Toward an acceptable definition of service [service-oriented architecture]

The methodologies such as extreme programming and the Rational Unified Process claim that they work with service-oriented architecture, but neither was designed with SOA in mind. Both predominately focuses on a project's delivery, not on the system's initial conceptualization. For service definition to succeed, there must be tooled support for the automatic flow of information among architects, designers, developers, maintainers, and, most importantly, the client. XML and Web service standards are helping architects improve the definition of service and provide a consistent framework for realizing service-oriented architecture's promises.