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SOA Roles

Stefan Tilkov,

I’m currently describing roles that apply to a SOA approach (more on this soon). I currently have four roles:

  • Service Designer — responsible for designing business services
  • SOA Business Architect — tasked with maintaining the overall service map
  • SOA Platform Architect — responsible for the SOA backplane

Now I need a good name for the fourth role whose responsibility it is to set up and ensure compliance to standards and guidelines — i.e., performance governance-related functions.

So, kind reader: Any suggestions for a good name for this role (short of what you’re called by London taxi driver)?

On September 26, 2006 10:31 PM, Gernot Starke said:

Stefan, imho its pretty obvious: either call her “SOA-Governesse” or “SOA-Governor” - her responsibility is clearly “SOA Governance”. She will be member of the SOA-Governance board, will be fluent in architecture guidelines and all those (boring) compliance stuff.

In newer literature you find the term “repistry” for the combo of registry and repository - that could make up another suggestion for the roles’ name: “SOA-repistress” :-)

Try it out with your wife - just give her my regards and (once and never again) call her “repistress” - but do not forget to start running when the second sylable leaves your mouth :-))

regards from cologne (could’ve told you that on the phone a few minutes ago …) Gernot

On September 26, 2006 10:38 PM, Stefan Tilkov said:

As I said, Gov’nor is not an option (see http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=gov’nor ;-)

The “repistry” moniker sucks so much I promise this is the last time I use it.

Cheers, Stefan

On September 27, 2006 3:56 PM, Oliver Wolf said:

I’d probably go for “SOA Compliance Officer”, but I must admit that it doesn’t sound very appealing… If you’re like me, you wouldn’t like to see that written under your name on an orgchart. :-)

On September 27, 2006 3:57 PM, Oliver Wolf said:

“SOA Patron” maybe?

On September 27, 2006 4:17 PM, Stefan Tilkov said:

Don’t mess with an Office of the Law ;-) Right, that doesn’t sound too great, either.

On September 28, 2006 2:54 PM, Andreas Kraushaar said:

I would suggest this role is some kind of “supervisor” or “guard” because this person is responsible for the rule-compliant use of the SOA by Service designers, architects or developers…