation
Review
architecture
deliverables for
small, mid-sized,
& large projects
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Results: DoC AMM
Maturity
Characteristic
Level
Score
Architecture process
Managed
4
Architecture development
Managed
4
Business linkage
Defined
3
Senior management involvement
Managed
4
Architecture communication
Managed
4
Operating units’ participation
Defined
3
IT security
Managed
4
Architecture governance
Defined
3
IT investment and acquisition strategy
Under Development
2
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How Architecture Supports RE:
Observations




Architecture facilitates use of common language
Tool for training new team members
Reuse of reference models
Architecture provided guiding principles for
documenting AS-IS and TO-BE scenarios
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Discussion: Use of Architecture and
RE Maturity Levels
Maturity Level
Use of EA in:
Initial
Repeatable Defined
Requirements elicitation
37%
55%
72%
Requirements modelling
50%
76%
91%
Requirements
negotiation/validation
50%
70%
91%
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Discussion: Use of Architecture in
Four Types of Projects
Use of EA in:
Percentage of
RE processes
RE for new implementation projects
36%
RE for enhancement projects
12%
RE for upgrade projects
91%
RE for alignment projects
100%
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Discussion: Use of Architecture in ERP Customization
Requirements Definitions
Use of EA in
the tailoring
types of:
Description of tailoring type
Percentage
of RE
processes
Adaptation
Setting of parameters & tables, in order to choose
between different execution paths
57%
Add-ons
Implementation of 3rd party package complementing the
ERP system with branch-specific functionality
12%
Screen masks
Creating new screen mask for data input/output
0%
Extended
reporting
Creating extended data reporting options
25%
Workflow
programming
Developing non-standard workflows
100%
User exits
Programming of additional code in an open interface
26%
ERP
Programming
Using the ERP-vendor’ programming language to
develop additional applications to the standard
functionality
12%
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Related Work
1. We found consistencies regarding:
- implicit choices between alternative starting points,
namely architecture or business requirements;
- both architecture and requirements help users build
the system they want to use;
2. We found differences between levels of commitment
of process owners to architecture and ERP projects
3. Merging enterprise architecture and RE is a bumpy
road!!
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Conclusions:
A mature architecture organization does not imply ERP
RE process success.
A team with high AMM maturity
systematically helps ERP RE use architecture
deliverables for RE purposes.
This study revised our perspective to better
accommodate the needs of explicit architecture
practices in ERP RE.
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Thank you !
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