The sessions allowed possible issues to be raised and offered an opportunity to demonstrate and explain the value of BSDM in comparison to existing, one-dimensional approaches.

Common understanding of the business

At the workshops, business managers were able to input to the business map on which all systems development will now be founded. Even the more cynical attendees were ultimately convinced of its benefits. "It gave us a common understanding of the business", commented one participant. As Mike Lock says, "Once the problems which modelling can fix are described to attendees, there is no problem with getting their buy-in. They can see the day-to-day benefits."

A key factor in the business modelling approach is skills transfer. LAO staff have been learning how to facilitate the workshops and use the resulting model to define business requirements. To date, over 70% of the business map has been constructed, and the aim is for LAO to be able to complete the last 25-30%. This goal of self-sufficiency means that the IT team can deploy the approach fully and flexibly throughout LAO without requiring constant assistance from IBM.

The first major project to use BSDM will be initiated in the first half of 1996. LAO expect that it will demonstrate the time and cost advantages of the method clearly, in the short and medium terms. "If data is structured properly, changing applications around it is easy. For example, existing systems in LAO are built around the principle of supplier-customer relations, and a rigid sequence of events from A-Z in between. The business map allows us to cut across supply chains and respond effectively to customers' requirements - today and tomorrow."

Evaluation of existing systems against the business map with allow LAO to make an objective assessment of development needs. It will also ensure that systems meet LAO's future needs, however the core business changes. The method is designed to support LAO's medium-to-long-term strategic goals over the next ten to fifteen years.

A business-oriented approach to development

LAO's IT department has a strongly business-oriented approach to development. In this sense, no great cultural change has been required in adopting the modelling approach. However, the method formalises the close working relationship between LAO's IT and business people. This ensures that systems development anticipates and supports potential expansion in the business and a high focus on customer delight, and hence assists LAO in differentiating itself from competitors. The emphasis in system development shifts from fixing the symptoms of management information flow problems, to addressing their root causes, taking a longer-term view which can both resolve the problems of today and anticipate and avoid those of tomorrow.

Mike Lock sums it up: "Today's way of developing systems takes a snap-shot view, focusing on immediate, functional requirements and involving frequent duplication. Business Modelling using IBM's BSDM looks at fundamentals - what ideally do we want? - which business drivers are generating requirements? From this firm foundation of understanding, we can follow on with how we are going to physically do it. Business Modelling is a clean sheet approach, giving us a full picture of business and system requirements.