Oracle AIM MethodologyAn Overview

Agenda

• What is Oracle AIM• Oracle AIM – Structure• Oracle AIM – Phases• Oracle AIM – Processes• Oracle AIM – Preview / Demo• Recommendations• Questions

Software Development Methodology

•Waterfall

•Prototyping

•Incremental

•Rapid Application Development

•Rational Unified Process

•Agile Unified Process

Project Management Methods

•Project Management Institute – PMBOK

•PRINCE 2

•Critical Chain Project Management

•Process based Project Mgmt

•Agile Project Management

Before moving ahead, Let’s capture the Answers for some AIM Related Questions !!

Oracle Methodologies

• Oracle AIM 3.1 ( Application Implementation Methodology)• Oracle EMM ( Easy Migration Methodology)• Oracle Unified Method ( OUM)

• Our discussion is focus on “Oracle AIM”, version 3.1 ( also known as AIM Advantage)

What Oracle says about AIM

AIM brings a proven process to the table for implementing Oracle E-Business Suite Business Solutions with

Highest degree of quality

Quick return on investment

Short time to benefit

A Complete, Effective Toolkit

Pre-seeded Content and Sample Data

Deliverable Templates

Customizable Workplans

Project Management Support

On-line, Context Sensitive Documentation

All delivered in an easy-to-use, web-based interface

Detailed Task Description

What is Oracle AIM

Oracle AIM provides templates for all the tasks that require them.

Oracle AIM is a methodology showing what tasks are required, what order they should be completed in, and what resources are required

The methodology is purpose built for Oracle Applications and the detailed deliverables produced are designed with the Oracle Application products in mind.

Oracle AIM - Advantages• Oracle's AIM is a proven approach for implementing packaged applications. It

comprises a set of well defined processes that can be managed in several ways to guide you through an application implementation project.

• AIM provides the tools needed to effectively and efficiently plan, conduct, and control project steps to successfully implement business solutions.

• AIM defines business needs at the beginning of the project and maintains their visibility throughout the implementation.

• It defines internal, external, and time sensitive business events and maps each event to the responding business and system processes.

• Client gains an accurate understanding of the business requirements that need to be focused on during the course of the implementation.

Oracle AIM - StructureA task is a unit of work, which results in a single deliverable. I. e reports, schedules, code, or test results for example.

A process is a closely related group of dependent tasks which meets a major objective. A process is usually based on a common discipline.

A phase is a chronological grouping of tasks. It enables a flexible way to organize tasks, schedule major deliverables, and deliver projects.

Oracle AIM – Project Phases• An AIM project is conducted in phases that provide quality and control

checkpoints to co-ordinate project activities that have a common goal.

• During a project phase, your project team will be executing tasks from several processes

• Oracle AIM Project Phases as follows ( 6 Phases )– Definitions– Operation Analysis– Solution Design– Build– Transition– Production

Oracle AIM – Project Phases• Definition

– Plan the project– Review the organization's business objectives– Evaluate the feasibility of meeting those objectives under time,

resource, and budget constraints– Emphasis is on building an achievable work plan and introducing

it with guidelines.– Strategies, objectives, and approaches are determined for each

AIM process

Establishing scope early in the implementation gives the team a common reference point and

an effective way to communicate.• Operations Analysis

– Project team develops Business Requirements– Assess the level of fit between the business requirements

and standard application functionality.– Gaps are identified and corresponding solutions developed.– Solutions for gaps evolve into detailed designs during

Solution Design.

Oracle AIM – Project Phases• Solution Design

– Develop the detailed designs to meet the future business requirements.– Project team members create detailed narratives of process solutions

developed during Operations Analysis– Supporting business requirements may require building application

extensions to standard features– The project team carefully scrutinizes these solutions and chooses the

most cost effective alternatives.

• Build– coding and testing of all customizations and other custom software – Coding & testing of enhancements, data conversions, and interfaces– Policy and procedure changes relating to business process modifications are

developed.– Business system testing is performed to validate that the developed solutions

meet business requirements.

Oracle AIM – Project Phases• Transition

– Deploys the finished solution into the organisation – The project team trains the end users– Technical team configures the production environment and converts data– Transition ends with the cutover to production, when end users start

performing their job duties using the new system.

• Production– It marks the last phase of the implementation, and the beginning of the system

support cycle. – The Information Systems (IS) personnel work quickly to stabilise the system and

begin regular maintenance. – Provide the ongoing support to the organisation for the remaining life of the

system. – Compare actual results to project objectives.

Oracle AIM – Processes• A process in AIM represents a related set of

objectives, resource skill requirements, inputs, and deliverable outputs.

• A task can belong to only one process.• Project team members are usually assigned to a

process according to their specialization and background.

• 12 Processes as referred in AIM – – Project Management– Business Process architecture– Business Requirement Definition– Business requirement definition– Application & technical architecture– Module Design & Build– Data Conversion– Documentation– Business System Testing– Performance Testing– Adoption & Learning– Production migration.

Oracle AIM – Processes• Project Management ( PJM)

– Project & Phase Planning, Execution, Control, Reporting & Completion– Work Management & Resource Management– Quality Management & Configuration Management– Project Management itself is a comprehensive process and has separate way to

handle it, i.e. PMBOK , Oracle PJM etc

CR: Control & Reporting , WM: Work Management, RM: Resource ManagementQM: Quality Management, CM: Configuration Management

Task ID

Oracle AIM – Processes• Business Process Architecture

– Task Code/ID : BP

– Provide the framework for combining change in business processes with implementation of software applications

– It focuses on high-level business processes and operations generally applicable to the organization

– Make business focused decisions either to change the current processes to suit the application or to customize the

application.

