There are three actors in the scenario supported by the architecture,the ISV, the subscribers, and the surveyors.
Tailspin – the ISV
Tailspin has developed a multi-tenant, Software as a Service (SaaS) application named Surveys that it runs in the cloud. A range of subscribers—from individuals, through small companies, to large enterprises— uses the Surveys service to run custom surveys. Tailspin has also developed the mobile client application for Windows Phone 7 devices described in this guide that it makes available to surveyors through Windows Marketplace for Mobile.
Fabrikam and Adatum – the Subscribers
In the scenario, Fabrikam and Adatum are also fictitious companies who play the role of subscribers to the Surveys service. They design and launch surveys using the Surveys service, wait for responses, and then analyze the results that the Surveys application collects.
The Surveyors – Windows Phone 7 Users
The surveyors, who typically work from home, subscribe to surveys based on a predefined criteria and are notified when new surveys are published. Using a Windows Phone 7 device, they can either answer the survey questions themselves, or they can interview other people and use the device to capture the survey response data. For example, a surveyor could use the device to record traffic patterns at different times of the day or to go door-to-door collecting survey responses.