SC: Using Service Discovery to Support Requirements Elicitation in the ERP Domain - Advanced Information Systems Engineering - page 22

3.3 The S 3 C Approach
The S 3 C approach is based on Microsoft Sure Step and SeCSE to provide advanced
support for consultants. It extends Sure Step by integrating SeCSE's service discovery
mechanisms. However, a main contribution of the S 3 C project are novel tools
which provide support for consultants (see Section 3.4). The S 3 C approach integrates
Business Process Analysis, Gathering Business Requirements and Fit-Gap Analysis
within the same workshop. Figure 4 shows the modified information flow with inte-
grated service discovery.
Conduct Business Process Analysis . As in Sure Step a detailed business process
analysis is conducted in a workshop. Consultants compare the customer's current
business process with standard ERP processes and document results with the help of a
To-Be process model (see Figure 4).
Gather Business Requirements. In the same workshop consultants and customers
identify and discuss requirements on how the planned ERP system will support the
To-Be process. These requirements are linked to the business process and are speci-
fied in the Requirements Document (see Figure 4).
Identify and Discuss Relevant Solutions (Fits). The To-Be business process de-
scription and gathered requirements are used as input to identify existing services
which potentially can fulfill the customers' needs. For an item arrival use case the
system will suggest a vendor service, described as “Enables external systems to read,
create, update and delete vendors.” Consultants and customers walk through and
discuss the listed solutions. This can trigger new requirements which can then cause
modifications in the list of relevant solutions. This iterative approach strengthens the
interaction between consultants and customers and allows the customer to participate
in the solution design. Selected solutions are documented as fits in the Fit-Gap Work-
sheet (see Figure 4).
Discuss Gap Resolutions. In a next step the consultants and the customer investi-
gate gap resolutions which are documented in the Fit-Gap Worksheet.
Derive Functional Design Documents. As in Sure Step the Fit-Gap Worksheet is
used to create the Functional Design Document for Configuration and Functional
Design Document for Customization (see Figure 4).
Fig. 4. Information Flow in Sure Step with Service Discovery (S 3 C)