Gotze.eu

Category: Denmark

  • Fuzzy Point of Failure

    Apple, Oracle, the Danish banks and the Danish government, today demonstrates how vulnerable we digital citizens are.

    I went to my online bank today. It told me I need to update Java, so I did (even if it is just a week ago I last did that, but hey, it’s Java so…). After doing so, I was met with this when I went to the bank:

    bank-blocked
    My net bank today. “Blocked accessory”

    The banks and the government use the same “One for All” identity system, NemID, so I tried logging in to the citizen portal, but am told:

    Government single signon is also blocked.
    Government single sign-on is also blocked.

    It took me a while to find out what was happening. I couldn’t find any information on the web at first, and ended calling my bank’s support, who quickly pointed out that there exists a problem with Mac due to a forced update last night. Mac-brugere i problemer: Netbank virker ikke.

    This particular problem’s root cause: Apple again blocks latest version of Java through OS X anti-malware system.

    Java is today seen as a deprecated standard for NemID, and next version of it will be based on javascript. But next version is next year. Apple pulled the trigger too fast.

     

  • Metamodels

    metamodelThe Danish Agency for Digitisation has announced some coming updates of the national enterprise architecture framework and reference models. In a consultation draft about these, Et fælles overblik, the agency also introduces the OIO EA metamodel. The consultation also involves an update to STORM, the Service and Technology Reference Model. All documents are in Danish. Interested parties can submit comments to the agency until 14 February.

    I may well return to the metamodel and the reference models in later posts, but want to raise one issue here.

    Looking at the Strategic layer, the metamodel mention Mål (Goals), Love og regler (Legislation and rules) and “Forret…” which I assume stands for Forretningsregler (Business Rules):

    oio-strategi

    In my view, Business Rules should not be located at the strategic level at all, so I obviously have issues with the metamodel. Like Uffe Donslund, our local BR-geek, I would argue that Business Rules primarily “belongs” to the Business sub-architecture domain.

    The metamodel at the strategic level should either way reflect several more concerns than it currently does. By comparison, the EA3 strategic metamodel is also focusing on Goals, but then has another scope by connecting to performance measures and investments:

    EA3-metamodel-strategy
    EA3 Metamodel for Strategy

    In the Common Approach to Federal Enterprise Architecture, the Strategy domain deals with a number of central questions:

    The questions that should be asked for this domain begin with “for what purpose does the enterprise exist” (usually expressed in the mission statement) and “what does the enterprise want to do and be known for” (often given in the vision statement). Include artifact – mapping of initiative to appropriate performance goals or objectives. The questions then move to “what are the primary goals (strategic goals) of the enterprise” and “what then are the strategic initiatives (ongoing programs or new projects) that will enable the enterprise to achieve those goals”, and “what are the measures of success (outcome measures) in each initiative area.”

    I have drafted the following model (omnigraffle source) to represent these questions (well, I twisted it a bit and sneaked in “Investment” from the EA3 model):

    ea3-strategy
    EA3 + Common Approach Strategy Metamodel

    I guess we should all consider adopting the Object Management Group‘s Business Motivation Model (BMM), the emerging standard in this field:

    BMM

    With BMM, we for example learn that goal amplifies vision.

     

  • Mastering the Enterprise

    ituIn September 2013, the IT University of Copenhagen opens a new Master of Science degree program in Digital Innovation and Management (Cand.it. E-Business). The program will offer three specialization tracks:

    • Process Innovation and New Business Models
    • Digital Governance and Enterprise Architecture
    • Global Relations and Work Processes

    The second track is of course “my” track. There are two course blocks in the specialization:

    • Enterprise Architecture (7,5 ECTS)
      This course introduces the basic concepts of Enterprise Architecture and examines its classification, taxonomy, models and framework. The following architecture domains will be covered: Business, information, technology, security, application, software, SOA and their inter-relationships as well as integration of domains and governance. Issues related to strategic planning of Enterprise Architecture, including implementation and planning will also be covered in the course.
    • Digital Governance (15 ECTS)
      This course introduce different frameworks for digital Governance in private and public organizations, and focuses on analyses how businesses and society deals with challenges and policy problems related to digital governance. The aim is to provide students with theoretical and practical knowledge to critically reflect on questions of governance and policy development in private companies and government agencies. Students will be exposed to leading thinkers and debates in the public, private and community sectors, and will develop capacities to enhance effectiveness in the workplace and gain a better understanding of the way governments and businesses operate. As part of the course the students are expected conduct a project on a course relevant topic.

