Path Template: Delivery - Brief Delivery

Blog: Biz-Performance, David Brown

An accelerated form of delivery relying upon a simple approach. This can be appropriate where there is a small scope, a non-adversarial organisational environment, and relatively straightforward technical options. Typical criteria for adopting this approach might be:

the scope of the project should be small (eg one business area, one business line),
a small group of empowered people are available within the organisation who can make the decisions in the project,
there is strong pressure to meet deadlines that could not be met with a full approach as in Delivery - IDDI (Integrated Design Development and Implementation)

In many cases, the same processes are involved, but they are conducted in a simpler way. For example, Brief Implementation Papers are used in place of Implementation Papers - these require substantially less evidence of detailed evaluation and consultation. The availability of empowered managers to agree and sign off designs and activities generally leads to rapid progression through the processes.

Ref	Process	Optionality	Definition

D200	Agree reviewers and sign-off authority / responsibility	Normal practice	Agree a small, empowered group of authorisers and sign off responsibilities.
D110	Review technical environment and plan installation	Optional - usually required when insufficient detail was included in the Delivery Approach documentation and segment plan	Plan in detail the physical installation of the packaged software, additional systems software, hardware, communications equipment, servers, PCs etc. Note that increasingly this task is performed by the vendor.
D120	Plan, prepare and conduct project team training	Optional - usually required unless whole team have requisite experience in all aspects of the solution.	Normally, team members need training before productive work can commence. Training may also be appropriate for management and other staff working with the project team.
D130	Install hardware, communications equipment, system software, and applications software as required for development, implementation and live running.	Optional - required when insufficient provision is already available for the project.	Install and commission items required for design, development, implementation and live running. This includes system environment requirements, eg log ons, access security, accounts, budgets etc. With medium systems this is often performed by the vendor.
D240	Impose issues control and change control	Optional - normal practice where there are several key users and/or several people on the team. (When no formal mechanism is in use - all changes must still be documented and agreed in writing.)	Issues Control and Change Control procedures must be in place and used. Changes from the defined requirements, must be agreed before becoming firm in the design.
D150	Define and instigate Project Team responsibilities and techniques for technical support, bug reporting, fixing, supplier liaison etc.	Optional - normal practice where there are several people in the team and the vendor is not represented.	During development there is a need for clear responsibilities to be defined for running and supporting the development system. For example, who applies bug fixes? Who runs the batch jobs? Who sets up the security access rights?
D160	Consider, review and plan approach to interfacing and systems integration	Optional - used where there will be significant interfacing or integration.	his process looks at the issues which arise out of the desired levels of integration between separate elements of the overall project and with external systems. Plans and approaches will be modified accordingly.
D180	Data conversion strategy	Optional - used where existing data will be brought into the new system	A study should be made into the needs for data conversion. Data availability and integrity is often wrongly assumed during design work. Recommendations will be made for securing data as required.
D300	Prepare discussion papers	Optional - discussion papers may have been identified in the segment plan or may be used to explore any particular issue that arises as the team see fit.	These are short papers covering a particular subject. They are not formally controlled, reviewed or signed off. Their purpose is to assist in the process of deciding an issue during the design work.
D450	Design/Prototype - Brief Implementation Papers	Normal practice	Design or define each topic within the project, using prototyping techniques wherever appropriate, documenting the recommended approach and details in a Brief Implementation Paper (BIP) per topic.
D600	Create detailed specifications for IT development work	Optional - used where IT development tasks are involved in the overall technical solution	Define the technical requirements to a sufficient level that they can be used in the detailed design, programming and construction of a component.
D650	Instigate parallel tasks	Optional - used where tasks are required in the overall technical solution	Tasks should be instigated as appropriate. Controls may be set in place to monitor progress, to ensure adequate quality and to ensure delivery will be on time and within budget.
D700	Set up system parameters, codes, structures, etc	Normal Practice	Each aspect of the system’s basic configuration system should be set up in accordance with the agreed implementation papers. Most basic parameters will have been set during the prototyping. At this stage the full tables are populated.
D710	Set up screens, queries & reports etc	Optional - as required	Each agreed optional customisation of the system should be set up in accordance with the agreed implementation papers. Many will have been set during the prototyping. At this stage the full tables are populated.
D720	Prepare and instigate operators’ instructions, procedures and manual	Optional - depending on suitability of vendor’s standard materials available	Prepare detailed instructions for the technical operation of the system, including routine and abnormal running, eg security, disaster recovery. This will normally include operational-standard JCL and the definition of human/machine interactions.
D750	Prepare and instigate User Procedures and User Manual / electronic information	Normal practice	Human procedures should be defined and agreed as part of the functional design work. Manuals or electronic documentation of the procedures and how to use the system should be extracted from the implementation papers and expanded/supplemented as necessary.
D760	Plan, prepare and conduct user and management training and education	Optional - used where user and/or management training is required	Full user training is vital both to the successful use of the system and also to its acceptance and successful take up. An effective programme should be developed based on the identified training needs of all users and management.
D800	Plan, prepare and conduct User / System / Acceptance and Integration testing	Mandatory	Formal testing must be performed to ensure that all significant aspects of the system are acceptable. Careful planning and preparation is required to ensure it is complete and comprehensive. Results must be reviewed and signed off by responsible users.
D810	Plan, prepare and conduct technical tuning and volume testing	Normal practice	The system will need technical tuning to ensure acceptable performance. Volume testing ensures that full volumes of data and transactions can be accommodated. Testing should prove that normal loads can be sustained and peak loads can be accommodated.
D830	Define, plan and agree handover / cutover	Normal practice	An analysis should be made of the logistical requirements for changing over to the new systems. Detailed timings must be considered and agreed.
D860	Define live support mechanisms	Normal practice	Dictate responsibilities for support of the live system and liaison points with the vendor.
D880	Load start up data	Normal practice	All initial data should be loaded. Includes running of conversion suites and manual data entry.
D890	Validate start up data	Normal practice	Complete loaded data should be validated and signed off by the responsible user managers.
D900	Decision to go live	Mandatory	The ultimate governing body or manager for the project should take the definitive decision to go live. It must be certain that all vital pre-conditions have been satisfied to at least a minimum level, eg testing, data validation, training, organisation.