Sandy Carter, vice president of IBM in charge of everything SOA, recently provided a series of tips for approaching the CEO about an SOA project. Here are a few key pointers:
Don't call it 'SOA': "Explain the value and benefits in business terms that reflect the organization's goals -- such as cost reduction, productivity, competitive advantage, etc. -- before diving into a technical conversation."
Vision, not version: "Outline the immediate and long-term results from this strategy while avoiding discussions about specific version numbers." Also, Carter advises, avoid technical jargon all together.
Build consensus throughout the company: "Prove the value of SOA through small test projects conducted with volunteer departments in the organization."
Start small yet live large: "When selecting those small test projects, choose to integrate and automate those business processes that can have the most widespread, positive impact across the organization."
Show conviction and prediction: "Articulate goals for each step along the SOA path. By publicly stating and achieving realistic goals for the organization based on an SOA -- increasing productivity or decreasing
costs by XX percent -- you can bolster confidence in the project and overall strategy." Be sure to set goals and track performance along the way.
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