    In addition to two foundational course, IT Foundations (7.5 ECTS) and Business & Management Foundations (7.5 ECTS), the program includes three open courses as well as three mandatory courses:

    • Navigating Complexity: Mapping, Visualization and Decision-making (15 ECTS)
    • Digital Accountability (7.5 ECTS)
    • Innovation and Technology in Society (7.5 ECTS)

    These candidates will become very attractive on the job market, I’m sure.

  • ResEArch positions

    The IT-university of Copenhagen has announced open positions as assistant and associate professors with the goal of strengthening research and teaching in the diverse area of innovation and information technology, also known as the Business Corner of the ITU Triangle Science-Arts-Business. Apply now! Also, please help spread this vacancy positing.

    From the call:

    Disciplinary or interdisciplinary backgrounds in fields such as Information Systems, Design Research, Information Studies, Science & Technology Studies, ethnographic studies of technology and innovation, Computer Supported Cooperative Work, Organizational Studies, Innovation research, Project and Program Management Research, and Enterprise Engineering are welcomed.

    Applicants will be expected to play a role in developing one or more of the following subject areas and to collaborate in an interdisciplinary environment:

    • Social science approaches to innovation and organization
    • Business and design anthropology
    • Socio-technical aspects in security and trust
    • Design of business processes and services
    • Global project management & global collaboration
    • Open innovation
    • Business analytics
    • Cooperate governance of IT
    • Enterprise Architecture
    • Requirements elicitation and engineering

    Qualification requirements
    Applicants must have a PhD or similar related to the above mentioned areas and fields, and the applicant most document his/her results with regard to research contributions, PhD supervision, teaching and curriculum development, external funding, and cooperation with partners (both within and outside of academia). Applicants at the associate level must have the ability to read/speak a Scandinavian language or the willingness to learn Danish.

    General information
    The IT University of Copenhagen (ITU) is a teaching and research-based tertiary institution concerned with information technology (IT) and the opportunities it offers. The IT University has more than 50 faculty members. Research and teaching in information technology span all academic activities which involve computers including computer science, information and media sciences, humanities and social sciences, business impact and the commercialisation of IT.

    Application deadline: 19 October, 2012 at 23:59.

    The full, official call for applications is here. You may also want to check our other vacancies.

     

  • Studying enterprise architecture and a few other things

    Here below is a list of titles of ongoing projects by students at the IT University.

    Most of the students are always interested in speaking with experts and practitioners in their areas, so if you are such and want to speak to students, let me know. If you are looking for a fresh graduate to hire, also let me know.

    I can connect you to specific students, but am also happy to arrange (virtual or local) seminars etc with relevant clusters of students. See also my unofficial ITU Enterprise program.

    • Portfolio management as a strategic lever
    • Architecture Frameworks and Value Creation.
    • An organic change mangement project – a systemic approach
    • Customer at the center – enterprise architecture in a media house
    • Agile Procurement in Government
    • BPMN in a public perspective
    • Digitilisation in a system theoretic perspective
    • EA in Greenland
    • EA in a public company
    • Evolving Business Process Management (BPM) Strategies in Enterprise Architecture (EA)
    • Free and discout CrewManagementIT
    • Policy for securing of It architecture, data and Intellectual property
    • Preanalysis of the business and design aspects related to developing a smartphone (web) app.
    • Project Portfolio Management in a Strategic Perspective
    • SAP NetWeaver Business Process Management Security Policies
    • Service Oriented Architechture (SOA) for a small business
    • Should one of the leading Faroese IT Enterprises have an IT strategy?
    • Strategy, Governance, and Enterprise Architecture in Private and Public Organizations
    • The single version of the truth
    • The value creation of IT-projects of the Capital Healthcare Region with focus emphasis on Enterprise Architechure
    • Analysis of Scrum in practice
    • Applied Enterprise Architecture in Ørestad Airways
    • Business Opportunities with Cloud Services
    • Strategisk IT i Koncernservice – EA med forhindringer
    • Private EA. versus public EA. – A comparative analysis
    • Digitalization in the name of democracy – potential and barriers
    • Establishing an effective project management for outsourcing projects
    • Producibility an Industry Paradigm: Reforming the Approach to Enterprise Architecture and Systems Integration
    • Public procurement of IT
    • Systematic Harnessing of Collective Intelligence and Web 2.0 on the Stock Market
    • A Case Study of Applied Enterprise Architecture

    Many organisations opening up for students require confidentiality agreements (NDAs), which is understandable and no problem administratively.

