Implementing SOA projects is not only designing processes and implementing them with Oracle SOA with BPEL, ESB or Human Workflow. In general there are still data-entry screens to be designed and maintained.
From the past customers were using 4GL tools, such as Oracle Designer/Forms tools to generate the data-entry screens. Nowadays, we are using tools such as Oracle ADF Faces to do the same.
I often hear, how does this fit in a SOA Architecture? For Forms/Designer applications there are migration paths to go to a web oriented approach with Oracle ADF Faces and JHeadstart. Applications that stay on the traditional technology stack, can implement another approach.
Customers that are already using or have migrated to this Oracle ADF technology stack must only implement SOA. It sounds simple but some work has to be done. There is a way to use JHeadstart to implement Oracle SOA Webservices (BPEL/ESB) or the Human Worflow into the web application. A nice article on this issue is written on the JHeadstart Blog.
The trick is as follows. With JDeveloper, create a Java wrapper arround your web services or use the Workflow API. With these java classes you create an Oracle ADF view object. This view object can be used in Oracle ADF, using drag and drop to create your screens or use JHeadstart to generate the screens.