Commonly used templates

Oracle AIM – Processes• Business Requirements Definition

– Task Code/ ID: RD

– Defines the business needs that must be met by the implementation project.

– Develop a complete set of business requirements scenarios that can be used to map business requirements to application functionality.

– Analyze and identify the reporting requirements for the business

– Carefully document audit and control requirements to satisfy financial and quality policies.

Commonly used templates

Oracle AIM – Processes• Business Requirements Mapping

– Task Code/ ID: BR

– Ascertain the fitness for use of application features in satisfying detailed business requirements expressed at a business process step level.

– Business Requirements Mapping encompasses the following areas: • Mapping• Business system testing• Application setups

– Mapping is an iterative approach with the following objectives:• Prove business process designs through

demonstration• Identify gaps in the application• Propose feasible bridges to gaps

Commonly used templates

Oracle AIM – Processes• Application & Technical Architecture

– Task Code/ ID: TA

– Design an information systems architecture to realize the business vision.

– This process divide into two areas:- 1. Application Architecture, 2. Technical Architecture

– The process takes the business and information systems requirements and develops a blueprint for deploying and configuring:• Oracle, third-party, and custom applications• Supporting application server environments• Critical interfaces and data distribution

mechanisms between applications, servers, and sites

• Computing hardware, including servers and client desktop platforms

• Networks and communications infrastructure

Oracle AIM – Processes• Module Design & Build

– Task Code/ ID: MD

– Focus on the design and development of customizations to satisfy functionality gaps identified during Business Requirements Mapping (BR).

– Modification — changes to the base Oracle Applications code

– Extension — new forms, reports, programs, tables, interfaces and triggers that add functionality without changing the base application code

– Configurable Extension — addition of functionality through flex fields, alerts, and other configuration options provided by the Applications Commonly used templates

Continue to Next Slide

Oracle AIM – Processes• Module Design & Build

RD050 – GAPS- Requirements not supported by APPS

MD020- Analysis and select best approach. Effort Estimation.

Review & Approval.

MD050 & MD070 –Functional & Technical Design. One customization may include multiple modules

TE020 –Technical Analyst prepare unit test script for each module

MD110 –Code- Developer create Module Code i.e. procedure, form, alerts etc

TE070 – Testers perform a unit test

Oracle AIM – Processes• Data Conversion

– Task Code/ ID: CV

– Convert and test all necessary legacy data for the operation of the new system

– Conversion Approaches• Manual Conversions• Programmatic Conversion with or w/o

tools• Automated Data Entry

Oracle AIM – Processes• Documentation

– Task Code/ ID: DO

– Reference that shows the users how to use application functionality

– Set of procedures for using the application in response to day-to-day business events

– Documents that describe the technical details of the application for the maintenance staff

– Produce a set of procedures for managing the system

Oracle AIM – Processes• Business System Testing

– Task Code/ ID: TE

– Three main aspects of Business Testing – Planning, Early Introduction of Testing & CRP

– Business System Testing does not address performance testing or the testing of data conversion programs

Oracle AIM – Processes• Performance Testing

– Task Code/ ID: PT

– Enables you to define, build, and execute a performance test.

– To make decisions on whether the performance is acceptable for the business

– Propose tactical or strategic changes to address the performance quality shortfall.

– Automated V/s Manual

– Types of Performance Testing• System Performance • Module/ Code Performance• Hardware and Networks

Oracle AIM – Processes• Adoption & Learning

– Task Code/ ID: AP

– Training prepares both users and administrators to assume on the tasks of running the new application system

– Adoption and Learning impacts the following five major audiences:• Executives• Implementation project teams• Functional managers• Users• Information technology groups

Oracle AIM – Processes• Production Migration

– Task Code/ ID: PM– To migrate the organization, systems, &

people to the new enterprise system– Assessing readiness for transition to

production– Executing cutover to the new system– conducting post-production support

Oracle AIM - DEMO

• Oracle AIM Advantage 3.1 Demo

• Templates

• Q&A

• Discussion

My Experience & Thoughts• CR010 – Project Management Plan /

Project Plan (WM020)• Overview Training

• RD010 – Organization Structure• RD020 – Business Requirement

Gathering• RD050 / BR030 – MAP Business

Requirements• TA040 –Application Architecture Strategy

• CRP Session I• BP080 – Future Business Model• BR010 – GAP Analysis

• CRP Session II

• MD050 – Functional Design • MD070 –Technical Design • System Integration Testing

• CV010 – Data conversion Strategy• CV060 – Data Conversion Templates• PM010 –Transition Strategy• TE040 –Test Scripts• BR110 – Security Profiles (Roles and Responsibility Matrix)

• User Acceptance Testing (UAT)• Cutover and Production Migration Plan• End User Training (End User Manual)• BR100 –Application Set up

A Sample Project Level Activities

Some Recommendations1. Follow the documentation principle like Preparer, reviewer with dates

and approvers with version controls details in all documents.2. Try to avoid Word, Excel, PPT attachments to the templates.

3. Collect enough details from client to prepare the process flow.4. Stick on to the Project schedule to submit the documents on time.

5. Ensure to fill the open and closed issues on all updates if any.6. Follow the uniformity in using templates across all modules.

7. Avoid providing internal intranet URL etc for reference.8. Follow the Oracle Custom standards while preparing Technical Docs.

9. Documents prepared by one person must be reviewed by another before submitting to Client.

10.Get a sign off from client and as well as from PM on all docs.

Questions ?