  • Not on behalf of me

    Around luchtime today, Danish Standards sent out a press announcement. I just found the English version: Danish Standards will change Danish vote:

    “On behalf of Denmark, Danish Standards has decided to change the vote on ISO/IEC DIS 29500 OOXML from ‘Disapproval with comments’ to a vote of ‘Approval’.”

    It is worth noting that the S142-U34 committee’s final recommendation to Danish Standards does not provide consensus on a change of the original Danish vote. That is made clear in a letter (in Danish) to Danish Standards from the committee chair, professor Mogens Kühn Pedersen.

  • That’s Some Business Case You Got There, Area 12

    Speaking of changes … the Danish central administration is facing some major changes.

    Yesterday, Computerworld broke the news (Gigantisk it-revolution pÃ¥ vej i staten): The government will establish two centralised, state-wide administrative service centres, one for IT service, and one for HR, travel admin, financial management, etc. Today, the Minister of Taxation came out and presented the IT service centre plan. Estimated savings: 425 million DKK annually, a lot of money compared to the US. Significant staff reductions are planned: In IT, from current 1.576 FTE to 1.132 over three years. The IT-consolidation will reduce today’s 4.000 servers to around 700.

    On Tuesday, the Minister of Finance presented the central government budget proposal for 2008, which enforces a 1% spending freeze. Hmm, guess they’ve read Kotter’s eight steps to change management, where step one is to create a sense of urgency for changes.

    Michael Karvø and other experts applauds the plan. And so do I. But just as Kim Viborg Andersen, professor at Copenhagen Business School, I do also see some if not many pitfalls and significant risk elements. The central government administration is a darn complex beast, and only rarely acts as one enterprise. On the other hand, over the past several years there has been many attempts at enterprise solutions at the state-wide level, especially with administrative services, so in some areas, these changes are just “natural” next steps towards “the state as an enterprise”.

    Been there, done that? Dorte Toft reminds us that it is barely a decade ago since the Danish state had its own, central IT-service centre, the Datacentralen, which was then sold out to CSC. Whether the new plan is in fact a revival of Datacentralen – Datacentralen 2.0? – is quite unclear to me. From what I can read (also I haven’t seen the actual proposal/report) the plan will not necessarily mean more insoucing and “home taking” of tasks and operations. It’s more about re-souring, if you want – moving tasks and operations from individual ministries and agencies to the new service centre.

    IMO, it’s a good strategy to go with Area 12 in this process of enterprising the state. “Area 12” is the call name for the service area called “Administration and Management” in the Government Business Reference Model, FORM, which the Ministry of Finance released late last year. FORM must now be seen as a very essential tool in the implementation of the plan, and I really hope the decision makers will understand that. Basically, they need to understand what is administrative IT and what’s not, and that is exactly what FORM can help with.

  • Denmark Says No With Comments

    It’s official: Denmark has voted No with Comments to ISO/IEC DIS 29500 OOXML. See Danish Standards’ press release (in Danish). They are submitting 64 pages of comments, and state that Denmark will work for an approval assuming the comments will be addressed.

    I’ve read through the comments, and find them balanced and thorough. It will require some substantial changes to EOOXML for it to address these comments. However, addressing the comments will also require changes to OpenDocument, because the gist of the comments is to ensure interoperability between the ISO document standards.

    Good thing so many companies have recently joined the various standards committees, because if ISO follows the Danish recommendations, lots of work is yet to be done.

  • Microsoft and Danish Government in New Identity Deal

    A year ago, my former collegue Søren Peter Nielsen wrote, on behalf of the Danish government, a letter to Microsoft. Seems he got a response, and I’m sure it’ll interest XMLGrrl and many others, that an announcement was made yesterday: Agreement between the National IT and Telecom Agency and Microsoft: Agreement concerning partial support of the SAML 2.0 standard.

    “The ongoing dialog between the National IT and Telecom Agency and Microsoft has resulted in an agreement on partial support of the SAML 2.0 standard in Microsoft’s forthcoming version of their federation product named Active Directory Federation Services 2”, the agency writes.

