Method and apparatus for discovering and utilizing atomic services for service delivery

• US 20070282655A1
• Filed: 06/05/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AirBNB Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Jaluka, Rajesh, Kumaran, Santhosh Babu
• Granted Patent: US 8,468,042 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer readable medium for identifying and partitioning atomic services in an information technology (IT) environment are included within the invention. More specifically, the invention provides a method and system for identifying service boundaries and partitioning services into atomic services based on the services boundaries. In order to more efficiently provide services in an IT environment, this invention in at least one embodiment utilizes a method of partitioning services into atomic services based on natural services boundaries such that those atomic services may be standardized and reused as needed.

Claims

1. A method for identifying and partitioning a service into at least one atomic service in an environment to fulfill information technology services, the method comprising:

determining whether the entire work to perform an information technology service can be automated;

encapsulating all tasks into an atomic service responsive to a determination that the entire work to perform said information technology service can be automated, and

storing the encapsulated tasks in an atomic services catalog.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether all tasks can be performed by one person responsive to a determination that the entire work to perform said information technology service cannot be automated.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

determining whether said work can be partitioned to match the different skills required to perform different sections in said work responsive to a determination that all tasks can be performed by one person.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

dividing the work into smaller tasks based on skills required to perform the work responsive to a determination that the work can be partitioned to match the different skills required to perform different sections in the work.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

determining whether the entire work to perform said smaller tasks can be automated, and

encapsulating all the smaller tasks into atomic services responsive to a determination that the work can be automated, and

storing said atomic services in an atomic services catalog.

6. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

encapsulating said work into an atomic service responsive to a determination that said work cannot be partitioned to match the different skills required to perform different sections in the work, and

storing the encapsulated tasks in an atomic services catalog.

7. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

determining whether all tasks can be performed by one team responsive to a determination that all tasks cannot be performed by one person.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

determining whether said team has logical subteams based on skills responsive to a determination that all tasks can be performed by one team.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

determining whether the work can be partitioned to match the different skills required to perform different sections in the work responsive to a determination that said team does not have logical subteams based on skills.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

dividing said work into smaller tasks based on skills required to perform said work responsive to a determination that said work can be partitioned to match the different skills required to perform different sections in said work.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

determining whether the entire work to perform said smaller tasks can be automated, and

encapsulating all the smaller tasks into atomic services responsive to a determination that the work can be automated, and

storing said atomic services in an atomic services catalog.

12. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

determining whether tasks are performed by different subteams responsive to a determination that said team has logical subteams.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

dividing the work into smaller tasks based on the subteams required to perform the work responsive to a determination that tasks are performed by different subteams;

determining whether the entire work to perform said smaller tasks can be automated;

encapsulating all the smaller tasks into atomic services responsive to a determination that the work can be automated; and

storing said atomic services in an atomic services catalog.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

determining whether the work can be partitioned to match the different skills required to perform different sections in the work responsive to a determination that tasks are not performed by different subteams.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

dividing the work into smaller tasks based on subteams required to perform the work responsive to a determination that said work can be partitioned to match the different skills required to perform different sections in the work;

determining whether the entire work to perform said smaller tasks can be automated;

encapsulating all the smaller tasks into atomic services responsive to a determination that said work can be automated; and

storing said atomic services in an atomic services catalog.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

encapsulating the work into an atomic service responsive to a determination that said work cannot be partitioned to match the different skills required to perform different sections in the work, and

storing the encapsulated tasks in an atomic services catalog.

17. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

determining whether said team is accountable for and has clear ownership of said tasks responsive to a determination that the tasks are performed by one team.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

dividing the work into smaller tasks based on teams required to perform the work responsive to a determination that said team is not accountable for or does not have clear ownership of said tasks;

determining whether the entire work to perform said smaller tasks can be automated;

encapsulating said smaller tasks into atomic services responsive to a determination that said work can be automated; and

storing said atomic services in an atomic services catalog.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

encapsulating all the smaller tasks into atomic services responsive to a determination that said team is not accountable for or does not have clear ownership of said tasks; and

delivering said atomic services into an atomic services catalog.

20. A method for identifying and partitioning a service into at least one atomic service in an environment to fulfill information technology services, the method comprising:

determining whether an entire work to perform an information technology service can be automated;

determining whether all tasks to perform said work can be performed by one team having accountability and ownership of said tasks or said team having one or more logical subteams based on skills;

partitioning the work to match the different skills required to perform different tasks in the work;

dividing the tasks into specializations based on team, subteam or skill;

encapsulating all tasks into atomic services; and

storing said atomic services in an atomic services catalog.

21. An apparatus for identifying and partitioning a service into at least one atomic service in an environment to fulfill information technology services, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining whether the entire work to perform an information technology service can be automated;

means for determining whether all tasks can be performed by a person, team or subteam;

means for determining whether the work can be partitioned into tasks to match the different skills required to perform different sections in the work;

means for partitioning the tasks into atomic services; and

means for storing said atomic services in an atomic services catalog.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising:

means for associating an interface definition for at least one service provider capable of providing one of said atomic services in said atomic services catalog.

23. A method for identifying and partitioning a service into at least one atomic service in an environment to fulfill information technology services, the method comprising:

dividing a project into individual tasks,

confirming the tasks can not be divided any further,

converting each of the resulting tasks into a respective atomic service, and

placing each atomic service into an atomic service catalog.

24. A method for identifying and partitioning a service into at least one atomic service in an environment to fulfill information technology services, the method comprising:

dividing a project into individual tasks based on a first consideration;

designating the individual tasks as atomic services; and

placing said atomic services into a catalog.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein said first consideration includes logical boundaries based on team, subteam and skill.

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein said first consideration includes maximizing efficiencies.

27. The method according to claim 24, further comprising dividing said project into individual tasks based on a second consideration.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein said second consideration includes partitions based on location, availability, security and cost.

29. The method according to claim 24, determining whether said tasks can be performed by one person.

30. The method according to claim 24, determining whether said tasks can be performed by a single team.

31. The method according to claim 24, determining whether said tasks can be performed by different subteams.

32. The method according to claim 24, further comprising:

modifying the atomic services included in the catalog based on objective feedback.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein said objective feedback is manipulated using algorithms and metrics.

34. The method according to claim 24, further comprising:

identifying service providers able to perform said atomic services.

35. The method according to claims 34, further comprising:

adding identified service providers to said catalog, and

linking each of said identified service providers to at least one atomic service.