Consulting and Implementation

Project Management

“Project management is the application of knowledge, abilities, tools and techniques to project activities in order to meet their requirements. Project management is performed through the mentoring of project management processes: start, planning, execution, monitoring and control, and closure. The Project manager is the person responsible for fulfilling the objectives of the project”, Guide to the Project Management Book of Knowledge, 2004.

Through the use of proven Project Management planning and control methods, the project’s objectives will be defined and reached with multidisciplinary team cooperation within three realms (project scope, time and cost).

Defining the correct path to project success is the goal our proven methodology proposes to surpass. This path consists of a life cycle that connects the beginning to the end of the project, where the main activities and deliverables are also defined.

The project team manages the project tasks, which generally involve:

• Balancing conflicting demands in project scope, time, cost, risk and quality;
• Satisfaction of different stakeholders with different needs and expectations;
• Fulfilling established requirements;

Customer Benefits

• Projects managed by experts in project management.
• Use of the best processes, tools and methodologies in the market.
• Projects planned with precision.
• Calculated and mitigated risks.
• Clearly defined realistic expectations.
• Clearly defined deliverables and results.
• Successfully delivered projects at all levels of complexity.
• Effective project scope, time, resource and quality control.
• Integrated management of to dos and change.
• Benefits clearly connected to project results.
• Project with phase approval by customer.
• Highly accurate information for decisions at all levels.

Main Activities

• Hold periodic meetings (remote or on-site) regarding project positioning.
• Draw up Project Management Plan and keep it updated.
• Homologate the Project Management Plan with customer’s project manager.
• Receive and forward requests for alterations to the contracted scope and arrange when necessary, approval, document review and change notification.
• Follow and control project execution, taking any necessary actions to reach the established goals.
• Facilitate communication between the teams involved.
• Conduct periodic control checks to identify deviations.

Main Deliverables

• Project Management Plan.
• Periodic project status report.
• Change request records and management.
• To do records and mentoring.
• Formally homologate conclusion of project phases.
• Dedicated project manager (central point of project contact).

Installation

The aim of this service is to perform installation and component homologation in the customer’s environment, according to pre-defined hardware, software and network requirements.

Installation refers to making the application available for access and the homologation validates the application interfaces with network, e-mail, database and dependent services.

By definition, the Installation service provides the application with all its functionalities for access on the customer’s internal network (intranet). The customer is responsible for providing the application with external access (internet), since it is the customer who has dominion over the security rules and network configurations of its environment.

Customer Benefits

• Experts dedicated to performing installations in customer’s IT environment.
• Installation execution according to standards that ensure process quality.
• Guarantee of environment conformity with pre-defined requirements.
• Installation homologation for identifying eventual incompatibilities with customer’s IT environment.
• Standardized documentation for meeting regulatory and quality requirements.

Main Activities

• Install acquired products.
• Create objects (tables, fields, views, etc.) in the database.
• Draw up documentation detailing the entire installation environment.
• Homologate application functionalities that integrate with the installation environment.

Main Deliverables

• Products installed according to standards.
• Application homologated in terms of respecting interactions with the environment.
• Detailed documentation, including installation qualification report.

Linux + Platform package (Virtual Machine)

The aim of this package is to provide a ready virtualized environment (VMWare or Hyper-V), with the Linux operating system and SoftExpert Suite already installed. This environment is already approved and has all the components related to the operating environment and application, configured and adjusted for greater performance and better use.

The Linux Environment + SoftExpert Suite (virtualized environment) installation package refers to the availability of a virtual machine developed by SoftExpert ready for customers to use, only requiring timely adjustments to the network, datacenter and dependent services.

The customer is responsible for loading the purchased environment into the structure of their virtualized systems (VMWare or Hyper-V) as well as making the application available for outside access (internet), since it is the customer who has dominion regarding security rules and the network configurations of their environment.

Customer benefits

• Virtualized environment containing the operating system and Terzion|DX application configured with the best adjustments in relation to the functioning and performance of the application.
• Environment widely tested and approved according to Terzion|DX standards and recommendations, thus ensuring the quality of the process.
• Remote administration of the Linux virtual environment and the SoftExpert application (when the RSA service is contracted).

Main activities

• Configure information referring to the network, datacenter and dependent services within the virtualized environment.
• Create objects (charts, fields, views, etc.) in the datacenter.
• Approve basic application functionalities that interact with the available environment.

Discovery

The aim of this service is to identify the working model and company management, its weak and strong points, training requirements, project success factors, use scenarios and process flow.

In the context of Terzion|DX's solution implementation process, this is without a doubt the most important service. The origination of decisions and actions taken according to the customer’s specific needs and requirements will develop from this. The way in which the system will be parameterized and, as a consequence, all the business processes served by the application will be based on this stage.

Through interviews with managers and users, as well as by an analysis of system documentation and the existing processes, a study will be conducted of the existing processes, company objectives and the needs and expectations for improvements to the organization through the use of Terzion|DX's applications.

