1. SDLC Process Method
Challenge:Applications acrossmuchof the IT enterprise,were ungainly,hadtoomanyfailures and
delaystodeliverables. Thiscauses clientdissatisfaction(severe insome cases) andcostmoneyasclients
couldnot use the toolsfor theirfunctionof servicingcustomers (lossof clients).
Actions:
1) I evaluated the end-to-endactivitiesof implementinganddeploying“requests”(improvements
to the applicationsrequestedbyuser/client,“bugs”,upgradestothe toolsused,screen
changes…).Thisenabledme tocapture frombeginningtoendanddocumentthe activities,then
find“gaps”andproblemswithprocess ormore ofteninconsistencies. Iendedupwithatwo-
part planof ‘cleanup’and ‘processimprovement’.
2) I didfindmanyinconsistenciesonboththe clientrequestandthe deliveryside. A jointteam
fromboth sides wasassignedtoreview these andsome of the solutionsIofferedtoestablish
feasibilityandagree toa holisticapproachfortimeline andimplementation.
3) Part 1: Solutionswere established;forprocessesthatwere notfollowedorinconsistentto
“gaps” that were activitiesneededbutnevertaken. Idiscussedthe inconsistenciesand“gaps”
withthe “Joint”teamand workedtocome upwithan agreedto “format/form”tobe
used/documentedthatwouldbe followed“endtoend”(papertrail,documentation…) and
some of the solutionspresentedforfilling“gaps”.
4) Part 2; I wrote a businesscase withdetailsandsavings(justification) in“cleaning”the
applicationandfollowingthe processand“solutions”the jointteam agreedto. I presenteditto
the involvedexecutives.The technicalteamreceivedthe supportof the executivesinvolvedand
the Businesscase andsolutionswere signedandsupportedonall sides.
5) We wentthrough the “cleanup first”perthe Businesscase recommendation. We justified
“freezing”the applicationswhile we workedtofollowthe solutionsagreedtodelete unused
screensmakingsure of no “impacts”and justgenerally“cleaning” old/unusedorlittle used
interfacesorinformation.We thendidone regular“old”processrelease tosee whatimpactthe
clean-uphad.Itwas greatand noticeable. We were able toimplementenhancementsand
neededchangestothe applicationwithout“halts”orslowdownstothe systemanditspedup
the release cycle- withoutprocessimprovement.
6) We thenimplementedfirstfilling“gaps”withthe missingpartstothe endto endflow and
slowlyexecutedthe firstreleaseflow (itwouldtake aslongas ittook forthe steps- notimeline
for thisprototype).
7) Once the prototype in6 wasdone,we wouldadjustanythingneededandbyour3rd
cycle we
had a reliable,repeatable andsuccessful process.
Result
A specificapplicationgoingthroughthisendeavorwaslosing1½ daysa week. The clientsmentioned
theylostprojectmoneyonaverage of $5k/hour. Thismeant theyhad beenlosing$200K/wk. Afterthe
processchange above, theynolongerhave anydowntime andtheirinformationandresponse ismuch
quickerandmore accurate. Thisallowedthe applicationsclient/userstoserve the customersquicklyand
accurately. Theirlossof client’sbusinessandmoneydue tosystemoutage orslow downnolonger
occurred.