A service-oriented framework for collating retail intelligence

This paper presents a case study that explores the impact of a software development project on a Small to Medium Enterprise in the United Kingdom as a means of delivering improved understanding of data in the retail sector. In this paper, the link between the actions undertaken by management in retail and the relationship with the environment provided by IT systems is considered. Many retailers in the United Kingdom make use of sensor devices to understand the behaviour of their customers. As retail outlets grow over a period of time, the diversity of sensor devices may change as new devices are installed. Equally, outlets that are operated within retail groups will collect and store data locally. As a consequence, management within the retail sector face a number of challenges to understand the operation of individual outlets and the holistic performance of retail chains. As a result, both the IT systems and also the working practices employed to complete the day to day tasks essential to meet the needs of a retailer's customers rapidly become unfit for purpose. The case study considered in this paper reviews the requisite practices adopted by a service provider in the business intelligence sector, and the positive impact that the company realised through the re-engineering of both IT systems and business workflows. This paper demonstrates the efficacy of applying current software engineering methods to the redesign of IT-based business practices as opposed to more traditional approaches.