IG1107 B2B2X Support in Frameworx: Service Lifecycle Stages and Enablers V1.13.1

Visualizing how Digital Services operate in extended Value Chains (or Nets) provides a basis for analyzing how Frameworx can assist in defining and managing the interactions between different businesses and roles within these Value Chains. Another useful perspective here is to examine the digital services lifecycle and look at the stages within this, and the milestones these indicate, to identify the interworking constraints and demands that arise.

Looking across the TM Forum Collaboration Program, the Software Enabled Services (SES) project is developing a Digital Services Reference Architecture (DSRA) as part of its work. This provides insight into the way that digital services are defined and used, and so is a source for the digital services lifecycle noted above.

Now, at each interaction point in a given Value Chain, we can try to highlight the information and shared knowledge that enables the interworking there. Using the digital services lifecycle, we may then examine particular scenarios/use cases for the interworking and prioritize what interactions are most critical.

In general, Frameworx already provides a range of artefacts and tools to assist in this. Using Frameworx, the interactions at business boundaries can be analyzed and specified using process flows, shared information, application interworking, etc. We are likely to find with the focus on digital services above, that some improvements and enhancements in Frameworx are appropriate, but perhaps even greater value derives from identifying new ways of working that create new demands for Frameworx that may cause an expansion of scope or require changes to existing mechanisms.

This Exploratory Report outlines how the above can be progressed, and illustrates an example of new requirements that needs to be factored into the evolution of Frameworx. It is intended that this is socialized to confirm a consensus on the approach, and then this work is used as a basis for a more extensive project through Frameworx 14.