The key activities of the off-shore development model are listed below:
- Product development
- Product support
- Product maintenance
- Product enhancements
System Development Methodology
At Direction we aim to please the customer and ensure that the product developed surpasses expectations. Our System Development Methodology addresses questions on quality, security and delivery and ensures meeting the objective stated above.
Planning
The Planning will cover the complete project at each individual stage. Recording and monitoring actual progress will form part of the planning and used as learning for future projects. The project plan and progress against it will be available to the client.
Project Plan
The project plan will assist in identifying project deliverables and balancing time and resource requirements.
- Key features:
- Formulated prior to commencement of project
- Define time scales for each stage (defined in this document)
- Allocate responsibility for completion of each stage
- Define resource requirements for each stage
- Finalized between client and project manager
Task Plan
The aim of the individual stage plan is to ensure that each activity is planned so as to achieve the overall project plan.
- Key features:
- Formulated prior to commencement of each stage
- Define and structure all activities
- Define activity time requirements
- Allocate responsibility for activities
Project Progress
Monitoring project progress will provide answers to questions such as ‘Are we on track to achieve our target?’ and ‘How can we plan better?’
- Key features:
- Progress monitoring for project and task plans
- Use of web based planning software
- Identify critical paths
- Reallocate responsibilities
- Communicate plan alterations
Product objectives
The product objectives phase will ensure that both the client and development team work toward a common objective.
- Key features:
- Product deliverables
- Critical success factors and key performance factors
- Business objectives
- In essence the product objective answers the question ‘Why is the new product being developed’?
Requirements Analysis
The requirements detail system functionality necessary for achieving the product objectives.
- Key features:
- Requirements are a subset of each product objective
- Business terminology
- Highlight system operations, nature and quantum
- Scope the project as ‘in scope’, ‘monitor’ and ‘out of scope’
- Prioritize ‘in-scope’ activities
System analysis and design
The system analysis phase produces the system’s logical design.
- There are four aspects to the analysis and design process:
- Human interaction
- Application logic
- Database
- Technical specifications
Human Interaction
The Human interaction layer is the first tier and is the interface that is visible to the user.
- Key features:
- Lay standards for look and feel
- Page layout
- Page / screen flow
- Meet user expectations
Application Logic
This covers the aspects of data flow, data storage, data definition, defining classes & objects, identifying structures, subjects, services and attributes and drawing up activity sheets.
Database
The database analysis and design will deal with concepts such as database capacity planning, history information, database design (RDBMS, ODBMS, Star Schema, Snowflake, Normalized).
Technical Specifications
The technical specification is a critical document. The document is the interface between the functional specialists and the development team.
- Key Features:
- Covers all aspects of the design process. (human interaction, application Logic and database)
- Easily understandable by all programmers
Technical Design & Development
This is the programming and development stage.
- Key features:
- Development, testing and acceptance of a prototype
- Maintenance of coding and documentation standards
- Capture of bugs and their remedies
System Testing
This is the first stage of the testing process, conducted by the development team.
- Key features:
- Planning and monitoring (see task planning)
- Data conversion (If required)
- Stand alone, modular and link testing
- Live testing (e.g. stress testing)
- Documentation of tests, results, fixes and responsibilities
Client Acceptance Testing
The Client acceptance testing consists of two phases, namely, preparation and testing.
- Preparation:
- Transfer of software to the client
- Deployment of intranet to track testing and debugging
- Selection of personnel from the clients organization
- User training conducted by the project manager
- Technical training to client’s system maintenance staff
- Testing:
- Allocation of areas and tests to individuals
- Testing by users and documentation on intranet
- Prioritization of bugs by the User
- Verified by the project manager and client
- Debugging and transfer of debugged software to the client
- Documentation on the intranet
Installation
The installation will be performed at the client’s site and the procedure will be covered during client training. Our recommendation is to have the Project Manager or a representative from the development team on site during installation.
- Security, documentation and configuration management:
- These aspects span the entire lifecycle of the project
- Encrypted software transfer
- Development team signs non-disclosure agreement
- Use of visual source safe to ensure
- Coding synchronization
- Version control
- Documentation control
- Concise and comprehensive documentation
- Daily back ups
- Virus scanning and control