Application Identification

Definition

Application Identification

the architecting task during which potential new systems or new versions of existing systems are identified

Classification

As illustrated in the preceding figure, application identification is part of the following inheritance hierarchy:

• Type: Concrete
• Superclass: Task
• Subclasses: None

Responsibilities

The typical responsibilities of the application identification task are to:

• Identify potential applications or versions of applications to develop.

Preconditions

Application identification can typically begin when the following preconditions hold:

• The business strategy phase has begun.
• The business strategy team has been adequately:
  • Staffed.
  • Trained in application identification.
• The business object modeling task has begun.
• The business process modeling task has begun.

Completion Criteria

Application identification is typically complete when the following postconditions hold:

• New applications for development have been identified.

Steps

Application identification typically involves the following teams performing the following steps in an interative, incremental, parallel, and time-boxed manner:

• Business Strategy Team:
  • Identify existing applications that potentially need new versions developed.
  • Identify potential new applications that should probably be developed.

Techniques

Application identification can typically be performed using the following techniques:

• Abstraction
• Brainstorming
• Cost/Benefit Analysis
• Cost Estimation
• Coupling
• Cohesion
• Cross Functional Teams
• Gap Analysis
• Iteration
• Interviews
• Parallel Development
• Timeboxing

Work Products

Application selection typically results in the production of all or part of the following work products:

• Lists of potential applications to be developed.

Guidelines

• This task is only needed for business [re]engineering projects.