I used these slides to teach a class of 70 students from the Post Graduate Diploma and the Masters Programme in Information Systems, in the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. August, 2008

1. Understanding Interoperability through Mobile Phones

2. Scenario ­ One

3. mobile phones
Different manufacturers ­ >
Different Hardware ­ >
Different Software ­ >
Different Service providers ­ >
Image source: www.techmantra.info

4. mobile phones
Call/SMS ­ >
Image source: www.techmantra.info

5. mobile phones
Interoperability
Call/SMS ­ >
Image source: www.techmantra.info

6. Scenario ­ Two

7. mobile phones
Low Battery ­ >

8. mobile phones
Low Battery ­ >

9. mobile phones
Low Battery ­ >

10. mobile phones
No interoperability
Low Battery ­ >

11. mobile phones
Solution?
Low Battery ­ >

12.
Source: http://flickr.com/photos/hudsonfamily/1345296434/

13. Solution???
Source: http://flickr.com/photos/hudsonfamily/1345296434/

14. Standards!
Source: http://flickr.com/photos/hudsonfamily/1345296434/

15. Standards!
What to standardize?
Source: http://flickr.com/photos/hudsonfamily/1345296434/

16. Standards!
What to standardize?
How much to standardize?
Source: http://flickr.com/photos/hudsonfamily/1345296434/

17. Standards!
What to standardize?
How much to standardize?
Source: http://flickr.com/photos/hudsonfamily/1345296434/

18. Interoperability: a balancing act!
Standardization and Variability

19.
Standardization
Variability

20. High
Standardization
Interoperability
Low
Variability

21. High More you standardize: easier it is to make systems 'talk' with
each other.
Standardization
Interoperability
Low
Variability

22. High More you standardize: easier it is to make systems 'talk' with
each other.
But, there is a catch!
Standardization
Interoperability
Low
Variability

23. High More you standardize: easier it is to make systems 'talk' with
each other.
But, there is a catch!
Results in a 'homogeneous system': 'Obvious Interoperability'
Standardization
Interoperability
Low
Variability

24. High More you standardize: easier it is to make systems 'talk' with
each other.
But, there is a catch!
Results in a 'homogeneous system': 'Obvious Interoperability'
Standardization
The real challenge is to remain 'different' but still be able to 'talk'
to each other!
Interoperability
Low
Variability

25.
Standardization
Variability

26. High
Standardization
Interoperability
Low
Variability

27. High
Standardization
Interoperability with middle­tier (adapter) tech
Interoperability
Low
Variability

28. Example of Interoperability with middle­tier (adapter) tech

29. Source: http://users.pandora.be/worldstandards/electricity.htm

30. Source: http://users.pandora.be/worldstandards/electricity.htm
Source: www.nokia­asia.com/link?cid=EDITORIAL_251325

31. Source: http://users.pandora.be/worldstandards/electricity.htm
Source: www.nokia­asia.com/link?cid=EDITORIAL_251325

32. Adapter
Source: http://users.pandora.be/worldstandards/electricity.htm
Source: www.nokia­asia.com/link?cid=EDITORIAL_251325

33. Interoperability with middle­tier (adapter) tech
Standardization
Interoperability without middle­tier tech
Variability