Patent ID: 7533026

Claim:
A memory for storing data to be accessed by a service development tool, said memory comprising: a data structure stored in said memory, said data structure representing an in-house or outsourced service and defining a service element providing at least part of a design specification usable in constructing a service by a service provider and including: a composition section comprising a list of components included in the service element and quantity of each component; a cost case section comprising a cost case of the service element, said cost case including an indication of quantity of the one or more composition items of the service element and cost to the service provider of the one or more composition items; a dependency section comprising one or more functional dependencies of the service element to at least one other service element required for the service element to function; an integration property section comprising one or more integration properties of the service element, the integration properties defining a relationship between the service element and other service elements to be possibly integrated into the service element and each integration property being one of a compatible integration, a standard integration, a manual integration, or a prohibited integration, wherein compatible integration comprises a list of at least one other service element that the service element is compatible with, standard integration comprises a list of at least one other service element that the service element integrates with by parametric integration, manual integration comprises a list of at least one other service element that the service element integrates with by programmable integration, and prohibited integration comprises a list of at least one other service element with which the service element is mutually exclusive; a customization section comprising one or more customization specifications of the service element; a design section comprising one or more design characteristics of the service element; a development plan section comprising a functional specification, design and test plan for the service element; a deployment plan section comprising a specification for service element deployment; and a cross-reference table representing relationship of the service element to one or more other service elements of a plurality of service elements being managed, wherein said cross-reference table includes reference to the at least one other service element required for the service element to function.