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How does the product spec hierarchy translate to product order in TMF622

  • 1.  How does the product spec hierarchy translate to product order in TMF622

    Posted Nov 13, 2020 14:02
    The given example in TMF622 specification guide shows bundle offer and corresponding handling of product order. Is there an example for composite specification which has children specification. Should it create separate entries with order item relationship or use hierarchy of creating a nested order item. E.g. If I have a bundle offer with 2 mobile services in it. There are multiple ways to create product order structure.

    Blue are Product Offer and Green are product specification. So this is bundle offer with 2 children offers, one as main mobile offer and other as Add-on mobile offer.

    1) Option 1, Create each specification as individual order item and create relationship between order items. Also will there be any product relationship in this case?

    Order Item

    Order Action

    Product Offer

    Product Spec

    Order Item Relationship

    Product Relationship

    Child Order Item

    100

    Add

    Mobile Family Bundle Offer

    Bundle (101,102)

    101

    Add

    Mobile Offer

    10GB Data, Unlimited Spec

    Relies On (103)

    103

    Add

    Mobile Telephony

    ?

    102

    Add

    Add-On Mobile offer

    Shared Data, unlimited Call Spec

    Relies On (104)

    104

    Add

    Mobile Telephony

    ?

    Option 2 - Child product specification is created as child order item in product order item.

    Order Item

    Order Action

    Product Offer

    Product Spec

    Order Item Relationship

    Product Relationship

    Child Order Item (nested child in this order

    100

    Add

    Mobile Family Bundle Offer

    Bundle (101,102)

    101

    Add

    Mobile Offer

    10GB Data, Unlimited Spec

    Order Item 103 nested in this

    103

    Add

    Mobile Telephony

    102

    Add

    Add-On Mobile offer

    Shared Data, unlimited Call Spec

    Order Item 104 nested in this

    104

    Add

    Mobile Telephony

    Does TM Forum suggest to use one option on other? Also what is best example of using ProductRelationship? That may be more appropriate for change order where we already have instance id of products?

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    Somesh Batra
    Pegasystems, Inc.
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  • 2.  RE: How does the product spec hierarchy translate to product order in TMF622

    TM Forum Member
    Posted Nov 16, 2020 02:46
    Hi Somesh
    I don't think that there is a clear answer, but I would recommend the following:
    • For a specification (within a bundling spec) that is immutable when instantiating (i.e. no characteristicspec with configurable set to true) I would not bother instantiating an order item
    • For a specification (within a bundling spec) that can be adjusted (i.e. at least one characteristicspec with configurable set to true) you should instantiate an order item, to reflect the fact that something is being requested here
    • In any case, I suggest not to create separate orders with relationships, when instantiating an order from a bundled offering.
    Regarding product relationships, you would set these up to represent a commercial or technical connection between products, such as the fact that TV depends on Broadband (for example), even when the two were purchased completely independently.

    @Ludovic Robert might want to add here.

    Hope it helps​

    ------------------------------
    Jonathan Goldberg
    Amdocs Management Limited
    Any opinions and statements made by me on this forum are purely personal, and do not necessarily reflect the position of the TM Forum or my employer.
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  • 3.  RE: How does the product spec hierarchy translate to product order in TMF622

    TM Forum Member
    Posted Nov 16, 2020 06:03
    We are developing some best practice guides in this space 
    You might like to look at


    ------------------------------
    Dave Milham
    TM Forum Chief ArchItect
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  • 4.  RE: How does the product spec hierarchy translate to product order in TMF622

    Posted Nov 22, 2020 13:59
    @Dave Milham the descrubed example ​in ODA document doesn't show the hierarchy at productSpecification side, but just flat PS structure. Is there any other document showing a 3p or 4p product having this composition at PS level? 

    @Ludovic Robert can we have your view here? 