    The text agreed upon is as follows:

    “The Danish public sector has chosen SAML 2.0 as their federation standard. Microsoft products use WS-Federation and WS-Trust as the foundation of their federated identity architecture. The Danish government has agreed that the SAML 2.0 token format is sufficient to provide basic interoperability between WS-Federation and SAML 2.0 environments as a common assertion format, without loss of authentication integrity.

    To support interoperability between WS-Federation and SAML 2.0 based products Microsoft has agreed to support the SAML 2.0 token format in the future release of Active Directory Federation Services code-named Active Directory Federation Services “2”. Microsoft will provide the Danish public sector Centre of Service Oriented Infrastructure with pre-release code to help analysis and planning of solutions for integrating WS-Federation-based clients in the Danish federation, and to collect feedback on the feature implementation.

    In addition, the co-authors of WS-Federation (including Microsoft) have submitted the specification to OASIS for standardization. This step further enables interoperability between federated environments that deploy SAML 2.0-based products and those that deploy WS-Federation-based products.”

    In commenting the agreement, the agency writes: “With this agreement a possibility for inclusion of Microsoft based clients in a common public SAML 2.0 based federation has opened”, and notes:

    The integration will require the standard based login solutions to be expanded with a special integration code. The solution is therefore a pragmatic tactical integration solution, but with the above-mentioned partial SAML 2.0 support from Microsoft it is expected that the integration can be done without influencing the individual “Microsoft Active Directory Federation Service” user organizations.

    The agency notes that more iinformation on the concrete possibilities will be published as the National IT and Telecom Agency’s Centre for Service Oriented Infrastructure receives pre-release code from Microsoft that can be integration tested.
    The agency elaborates a bit more on the deal:

    It is still desired, that Microsoft support all of the SAML 2.0 standard in their products, but the above-mentioned agreement are a good first step towards more convergence among standards for transverse user management.

    The National IT and Telecom Agency also sees the filing of the WS-Federation (WS-FED) specification for standardization in OASIS as a step that can promote convergence among federation standards.

    It should be stressed that it does not mean that the WS-Federation specification is recommended equally to SAML 2.0 for common public solutions.

    When the results of the standardization with WS-Federation become available (expectedly in the end of 2008) it might be relevant to do a new assessment but for now the SAML 2.0 it is still the only standard, which is recommended as a federation standard for Danish common public solutions.

    So, there we have it.

    I want to congratulate Søren Peter on a job well done. Stand firm on SAML 2.0, the open ecosystem needs it. And thanks to Microsoft for listening to customers (but why only partial support?).

  • Hiser in Danish, and now in English

    I wrote a Danish article in Version2 published yesterday. Here is my translation:

    Danish Document Controversy Raises International Concerns

    OpenDocument Foudation is very concerned about the development in Denmark. Moreover, the organisation is readying a plugin that will make it even easier to use the ODF-format.

    John Gøtze

    The awareness of the political initiatives around the usage of open standards reaches beyond Denmark.

    “Denmark needs a winning attitude, but this policy is appeasement”, comments Sam Hiser, Director of Business Affairs in OpenDocument Foundation, an organization promoting and supporting ODF.

    Sam Hiser is following the international development around ODF closely, and is not pleased with what he hears from Denmark.

    “Denmark’s dual format policy is one of the more depressing events in recent months”, he says.

    “It sets a precedent for compromise that paints Danish agencies into a corner,” he argues.

    Hiser proposes that the Danish policy should above all permit CIOs to do the necessary business process re-engineering to get away from the control of tMicrosoft.

    “We’ve always thought our conception of an ODF Plugin for MS Office as being among Microsoft’s worst nightmares. And that it is. Something which goes into Windows XP/Office and permits native file open, edits and save as ODF is going to be very interesting”, Hiser tells about the ODF Foundation’s plugin.

    There are other ODF-plugins to Microsoft Office. First, Sun’s Plugin for MS Office, which produces an OpenOffice-equivalent conversion to ODF. Second, the Microsoft/Clever Age/Novell Plugin for Office 2007.

    The OpenDocument Foundation calls their ODF Plugin for Microsoft Office “da Vinci”, but is not yet an finished product.

    Hiser explains that the da Vinci plugin has two elements the others do not. First, it has a ODF InfoSet API for server-side integration with the ODF Plugin for MS Office. Second, it has a ODF Feature-Set Wizard to help organizations govern the features in their office files.

    Hiser explains that the OpenDocument Foundation’s plugin will ensure vendor independence when developing applications that use the document data.

    Thanks, Sam!