imized to their task, and can provide very high-levels of scalability. The utility of such a manager versus a broader workflow manager is highly dependent on the OSS architecture being deployed. If the intra-application workflow managers and the functionality provided by the applications themselves meet all the IIC's requirements, then there is no need for a broader capability. Conversely, if there are functionality gaps that can be filled by adding supplemental work queues and task management, then a more functionally rich workflow manager may be required. 15.3 What Kind of Skills Do I Need to Deploy EAI? As much as EAI projects are technically intense, the real challenge lies in analysis and testing. As we have discussed, configuring an EAI environment requires as much, or more, understanding of an IIC's business as it does the The Ultimate Guide to Building and Delivering OSS/BSS technology involved. As a result, implementing EAI requires a specific set of skills, combining business and technical acumen. To even consider an EAI approach, an IIC must have analysts on hand who understand its processes and, more importantly, understand how those processes must change in the EAI environment. Earlier, we discussed the many transaction flows that must occur to achieve specific business and integration goals. We also discussed the importance of disciplined business processes necessary to support and augment EAI. A successful EAI implementation is dependent on the IIC's ability to merge its understanding of its own business with the EAI technologies and processes it attempts to employ. This understanding will manifest itself in the process and data models the IIC uses to achieve integration. With the business side of EAI covered, an IIC needs application knowledge to make EAI work. As we have discussed, perhaps the greatest technical challenge involved with EAI is mapping data, processes and functions among multiple applications. Once the key decisions are made as to how processes should flow, and which applications w