Beyond Application Development And Integration - Enablement

Enterprise applications play an important role in defining the way information is processed and used to derive value across the system.

In today’s scenario, the IT landscape has changed and will continue to do so, paving the way for an integrated IT environment. The challenge continues on integration of various applications - developed in-house, developed through partners or package applications like ERP, portals, collaborative tools like UC, Internet and web services, hosted applications, supplier and vendor applications. We operate and manage a complex environment indeed. There is no single application which will address all the requirements of an enterprise. It becomes imperative to expect complex scenarios creating a complex IT landscape but needs to integrated and well managed to deliver value to business.

Pointers For Application Enablement

Identify and discover the business scenario and applications supporting and required to be supported for the enterprise. Identify technologies available to integrate the piece of applications across to complete the jigsaw puzzle.

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Communicate - Identify the need and way the applications / packages communicate with each other for information flow with objective of no data duplication. What information is required to flow from one to other and across?

Build an agile enterprise information architecture addressing the need for building integrated application (integrating all applications and packages to ensure there is seamless flow of information, ease of use for users, security and protection through controls, performance and speed).

Evaluate - Once the frame work is defined, important evaluate and assess the application scenario and relevant technologies available to integrate. Do a POC and test the same before delivering the same.

Deliver - Once the frame work / blue print is established, start building and integrating applications across the enterprise using available technologies.

It will be like a jigsaw puzzle where different pieces are brought together and integrated to bring out the picture. In an enterprise, it is indeed a complex game and landscape. It becomes even more challenging to integrate hosted applications, applications in cloud, supplier / vendor applications without crossing the internal control boundaries of an enterprise.

Technology

To decide and evaluate the right technology tools available and applicable to respective scenario to integrate, manage and maintain the same.

Process

Well defined process in identifying the various aspects of integration through process mapping techniques like SIPOC (Supplier Input Process Output Customer) - a lean management principle, can be applied for application information flow process integration followed by detailed technical mapping (data, tables and fields). Controls required at each stage of integration to ensure data integrity is to be considered while doing process and data mapping. Standard SDLC / agile development is applied / followed for application development.

People

Employees must have the required skill sets not only on development but on advanced skill sets on understanding the various packages quickly, business acumen, integration technologies and tools, designing and developing the same and finally continual improvements and management. There is a scope and demand at the same time scarcity of skills sets in this area. The role is not development but enablement (Alignment of Development + Integration + Business + Technology Skills). Project management and SDLC / agile methodology are the key aspects for this role.

There are many enterprises who have embarked and integrated or integrating various application scenarios across enterprise through enterprise application / information portals which acts as single window for user to enter and access applications / services / information / data based on their roles and responsibilities which includes dash boards, email, collaborative tools and BI along with transactional applications such as ERP and SCM.