Frameworx Solution Conformance Certification
Recognizing that the industry will increasingly be able to choose from discrete products and pre-integration off-the-shelf solutions, the TM Forum has introduced the Solution Conformance Assessment. Suppliers, vendors, and systems integrators can validate their solutions against these TM Forum Frameworx standards and best practices: Business Process Framework (eTOM) and Information Framework (SID). The results help determine the extent to which the solution is consistent with best-in-class industry standards and identify areas for improvement.
This assessment is specifically focused on a supplier’s solution processes and interfaces. For the purposes of this assessment a solution must meet the following criteria:
- A solution is focused on providing a pre-integrated solution to a specific business opportunity/challenge.
- A solution must be developed by a single supplier, and can cover processes that span more than one domain, e.g. CRM, Billing, Order Management, Provisioning, Activation, Inventory.
- A solution must consist of a full set of supporting products and/or parts of products, which when combined together provide the solution.
- A solution must be an off-the-shelf orderable item, which appears in a supplier's catalog and which consists of a defined set of products. Bespoke implementations for specific customers do not qualify as solutions.
- The Solution Conformance assessment is carried out against both the Business Process Framework and Information Framework.
Implementation of Frameworx standards and best practices allows the supplier to maximize the return on development investment and ease integration with their customer’s business architecture—critical enablers to successfully address the imperatives of today’s dynamic business environment. Solution conformance to TM Forum Frameworx also enables service providers—their customers—to significantly reduce their operational costs and improve business agility.
Frameworx solution conformance certification is only issued against individual solutions and processes, not companies or individuals. For a full list of assessed solutions and their assessment results see Solution Assessment Results.
Importantly, the assessment results provide an objective view of the solution’s conformance that can be used to market and sell the solution to the growing number of Service Providers demanding Frameworx conformance.
The benefits from a supplier perspective include:
- Conformance Certification reduces the cost of responding to RFx requests by providing a standard, industry-agreed view of conformance to the Frameworx Business Process and Information models.
- Conformance Certification reduces sales time and makes it easier to understand customer requirements by providing a clear mapping of product features to service provider business needs, as defined by the Frameworx Business Process model.
- Gaining Frameworx Conformance Certification demonstrates real commitment to enabling an open and vibrant market of conformant, ‘plug and play’ service management solutions for the industry, and acts as a differentiator.
- Conformance Certification enables successful partnerships with other suppliers by providing an easy-to-understand view of product/solution capabilities and integration options.
- Conformance Certification reduces the risk associated with complex integration projects by providing the detailed information required to develop an integration roadmap.
The benefits from a service provider perspective include:
- Conformance Certification brings confidence to the procurement process for service providers by providing a common language to clearly understand a product’s/solution’s capabilities.
- Conformance Certification reduces the cycle-time and cost associated with procurement by defining a consistent approach to the Request For x (RFx) process.
- Conformance Certification reduces the risks and costs associated with implementation of new systems by simplifying assessment of integration cost prior to purchase.
- Conformance Certification reduces the cost of integration by providing the detailed information required to develop an integration roadmap.
Business Process Framework (eTOM) is the industry's common business and functional process architecture. Information Framework (SID) also a Frameworx component, provides a common reference model for Enterprise information that service providers, software providers, and systems integrators use to describe management information. Providing consistent data definitions and models speeds development and improves communication between Service Provider and Supplier, as well as between interoperating Suppliers.
The Conformance Certification Assessment process is described here.
Frameworx Solution Conformance Certification is only issued against solutions and not companies or individuals.
Report Misuse: Frameworx conformance is an important part of enabling the communications industry to maintain profitability as it migrates to new services and new business models. Gaining the conformance mark represents a significant investment by both suppliers and service providers. If you feel a company is misusing the conformance mark then please let us know at conformance@tmforum.org.