Based on the information studied, process reference models will be drawn up. These models are a way of representing the business process at the company where implementation is occurring. The models are differentiated into models that describe the current situation (called the “AS-IS” models) and the models that express the desired future situation (called “TO-BE” models).

Among the options available in the system reference model, the most suitable alternatives are selected to meet the company’s requirements, with the AS-IS model being drawn up according to need.

Customer Benefits

• Formalization of existing business processes and identification of need for change. Focusing efforts on formalizing and understanding the processes leads to a reduction in bottlenecks, removal of stages, manual phase automation and, if necessary, the entire or partial re-engineering of flows.
• There is a transition from the “Black Box” model where it is impossible to observe the operating mode in detail, to a “transparent box”, in which it is possible to observe and know how the operation really works.
• Clear documentation and identification of requirements to be met by the system.
• Expected results are well defined and documented.
• Clear definition of the focus on activities required for proposed change process.
• Provides an understanding for all business users and those involved in the project.
• Facilitates efficient process flow automation.

Main Activities

• Document data flow and the customer’s specific process needs.
• Analyze flows and document requirements.
• Draw up and present current scenario proposal – based on need.
• Draw up and present future scenario proposal.

Main Deliverables

• Current scenario model (AS-IS) – based on need.
• Future scenario model (TO-BE).
• Record of non-adhering requirements and implementation alternatives.
• Change catalog.

Application Setup

The Application Setup service enables the creation of environment parameterization standards to serve the proposed scenario. By guaranteeing maximum use of the functionalities, it further enables the customer future independent system administration.

The initial configurations and parameterizations of the record and process flow standards are performed. Involvement of the key users in the configuration activities is of vital importance in order to ensure their satisfaction and full compliance with the established standards. Following standard definition, key users continue the process and conclude the necessary data input to complete parameterization.

Reduced scale simulations are also performed to validate the defined standards thereby guaranteeing successful multiplication activities.

Information generated by the Discovery service (process mapping and definition of customer’s specific requirements) serve as a valuable source of reference for parameterization activities.

Customer Benefits

• Obtain maximum use of system resources.
• Preparation of personnel to perform future system administration independently.
• Definition of solid and stable configuration standards.

Main Activities

• Creation of operating environment parameterization standards to deal with functional data flow and identified requirements/needs.
• Conduct dedicated training for the configuration methods worked with key users.
• Simulate system parameterized flows to adhere to documented expectations.

Main Deliverables

• Recorded parameterization standards.
• Key users trained for independent system administration.
• Documentation of executed services.

Go-Live Support

No matter how well the team has been trained and engaged in the implementation process, it is natural that doubts and questions will arise during the first stages with a new system.

The aim of the Go-Live Support service is to help users, on-site, to ensure system entry into production and to follow its use for a period sufficient to complete operationalization of the new solutions.

The users will feel more comfortable when beginning to use the new application as they will have a consultant next to them ready to answer any questions. Initial doubts are quickly clarified and the level of attention offered at this time is much greater.

Another important benefit is help in overcoming change resistance, natural in any implementation process involving new applications.

The Go-Live Support is conducted in a system production environment where users will be free to voice and solve their new application doubts directly with the consultant, helping them in their work.

Customer Benefits

• Speed in solving doubts and queries at the start of new system operations.
• Guaranteed entry into production on completion of all prior implementation stages.
• Support in overcoming change resistance.
• Consolidation of objectives and goals outlined for the implementation.

Main Activities

• Solve user doubts at the start of working with the new system.
• Help perform any parameterization and configuration adjustments.
• Act as facilitator in processes involving different company departments/teams.

Main Deliverables

• On-site support for users.
• Documentation of executed services.

Pre-Audit Assistance

The management system audit is always a time of high stress and anxiety for an organization, no matter how well prepared it is. Even though the normative requirements are clearly defined in relation to the audit, there is always leeway for subjective interpretations. It is possible that some unnoticed detail may slip through, jeopardizing all the effort and dedication put in up till that.

With the aim of minimizing risks and providing a state of calm for the customer at this important and decisive moment, SoftExpert offers the Pre-audit Assistance service.

A SoftExpert consultant, specialized in the ISO 9001 standard, applies a checklist to see if, from the point of view of the SoftExpert systems, everything is in order. Any anomalies are immediately identified and timely action plans for dealing with them can be put into practice.

There are many typical situations that deserve attention before an audit is conducted, such as the release of to do tasks, alteration to action plan deadlines, premises in documents and system access, among others.

Concerning the audit, prevention is always better than cure.

Customer Benefits

• Passing on of good practices.
• Specialized consultant support.
• Security and tranquility for conducting audit.
• Risk minimization.
• Preservation of investment in management system implementation.

Main Activities

• Application of checklist to systems within the EQM solution scope to identify divergences and attention points.
• Help in compiling action plans for dealing with any anomalies found.
• Passing on of good practices in application use.

Main Deliverables

• Checklist filled in with any occurrences detected.