    ------------------------------
    ------------------------------
    SANTIAGO LORENTE JURADO
    Pegasystems, Inc.
    Any opinions and statements made by me on this forum are purely personal, and do not necessarily reflect the position of the TM Forum or my employer.
    ------------------------------
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: How does the product spec hierarchy translate to product order in TMF622

    TM Forum Member
    Posted Nov 24, 2020 15:42
    My understanding it that is actually the point in IGS1223 . The best practice proposed ( form Orange and BT) is not to do composition at the PS level . Reasons is the way the mapping between Product Spec and Customer Facing  Services are defined to avoid coupling between production ( factory) and the commercial Product Offering . Composition is recommended  at the Product Offering level . Product Offering are what is sold and hence that which can be ordered.
    See fig 4.5 and text that has been added in the last week to IG1233 ODA Core Commerce Production Decoupling - Product Service modelling best practice (ODA-584)
    BTW this an ODA recommendation . PS composition is permitted in the Information Frameworks whcih is why this is an ODA Best Practice not a standard.

    ------------------------------
    Dave Milham
    TM Forum Chief ArchItect
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: How does the product spec hierarchy translate to product order in TMF622

    Posted Nov 25, 2020 04:44
    Thanks Dave. 
           I checked figure 4.5 and it is a good practice. However, for clarity, we should apply the analysis it to fig. 4.1.4 or even better to a full 3/4P package. This will confirm how the best practices support more complex configurations.

    CHeers.

    ------------------------------
    ------------------------------
    SANTIAGO LORENTE JURADO
    Pegasystems, Inc.
    Any opinions and statements made by me on this forum are purely personal, and do not necessarily reflect the position of the TM Forum or my employer.
    ------------------------------
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: How does the product spec hierarchy translate to product order in TMF622

    TM Forum Member
    Posted Nov 25, 2020 09:26
    I'll raise this suggestion  with @Sylvie Demarest  on the ODA solution Guide call tomorrow .

    ------------------------------
    Dave Milham
    TM Forum Chief ArchItect
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  • 8.  RE: How does the product spec hierarchy translate to product order in TMF622

    Posted Nov 25, 2020 13:10
    Thanks you Dave, it will be really usefull an will test the limits ;-)

    ------------------------------
    ------------------------------
    SANTIAGO LORENTE JURADO
    Pegasystems, Inc.
    Any opinions and statements made by me on this forum are purely personal, and do not necessarily reflect the position of the TM Forum or my employer.
    ------------------------------
    ------------------------------



  • 9.  RE: How does the product spec hierarchy translate to product order in TMF622
    Best Answer

    TM Forum Member
    Posted Nov 16, 2020 10:44
    Hi Somesh,

    From my experience using the tmf622, I would say:
    * There are 2 ways to represent product structures (maybe some other members have additional ways...):
    A) use OrderItemRelationship - your Option 1)
    B) use ProductRelationship your Option 2) BUT your exampe would need (in my opinion) following correction:
    - OI 103 & OI104 would not exist!
    - Mobile Offer & Add-on Mobile Offer would be represented as ProductValue
    - Mobile Telephony would be part of  OI 101 & 102 over ProductValue/ProductRelationship

    That highlights the key difference: 
    * In A) / Option1) you can define an action for each product component = order item AND more importantly in a modify use case, you can isolate the components to be modfied in the product structures -> you could even avoid to carry along the whole product configuration with each order (if your Order Management supports such capabilities)
    * In B) / Option2) you cannot define an action for each product component; you would then need to define the action at the top level item 

    My general preference goes clearly to A) Option1) as it is the more generic / powerfull approach, but also considering a mix with B) / Option2) (without sub-OrderItems) for those product components which cannot be modified independently. 

    Hope that helps.

    Best regards,
    Iwan Gramatikoff
    Edelweiss Service Consulting


    ------------------------------
    Iwan Gramatikoff
    Edelweiss Service Consulting SàRL
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  • 10.  RE: How does the product spec hierarchy translate to product order in TMF622

    Posted Nov 17, 2020 07:59
    Option 2 is  the better option with slight changes.
    Mobile Family Bundle with Child offers and child PS as given below with the cardinality rules
    1. Mobile telephony (1:1 relationship)
    2. Data 10 G  (1:1 relationship / 0:1 relationship - as the case may be)
    3. Data shared (0:1 relationship)

    The Product Order API will have the above line items with the actions codes ADD against each one

    More than the API structure, the reusability of the child offers and PS in other bundles should be one important criterion that should determine your modelling practices.

    Regards,


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    Sri Jagadish Baddukonda
    Sigma Systems
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