From a news article or internet information, find an example of an organization that is installing an ERP package. If possible get a copy of the over-all project plans and analyze thae various activities and compare them with a standard SDLC.

SAD 1
Assignment 12

About the company:


During the last 18 years, TTT Corporation has built up reputation through maintaining a great reputation of more than 2,000 regular clients.

Also in those 18 years, we have given rise to the richness of culture and tradition in TTT Family of which the members are very creative, prestigious, gifted to endure high pressure and always being motivated.

2010 is declared to be the year that TTT family focuses on building Quality policy and Efficiency measurement system in order to greatly improve our customer service as well as better support our customers community.



After applying ERP, management became a lot easier...

Even though it is not well developed, there are powerful companies applying ERP.
With these strong companies, ERP has been applied and even a structure for businesses.


From Architects

TTT Corporation is one of the earliest company that has applied ERP in Vietnam. At the end of 1999, TTT Corporation began to invest into buying ERP.

They have pushed forward on researching, process, train ERP in the company in 2000. From 2001, the company officially applied ERP.

Mr. Tran Minh Tam, chairman of TTT Corporation said: "Before applying ERP, each year, TTT has around 30 - 40 projects. Managing wasn't easy, information was all over the place, does not focus in one area.

Every project managers have to really motivate themselves in many different areas. A the same time, information and reports are being handled vertically in turns overload directors."

After applying ERP, managing became a lot easier. Project managers don't have to be all over the place. Saving lots of time due to all information are constantly available in an orderly fashion.

Every requests or complaints from clients are solved extremely fast and our trust increases, and the amount of projects shoot through the roof...

Mr. Tran Minh Tam letting us know more: "Year 2006, TTT has about 300 projects. This is an impressive number and sweetness from ERP.


Their Project Summary

* The Challenge
-----> define the challenge or problem
* The Solution
-----> generate a solution
* Design Freely
-----> have a design on your own expressing your own idea and perspective
* Deliver Efficiency
-----> must consider the efficiency of the proposed solution
* Increase Coordination and Quality
-----> good coordination between team members
* Accelerate Decision Making
-----> important that the margin of error on any project be reduced to the bare minimum,
could make sure that mistakes and errors were detected at a very initial stage. As a result, we could reach decisions faster since all the information was right in front of us.
* Enhance Client Communication
-----> inform our client about every aspect of the project and enable the client to see an actual model of the project. And with the help of third-party analysis software, they could simulate how it reacts to real-time climate conditions—before construction.
* The Result
-----> the overall acquisition


Compared to Standard SDLC

* Initiation/planning
-----> view of the intended project and determine the goals of the project
* Requirements gathering and analysis
-----> goal of systems analysis is to determine where the problem is in an attempt to fix the system
* Design
-----> functions and operations are described in detail, including screen layouts, business rules, process diagrams and other documentation
* Build or coding
-----> programming code will be accomplished
* Testing
-----> code is tested at various levels in software testing
* Operations and maintenance
-----> changes and enhancements before the decommissioning or sunset of the system


References:

http://www.tttcompany.com/Home/tabid/36/ArticleID/59/Default.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systems_Development_Life_Cycle

You were tasked by the IC- Dean to evaluate the enrollment system of the University, list and briefly describe the characteristics that an analyst (you) examines when choosing or defining deployment environment.

SAD 1
Assignment 11


First and foremost, before I describe or evaluate the current enrollment system of the University, let me introduce to you my researched topics of procedures on how and where to effectively deploy a system using a deployment phase guideline to have a basis on my further evaluation.



Purpose of Deployment Phase


There are three (3) major reasons or goals on why we have to dwell on the deployment phase for our system. And here are as follows:


a. If the infrastructure system is installed as planned and specified,


b. If users are trained,


c. If end users and supporting organizations are prepared to accept the system.


For these goals to be met, it is very important that an analyst should carefully plan for the eventual deployment of the system including needed staffing, training, as well as anticipated policy and procedure changes.


Overview of the Deployment Phase


The infrastructure system is installed to support the intended business functions. Performance objectives are identified, agreed to, and recorded in a Service Level Agreement before going into operation. The analyst decides when deployment to the workforce is to begin and determines the general deployment schedule and approach. From a technical perspective this phase is concerned with installation, operational assessment, and independent acceptance of the AIS or infrastructure system. Users, operational support staff and testers from outside the developing organization must be involved in accepting the AIS or infrastructure system. From the business point of view, this phase is concerned with ensuring that the customer organization is fully trained and prepared to use the new or modified infrastructure system.



Tasks Acquired During the Deployment Phase


The tasks to be performed during this phase are:


a. Ensure that deployment, operational support, and maintenance resources are adequate.


b. Train user and information technology support personnel.


c. Prepare the sites where the infrastructure system will be used and operated.


d. Install the system at sites designated by the Project Manager.


e. Complete all necessary data conversion.


f. Ensure that all documentation and procedures are fully developed and tested.


g. Conduct periodic Functional and Physical Configuration Audits.


h. Conduct AIS or infrastructure system security review.


i. Identify AIS or infrastructure system performance objectives in a Service Level Agreement contained in the OSP.


j. Ensure that adequate production and maintenance procedures are in place.



My Evaluation


So, if I were to evaluate the enrollment system of the University, I have listed different characteristics or strategies that serve as my guideline which is a summarized category of the above discussions.


1. Physical Architecture


a. The physical layout of the servers and network elements needed for the environment.


2. Logical Layout


a. Includes the logical layout of the web application and service elements needed for the environment.


3. Security Configuration


a. This outlines the security mechanisms that will be employed to control access to the environment and environment resources


4. Connectivity Planning


a. Details the environment access points and user connectivity methodology and controls.


5. Usability Planning


a. Details the usage for the environment and reviews application needs and plans.


6. Disaster Prevention and Recovery Planning


a. Including the protection of the environment from potential service interruptions or loss of data in the event of a disaster.




References:

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0geu5TSgZBLJCYBJSxXNyoA?p=deployment+phase&fr2=sb-top&fr=yfp-t-701&fp_ip=ph&rd=r1&meta=vc%3Dph&sao=0


http://www.datalan.com/Solutions/Pages/Design%20and%20Deployment.aspx