Big Payoff From Web Services Hinges On Software Blueprint; Developers Adopt Standards; Software firms, customers will both need to change their approach to programs.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)

Byline: J. BONASIA

With the advent of Web services, information technology managers face one of their biggest challenges in software history -- and one of their biggest opportunities.

For the first time ever, software makers are adopting broad standards that let diverse computer systems easily share data and programs over the Web. The business benefits of such a breakthrough are expected to be huge. But one thing is certain: The standards by themselves are not enough to get the job done.

For Web services to really take off, they'll require new thinking about how software systems are designed, built and managed. And IT chiefs will have to change the way they plan tech purchases.

Through the years, …