RE: To get things started....SCENARIOS

[Chuck Allen - HR-XML <chucka@hr-xml.org>]

Kit K. KO wrote:
> Eric,
>
>   Agree totally.  At this time, we should exchange ideas in proposing a series
> of mini projects to explore the specification in all aspects.

I almost totally agree ;->

Scenarios are absolutely necessary - "Pick a scenario, any
scenario" probably is a better starting point than purely
"academic" type discussions. However, without vaulting back
into the purely academic realm, I wonder if you can do some
planning to ensure the results of working through a particular
scenario are relevant beyond a particular context or domain.

I was just looking through this document on the ebXML website:
http://www.ebxml.org/specs/bpPROC.pdf  One thing that caught
my eye was the diagram of the "Porter Value Chain," on which
the Business Process Project Team based its categorization
scheme - The diagram shows relationships between major categories
of enterprise activities -- human resources, procurement, financing,
transportation, manufacturing, etc.

I guess my suggestion is this - pick a scenario, any 'representative'
scenario, but do some with an understanding of where it fits
into to the Porter scheme or other similar notion of enterprise
activities. Work through the scenario, but then consciously go
back and start testing the results in a scenario in another enterprise
activity category.

As a representative of a group involved in standards for a horizontal
business function, I guess it is not surprising that I should favor
this type of analysis or that I should be concerned that models work
across the various horizontal categories of enterprise activity.

As an aside - I have been talking with a number of groups about a
series of inter-consortia summits that might specifically take a look
at common models between various horizontal functions. Horizontal business
functions are an excellent starting point for this summit series
since they tend to share many common components and tend to
have many external interaction points and dependencies. Anyone
out there with an interest - feel free to contact me off-line.

Best Regards,

Chuck Allen
Director, HR-XML Consortium, Inc.
chucka@hr-xml.org