An APQC-PCF based framework to compare service offerings in business transformation projects

Abstract

In the services market for business transformation, a pressing problem for customers is that they cannot easily compare software and service vendors. The root of the problem is that tools, methods and content offerings are not only represented without a common terminology but also there is lack of a common delivery-oriented framework to compare such offerings. In this paper, we propose to fill this gap by enhancing APQC's Process Classification Framework (APQC for short), a well-known standard for terminology on process definitions, to become such a common framework. Specifically, our extensions comprise of: (a) an enrichment of APQC terminology created by analyzing hundreds of process documentation from live client projects, (b) an addition to the enriched APQC to map data sources from different vendors, and (c) an addition to the enriched APQC to map heterogeneous business transformation methodologies. A prototype tool, discussed in the paper, then uses these extensions to provide the capability to a customer to scope the business landscape of interest, tailor the methods, compare tools, and integrate content across hither-to insurmountable vendor boundaries. The presented approach lays the basis for a new generation of tools being developed in IBM to accelerate SAP and Oracle business transformation projects. © 2010 ACM.