The Open Group Service Integration Maturity Model (OSIMM) Version 2 – Organization & Governance Dimension: Base Model
This chapter defines the base model for the OSIMM Organization & Governance dimension base model. The base model defines a set of generic maturity indicators and attributes that can be used to assess an organization’s SOA maturity level against the OSIMM maturity matrix. Additional maturity indicators, assessment questions, and attribute mappings can be added by vendors or user organizations to extend the base OSIMM model.
The assessment questions that follow help elicit how an organization formally defines and documents their organization and governance processes, which ranges from ad hoc LOB IT strategy and governance-driven to policy-driven governance.
OSIMM Organization & Governance Dimension
Organization & Governance Dimension: Base Model Maturity Indicator
The base OSIMM model provides one of many possible maturity indicators per dimension. Organizations, vendors, and consultants can provide additional maturity indicators, assessment questions, and attribute mappings to provide additional guidance necessary for the maturation of an organization’s SOA.
The following Organization & Governance dimension maturity indicator is provided as part of the base OSIMM specification:
- A service integration maturity assessment of the OSIMM Organization & Governance dimension can be conducted by identifying the formal use of service and SOA governance across the organization to develop, deploy, and manage business and IT services (SOA solutions).
Organization & Governance Dimension: Assessment Questions
By gathering information using these assessment questions, the assessor can map a maturity indicator to the associated maturity attributes, thereby determining the Organization & Governance dimension maturity level.
- What types of skills are common in your IT staff?
- How does IT governance relate to your SOA?
- How is the IT governance related or aligned with the SOA, enterprise architecture, and the organization’s governance?
- Do SOA governance processes exist, are they documented, and, if so, are they used for services at design time and run time?
- Is the interaction between organizations involved in the SOA process defined with clear roles and responsibilities?
- What are the governance functionalities and responsibilities?
- How would you describe your IT cost model?
- What type of SOA training is available in your IT organization?
- What is the relationship between the organization’s development team and the infrastructure team?
- What SOA and governance authorities exist?
- Do the organization’s SOA solutions cross organizational boundaries? Internally? Externally between business partners?
Organization & Governance Dimension: Maturity Indicator-to-Attribute Mapping
The following are the base set of maturity indicators for the OSIMM Organization & Governance dimension. Each maturity indicator is associated with a set of maturity attributes. Maturity attributes are those observed characteristics of a maturity indicator for each maturity level. The assessment questions are used to survey an organization’s Organization & Governance dimension. Survey data obtained through the Organization & Governance dimension assessment questions is used to determine the maturity level by assessing the data and matching to the maturity attributes that best fit the information obtained. The maturity weighting is used to determine an average maturity score across multiple maturity indicators. The model can be extended by adding additional maturity indicators and assigning weighting to the indicator by maturity level according to the value placed on the maturity indicator by the assessing organization.
Maturity Indicators for the Organization & Governance Dimension
Maturity Level |
Maturity Indicator |
Maturity Attributes |
Maturity Weighting |
Assessment Question Mapping |
Silo Ad hoc LOB IT Strategy and Governance |
Formal use of service and SOA governance across the organization to develop, deploy, and manage business and IT services (SOA solutions). |
Low or nonexistent A vision or strategy for the adoption of SOA does not exist. No recognition of the value of service governance and nonexistent IT-business governance processes. Nonexistent cross organizational (LOB) coordination of services (SOA). Minimal SOA training. |
10 |
2, 3, 4, 5 11 1, 8 |
Integrated IT Trans-formation |
Formal use of service and SOA governance across the organization to develop, deploy, and manage business and IT services (SOA solutions). |
Limited A formal SOA strategy is evolving. Some cross-organizational coordination. The value of service and SOA governance has been recognized but has not been holistically adopted by the enterprise. |
20 |
2, 3, 4, 5, 11 6, 9, 10 |
Componentized Common SOA Governance Processes |
Formal use of service and SOA governance across the organization to develop, deploy, and manage business and IT services (SOA solutions). |
Cross-organizational A formalized SOA strategy exits between one or more organizations. The value of service and SOA governance has been recognized but has not been holistically adopted by the enterprise. SOA governance has been established but has not been adopted holistically by the enterprise. SOA training and skills are present but limited to IT practitioners. Shared services may be evolving and governed between one or more LOBs. |
30 |
5, 9 2, 3, 4, 6 2, 3, 4, 6 1, 8 7, 11 |
Services Emerging SOA Governance |
Formal use of service and SOA governance across the organization to develop, deploy, and manage business and IT services (SOA solutions). |
Enterprise-wide A formal enterprise-wide SOA strategy and vision has been defined, published, and agreed by the business units across the organization. A formal SOA governance process and structure has been documented and is functioning among most business units. Training programs have been tailored for IT and business unit needs. |
40 |
2, 3, 5, 10 4, 6 1, 6, 8 |
Composite Services SOA and IT Governance Alignment |
Formal use of service and SOA governance across the organization to develop, deploy, and manage business and IT services (SOA solutions). |
Integrated Enterprise-wide The use of SOA and shared services are an accepted element of the organization’s strategy, business, and IT models. SOA governance has been adopted across the enterprise by most organizations and is empowered to manage SOA services and solutions. |
50 |
2, 3, 5, 11 4, 6, 9, 10 |
Virtualized Services SOA and IT Infrastructure Governance Alignment |
Formal use of service and SOA governance across the organization to develop, deploy, and manage business and IT services (SOA solutions). |
Integrated across the enterprise and externally between business partners. SOA governance is part of the organizational culture. The organization treats SOA services as enterprise assets. The organization has well-defined SOA metrics and performance indicators. |
60 |
3, 10 2 4 |
Dynamically Re-Configurable Services Governance Implemented using Automated Policies |
Formal use of service and SOA governance across the organization to develop, deploy, and manage business and IT services (SOA solutions). |
Adaptive Enterprise Services are modeled and managed as elements of the evolving business strategy. Service metrics are automatically gathered and input to key business decisions. |
70 |
2, 3, 4, 5, 6 4, 11 |