http://www.soamag.com The SOA Magazine is a monthly online publication provided by SOA Systems Inc. and Prentice Hall/PearsonPTR and is officially associated with the "Prentice Hall Service-Oriented Computing Series from Thomas Erl." SOA en-us Copyright 2006-2010, SOA Systems Inc. http://www.soamag.com/I40/0610-2.php Effective governance is a critical element in fostering a successful SOA initiative. SOA promises to deliver a number of important business benefits, including faster time-to-market, lower costs, better consistency, and increased agility. But with great benefits come high risks. SOA requires fundamental changes to the planning, development, and operation of application systems, and it requires new levels of collaboration among project teams within the IT department and across lines of business. In fact, current IT practices, which typically focus on individual projects, time-to-market, and cost containment, frequently discourage SOA adoption. SOA governance helps the organization succeed with SOA by mitigating these risks through established rules, processes, and decision-making authority. A SOA governance program helps people do things according to the organization's goals and best practices. An effective governance program empowers people to handle ambiguity, balance short- and long-range goals, and reduce conflict within the organization. This following article (an excerpt from the upcoming book "SOA Governance" as part of the Prentice Hall Service-Oriented Computing Series from Thomas Erl) provides an introduction to governance, explains how it works, and differentiates it from management. You will find this content useful if you have not been involved in establishing a governance program before or if you would like to gain another perspective on the mechanics of governance... SOA http://www.soamag.com/contributors/bio-athomasmanes.php#When:04.01.