Delivery Services

Solution Design

The solution delivery cycle starts with Solution Design, taking the "To Be" Process and Requirements specifications and preparing a "look and feel" conceptual design including user interfaces, business logic, data models, reporting layouts and security schemes. We'll use Object Oriented Design (OOD) principles and methodologies when appropriate, including the development of Use Case scenarios. The design will typically be developed "on paper" first, but may also be developed to "conference room pilot" level using appropriate proof-of-concept technology. While the format of the final design may vary, it?s purpose is universal:

a clear representation of system functionality to a level of detail which allows user validation, thereby avoiding expensive system configuration and programming rework.

The designs are iteratively constructed and presented to key people in various forms for review and feedback. Once confirmed, the logical design is translated to a technical design that will document the system for future technical reference, provide the basis for training development, and act as the detailed technical specifications for full system build-out.

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Solution Build

Taking the specifications developed during Solution Design, the solution is physically constructed. Each technical unit of work is developed and thoroughly tested, ensuring that quality is "built in" to the solution at every level. The business requirement is "traced" to the system functionality implemented to meet the requirement and key system users assist in performing testing to ensure functionality performs as desired and to elicit user feedback and acceptance.

Every technical unit is developed in tandem with your own technical people to ensure that technical tools, design and decisions made are fully understood along the way, and that your people can support the full solution once we leave.

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Configuration Management

This may sound complicated but it's not. If you've ever had the unwelcome experience of a remote application support person dialing into your critical application, implementing changes without telling you what they've done, then telling you "everything's OK", you'll appreciate why Configuration Management is important.

A well planned and executed Configuration Management plan ensures that any changes to approved solution designs are thoroughly documented, tested, well communicated and incorporated into resulting system functionality in a controlled fashion.

Sometimes referred to as Change Control, Configuration Management ensures that the delivered solution does not deviate from your approved scope, requirements and solution design.

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Solution Testing

As design and physical build progresses, testing and user acceptance plans are created. These plans and the timing of these activities can vary greatly from client to client, depending on past practice, user competencies, business environment, etc, but the end deliverables are universal:

Creation and effective completion of an exhaustive set of test activities designed to ensure the delivered solution meets stated requirements and supports business process.

Incremental to unit testing performed during the Build phase, which focuses on discrete units of functionality, Solution and Acceptance Testing is designed to test "end to end" support of business capabilities. This type of testing not only validates integrated system functionality, but ensures that users fully accept the final solution before "go live".

We develop test scripts so that they can be easily validated against business requirements by the users of your solution, and can be updated to incorporate future system functionality so that they can be reused to validate systems after upgrades and revisions.

Agilence LLC has supported system and acceptance testing development for a variety of clients in highly regulated industries where such activities are governed by federal, state and industry standards organizations. We know how to design tests that are thorough, which cover exception processes that are often missed, which meet the rigorous standards of regulatory guidelines and that can be efficiently and repeatedly executed.

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Training

Once Solution Design is completed and approved, training planning can begin. Existing training tools and techniques are considered, training audiences identified, and a training strategy is developed. The Training plan will be complimentary to a Change Management program of work that should accompany any major solution implementation. Materials developed in the Solution and Acceptance Testing phase quite often serve as useful training material, as does actively encouraging end users to assist in training activities. The goal of Training is to ensure that:

your people are competent with the new functionality and can and will use the new technology as it is intended to be used

the functionality is documented clearly and effectively

your people know how to access training materials and solution documentation

the documentation is incorporated into existing training materials to support future users of the system

Agilence LLC will work with you to develop high quality, effective and, most importantly, re-usable training materials that can grow as your business and supporting system architecture grows.

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Data Migration

Data migration encompasses the activities required to import critical data from existing (legacy) business information systems or in hard copy files into the new system being implemented. Analysis is conducted to identify the legacy information that must be available in order to support system requirements, and legacy information that is convenient to have imported but not critical to system functionality. Migration strategies are identified and developed based on data complexity and volume, and methods to ensure accurate, complete and efficient migration are developed. Finally, migration priorities, timing and dependencies are defined and incorporated into the testing, training and cutover planning efforts.

Agilence LLC have been involved with the migration of a variety of data sets, including financial, sales and distribution and manufacturing data, using a variety of migration techniques. We can help you develop the most cost effective migration strategy without sacrificing quality and accuracy.

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Production Handoff and Acceptance

Lets face it. No amount of testing or training will uncover all the issues that may trip up new system functionality when exposed to the intricacies of your business environment. While we are confident that we catch more of those issues before go live than our competitors, Agilence does not leave a client until that client is fully satisfied that the new solution is effectively providing the functionality described in the design phases. We work with you to develop an agreeable set of acceptance criteria and stand with you until these criteria have been met. We provide expert support to your people as they adapt to the new functionality and quickly react to and resolve any issue that arises.

Agilence LLC has assisted clients in preparing cutover plans for projects as small as simple functionality enhancements to as large as global implementation of fully integrated business systems. We know what it takes to get our clients up and running and ensure that cutover to new functionality is well planned, well practiced, and well done.

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