5.7.3 Developing an Information Sharing Architecture across a Complex Competitive Environment

Abstract

AbstractThe UK's Warship Support Agency (WSA) works with hundreds of companies to support the Fleet. The information needed is often hosted and managed by these companies, with many of them in active competition with one another.As many business processes span organisations, the sharing of information across boundaries is crucial. To achieve this, change projects were initiated by individual business units, resulting in ‘Shared Data Environments’ between these business units and their partners. Although this approach promotes innovation and rapid progress, it can hinder information sharing across the wider enterprise.This paper sets out the approach adopted by the WSA and Cap Gemini Ernst & Young (WSA's strategic e‐business partner) to develop a Technical Architecture for further information sharing across the enterprise. Key findings from the architecture study are also presented, which have relevance to many organisations seeking to integrate information systems across enterprise boundaries.