One of the biggest challenges I feel that we (Microsoft) face in showcasing the "value" of architecting/developing Office Business Applications is providing what I'll call "solid reference implementations" along the lines of Duwamish Books, Fitch and Mather, Global Bank, LitwareHR, other many other solutions we've released.  Sure, we have the OBA Reference Architecture Packs (OBA RAPs), but, by definition, they are meant to serve as simple examples of how to leverage the OBA pattern to address a given business scenario.  However, where I think they are lacking is in providing sound guidance and implementation practices around many of the architectural and implementation challenges many organizations face today in trying to deliver business value to their users.  Many organizations today are asking questions like:

• What are good practices for securing our OBA solution?
• What are good practices for integrating with other Line-Of-Business (LOB) applications and how do we take advantage of other Microsoft integration technologies in order to accomplish this?
• What are good practices for implementing other Microsoft platform technologies and services like Windows Live Services (Live ID, Virtual Earth, etc) and UX technologies like Microsoft Silverlight and WPF?  And, more importantly, WHEN should they be used?
• What are good implementation strategies for building addressing scability and performance challenges in your solution design?
• What are some common implementation patterns that allow for changes in business objectices and requirements and changes in technology?

and tons more.  So my question to you, dear reader, is what would you like to see in an OBA reference implementation?  Is something like Duwamish too much?  Are the OBA RAPs a step in the right direction?  This is an opportunity for you to be heard.

OBA Resources

• OBA Overview
• Office Business Applications Developer Portal
• Office Business Applications (OBA) Architecture Center
• OBACentral.com

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