VDML for Business Architects: Part 10 of 11, Agile Business Architecture

Please see the post for VDML for Business Architects: Part 1 of 11, for the introduction to this series of posts.  This part describes a recommended business architecture supported by VDML.

1.    Service oriented architecture

VDML is designed to support a service-oriented architecture with services defined by collaborations, particularly capability methods.  However, VDML can also model a silo-oriented architecture and facilitate transformation to a service-oriented architecture by carving out and consolidating capability methods.

2.    Business partner ecosystem

Business network models support analysis of relationships with business partners such as exchange of value propositions and deliverables.  In successful relationships, each participant must realize adequate benefit to sustain the relationships.

3.    Business function outsource modeling

Outsourcing moves business capabilities to services provided by an external business partner.  The VDML business model provides the basis for identification of operations to be transitioned and the points where interactions must occur to engage and oversee the outsourced capabilities.

4.    Meta-methods operate on mainstream operations
 
Certain capabilities operate on the elements of the mainstream business.  For example, maintenance and repair services operate on machines.  Personnel services manage personnel records and benefits.  Financial services manage billing, payments and inventory records and transactions.  Strategic planning activities analyze current circumstances and evaluate potential strategies, transformations or improvements.  Such operations can be modeled in VDML with elements of the mainstream operations represented as business items.