Whether you work in the IT field or you use a company's technology solution as a consumer of its goods or services, it is likely that you have experienced the result of an enterprise application integration (EAI) project. Banking and other financial services, social networks and other Web 2.0 sites, e-commerce and ground-based retail, utilities, education, healthcare services, manufacturing, even professional sportsall of these industries and more rely on EAI projects to further their business goals and provide improved services to their customers.

Consider a professional or personal experience you've had with, or resulting from, a company's EAI effort, such as those that might be encountered as a result of a company merger, an effort to streamline IT operations, or an attempt to offer better services to you as a consumer.

Begin your response by describing your EAI scenario. Be sure to include your role or perspective on this project. Were you a participant in the project, a consumer of the project's result, or both? In your opinion, why did the company take on this effort? What business strategies might the company be supporting by integrating its technologies? Assess the potential benefits and challenges of this effort from both the company's perspective and from yours. What factors would lead you to consider the EAI project to be successful or unsuccessful? Be sure to provide specific examples and evidence supporting your conclusions.