Case for an explicit co-ordination layer in modern business information systems architectures

Modern business information systems need to support the co-ordination of people and existing software tools in addressing organisational goals. This must be done in an adaptable manner to cope with the inevitable changes of organisational goals, and in the ways of achieving them. An explicit co-ordination layer in a systems architecture embodies this notion of loose integration. It provides a component which models the current state of organisational processes, and manages the interaction between other components. This provides integration on an as-needed basis and encourages the co-evolution of the organisation and its information systems. The potential of a co-ordination layer is illustrated through scenarios from the health care domain