Business Service Modeling
In order to proceed with our service workshops we need to establish some common language and basic design patterns. I would also like to replace the term 'Mashup' with something more suitable for the role of business modeling of services, lets call it bizmod or the process of bizmoding.
The basics building blocks of Business Service Modeling (bizmoding) are roles, helpers and of course services. Services are the web based SaaS offerings from any number of providers such as Google, Zoho or Freshbooks (see matrix here for more candidates).
Roles here are the abstraction of function within a business, the best way to explain is by example; Project Management is a good example of a role within a business, this role is abstracted as functionality (what the role is for) and implemented by folks (what is done in the role). The reason we have a role rather than say a job title or actual person is because we will need the abstraction layer in order to make this work at different scales and with different business models. Other examples of roles could be Accounts, Support or even Admin.
Next we have helpers, these architectural components support the roles, their job is to make roles easier to manage for the participants (co-developers formerly known as the users). A helper could be as simple as a piece of code that aggregates time spent on a project (via project management) and passes this to another role such as accounts. Alternatively the sky is the limit, given enough processing power and clever programming a helper could act like some sort of virtual sidekick helping you perform your roles. The point here is that a helper should be helpful, it should make role fulfilling simpler, it should also conform to the M.U.I principles that we have posted.
There are other terms which will crop up as we dig deeper into the examples that we hope you will be following here at the Folknology workshop, but for now lets just keep it simple and dive into our first bizmod.
In the examples we show we will base the bizmods around some basic tools we have here in the Folknology service tool-chest, i.e. the ones we (and our participants) are already using. The principles however can be applied to an even greater range of services available out there see the matrix for more information. This in no way ties us into any financial or preferential arrangement with these service providers, rather it's a case of scratching our own (and our participants) itches and thus reflects on those existing services.
Technorati Tags: Bizmod, Bizmodding, mashup, SAAS, service
