Application Quick Start - CoreTech Consulting Group, Inc.

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Application Quick Start

Jump Starting the Application Development Process

When organizations begin to see the need to develop and deploy enterprise scale applications – whether they are EC, Intranet, Internet, Extranet or collaborative – they often struggle with the most critical first phase – expressing and developing business models and technical designs.

In today’s fast-pace business and technology environment, most organizations cannot afford to spend a lot of time on this phase. The long development cycles and methods used to build systems in the past are no longer acceptable. Speed is of the essence, and time to market is critical.

Organizations, however, cannot afford to skip and short circuit essential phases of the application development process. Doing so reduces quality, system performance and longevity, and results in deliverables that do not meet the users’ requirements. In the end, such activity usually results in wasted effort and money.

The issue is: How do you perform a thorough requirements analysis and system architecture in an acceptable amount of time?
The answer is: CoreTech Consulting Group, Inc’s Quick Start.

What is Quick Start?
Quick Start is a packaged, fixed priced, Rapid Business Analysis and Systems Design offering, that quickly moves organizations through the front-end, critical phases of application development. The program compresses calendar time, so that a robust set of system documentation is delivered in a three-week time frame. The results can be used internally to complete system construction, or externally, to be included in a complete Request for Proposal (RFP).

Quick Start is focused on applications that do not yet have a clear set of business models or technical designs documented. It is a Rapid Application Development service component, focused on Envisioning and Planning. By using this approach teams can compress the time necessary to complete Envisioning and Planning Phases of CoreTech’s Solution Development Framework (SDF). Using the Quick Start process, CoreTech will bring real value into the organization at a price that is affordable.

Goals & Results
The goals for Quick Start are to:
     • Provide substantial and concentrated value to organizations
         during the most critical phase of a Rapid Application
         Development process
     • Compress the project time-line
     • Assure success during project engagements

The results of the process are the creation of critical planning materials that clients often lack in starting a project, or in the preparation and delivery of RFPs.

Program Overview

Day 1
Activity - Business Requirements Facilitated Session
Description - We hold a full-day facilitated session where we apply
         our Business Requirements and Modeling techniques in-order
         to draw out the business requirements of a solution. This
         session is used to collect information, as well as help the client
         understand their real requirements.
Client Participation - Business Managers, Project Sponsor(s),
         Product Manager(s), Users, IT Management

Days 2 & 3
Activity - Technical Requirements and Architecture Facilitated
          Session
Description - This session, which can be from one to two full days in
         length, is where we focus on current technical environment, as
         well as technical requirements of the solution. CoreTech’s Rapid
         Architecture Process is used to compile all of the necessary
         technical requirements.
Client Participation - Application Managers, Developers,
         Infrastructure Managers, Operations Staff, Product Manager(s)

Days 4 & 5
Activity - Requirements Analysis
Description - CoreTech consultants analyze all of the data collected
         over the previous 2-3 days and begin to compile the document
         outlines and contents, and finalize interview questions and
         interview lists. Interviews are then scheduled.

Days 6 & 7
Activity - Interviews
Description - Based on previous data and analysis, interviews are
conducted in order to complete the requirements gathering.
Client Participation - Various – determined during the analysis.

Days 8 & 9
Activity - Detailed Analysis and Design
Description - Now that all of the information has been gathered,
CoreTech completes analysis tasks and starts the design and
modeling process.

Days 10 & 11
Activity - In-depth Design and Modeling
Description - Focus is applied to the technical design phases of the
engagement. Diagrams and design specs are produced. Follow
on interviews and meetings may be conducted.

Days 12 & 13
Activity - Compile and Finalize Deliverable Description - All of the
information collected and produced is compiled into the
deliverable documents.

Day 14
Activity - Quick Start Delivery Presentation
Description - A conference is held to present the findings and deliver
         documentation. Feedback is collected.
Client Participation - Project Sponsor(s), Product Manager(s),
         Business Managers, IT Management, Infrastructure Managers,
         Application Managers

Day 15
Activity - Final Delivery
Description - Final documents are delivered.

Deliverables
The deliverables from the Quick Start engagement are compiled into a limited SDF Functional Specification. This document includes:

Vision/Scope - The definition of the ultimate vision that would drive
any subsequent development project. It consists of the Vision
Statement and Design Goals.

Risk Plan - An initial Risk Assessment along with a list of tasks that
should be taken to mitigate such risk.

Designs and Models - Conceptual and logical models are built
including scenarios, UI Overviews, Logical Database Designs,
and classes of objects.

Alternative Solution Analysis - In the case where a number of
solutions should be considered by the client, a brief analysis
will be included.

Estimate - T&M or fixed price estimate for the completion of all work
required to deliver solution.

Project Plan - Schedules and proposed project approach.

Prototypes - System prototypes may be included as an added option.
The additional time requirements will be determined based on
the complexity of the prototype.

Contact us today for more information