Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-xfwgj Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-07T19:38:04.516Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Foreword

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2009

David Sprott
Affiliation:
Founder and CEO, CBDI Forum
Get access

Summary

In the broader scheme of things our use of computer systems is still in its infancy. In just fifty years we have made amazing progress, to the point that computer systems are essential to the smooth running of home and business. Yet any systematic or casual measurement of user satisfaction with enterprise systems will inevitably return unsatisfactory ratings. The problems are legion but, with monotonous regularity, surveys report that users believe that total costs of ownership are too high and systems are insufficiently responsive to constantly changing circumstances.

The root problem is that insufficient attention has been paid to the fundamental structure of software systems. In other engineering disciplines such as automotive, construction, or electronics, there is unambiguous understanding between the user requirements and the delivered product, such that the various stakeholders can engage with the architect in a highly meaningful manner. For example, the architect and designer of the automobile, bridge or silicon chip has well-understood responsibilities to optimize the design and economics by using standard patterns and components which deliver a product that has a well-understood life cycle from production engineering through to retirement.

In contrast, the typical software system has no coherent structural and economic model that governs its life cycle. Rather, the approach to acquiring software systems is usually a mixture of blind faith and optimism.

Type
Chapter
Information
Service Orientation
Winning Strategies and Best Practices
, pp. xi - xiv
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

  • Foreword
  • Paul Allen
  • Book: Service Orientation
  • Online publication: 31 July 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511541186.001
Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

  • Foreword
  • Paul Allen
  • Book: Service Orientation
  • Online publication: 31 July 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511541186.001
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Foreword
  • Paul Allen
  • Book: Service Orientation
  • Online publication: 31 July 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511541186.001
Available formats
×