When two applications need to exchange data, we quickly start discussing data formats, authentication and technical connectivity. But another question is at least as important: Who takes responsibility for what, so that the exchange works for the business process?
The data has arrived. The process is still stuck.
A simplified, hypothetical example from public transport: two applications exchange information about a customer enquiry. The transfer succeeds. But the receiving application is missing a mapping or a field required for further processing.
Technically, the transfer was successful. Yet the enquiry still cannot be processed any further.
For the entire workflow to function, we therefore need to look beyond the technical connection. The meaning of the data and the responsibilities at system boundaries must also be clear.
Four questions to address early in planning
- Do both sides interpret the data and its meaning in the same way? Both applications must interpret the information in a way that allows the next processing step to take place.
- Who is responsible for data quality and corrections? When information is missing or incorrect, someone needs to be clearly responsible for resolving the issue.
- Who detects and handles errors across the entire process? It also matters whether a case continues through the business process after the data has been transferred.
- How do we coordinate changes across the systems involved? Changes on one side can affect the other. This also requires agreement between the parties.
Good architecture makes responsibilities visible
These questions need clear answers, particularly in public transport, where different organisations and software partners work together.
In my view, good architecture includes making these responsibilities visible. This makes collaboration during development easier and helps later in operation. It benefits the people who work with the applications, develop them and operate them.
One specific question for the next project discussion would therefore be:
Who notices when the transfer succeeds but the business process gets stuck?