SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTATION METHODOLOGY (SIM)
Introduction
SIM is our standard method of implementing our software. It is designed to rapidly deploy the software to the client to achieve the project’s objective. It is an approach that clearly defines the project objectives, how and when it will be achieved.
Design Philosophy
SIM is designed to ensure that the client’s business processes are aligned properly to the configuration of software in order to maximise the system’s value, usage and returns on investment. The success of the implementation of an application software depends on many factors: people and organizational issues, the software product, change management, process realignment, training, and technical design. Some of these factors depend on the software product and others do not. These understandings lead to the design philosophy of SIM, which are based people, processes, software product and their alignment:
- People: This refers to the people directly involved in the implementation and the associated issues that crop up when new software is being implemented in an organization such as change management. Our method includes a continuous communication system that encourages people to share information and responsibility for the success of the project.
- Process: Software products are all about business processes. SIM provides a model for analysing the current core business functions(/processes), performing gap analysis between the client processes and the operations in software, identifies the required changes in the system, how to manage them and realign the processes in line with the objectives, goals and mission of the organisation. This requires management commitment; on-going support, control and monitoring that would achieve rapid implementation and return on investment.
- Product: Our software has many modules that are integrated together. The best and safe method to implement it is module by module. Our consultants have a good understanding of our software capabilities and necessary technical skills to deploy it to our clients.
Project Management Team Structure
The implementation is done at client site by our team. During the implementation, one point interface is maintained between the client and us. The interface is the Project Leader (PL).
It is recommended that the client should have a Central Coordinator (CC) or Project Director for the entire project. This is very essential because the CC is the main driver of the entire project. Also, there is the need to establish Core Teams (CT) from the respective departments where the modules will be implemented. Depending on the size of the project, a Project Team (PT) may be constituted to comprise the CC, representatives of the CTs and any other member as required. Finally, it is assumed that the client has an information technology unit with some staff that has some level of technical capability to receive and manage the software product; this staff will be referred to as the IT Team (ITT).