looksoftware Methodology

The looksoftware implementation methodology has evolved from project experiences with our customers and partners in various industries. The methodology has been successfully tested and proven with best practices and processes for rapid implementation of solutions using looksoftware's tools. The methodology has been designed to work with the real-time tools provided by looksoftware's 'Dynamic Environment', which provides integrated support for newlook, centric and soarchitect.

The methodology is useful for managing and implementing small and large projects including those ulitizing looksolutions, and ensures a rapid and successful implementation.

looksoftware consulting can provide the required resources working on its own, or in conjunction with your staff.

Project Management (End-to-End)

An end-to-end process that involves project reporting, project tasks, schedules and dateline management, change requests management, issues management, quality management and internal and external communication management throughout the project life-cycle.

Define Phase

This is the initial stage of the project and lays out the foundation for the project. It consists of the following tasks:

• Prestudy
  A high-level project requirements scoping phase. This determines the various objectives, roles and responsibilities of resources and the deliverables for the project. Active participation and sponsorship by senior business users is required. Access to domain expertise for business processes and applications is a prerequisite for business process automation.
  
  
• Education
  Training of your chosen resources addressing looksoftware product capabilities, project implementation and deployment knowledge, experience and best practices and prepares them for the pilot phase.
  
  
• Pilot
  May involve resources from both the client and looksoftware. The pilot exploits looksoftware's 'Dynamic Environment' to rapidly build an extensible prototype. The pilot is a working prototype that can be implemented in a live environment and is refined in stages towards implementation of the end solution. The pilot is also useful for modelling and delivering part or all of the UI, enterprise integration modules, revised business processes and related standards and documentation.

Design Phase

Translates business requirements into technical solutions. It consists of the following tasks:

• UI Specification
  Documents and specifies corporate schemes and standards such as corporate colours, images, look and feel of the application, system messages and enterprise integration.
  
  
• Detail Design Specification
  Documents, specifies and translates business requirements into technical solution.
  

Develop Phase

Develops the solutions according to UI and Technical Standards documents. It consists of the following tasks/sub-phases:

• UI Transformation Phase
  During the UI development phase, the host application UI is reviewed with looksoftware’s Dynamic Recognition Engine. Global rules and filters are initially configured in the Dynamic Recognition Repository resulting in the dynamic generation of the new UI. Rules-based generation is extended by custom designs using the Designer where desired.
  
  
• Enterprise Integration Phase
  Involves modelling and delivery of enterprise integration for related internal and external systems. Integration across presentation, application and data layers requires selection of appropriate techniques including service oriented architecture for web services and interfaces supporting:
  - Desk-top application integration (e.g. MS Word, MS Excel, Email, CRM etc.)
  - Database layer integration (e.g DB2, SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase etc.)
  - Presentation layer integration (e.g. 5250, 3270 etc.)
  - Application layer integration ( SOAP, XML, RPC, COM, JCA etc.)
  
  
• User Acceptance Test Phase
  Involves thorough testing of the developed solution. looksoftware provides assistance in assuring the developed solution is of the highest quality, fully tested and accepted by users.

Deploy Phase

The developed solution is deployed into the production environment typically using Internet deployment technologies.

• System Hand Over
  Hand-over sessions are held at the end of the project to impart system management knowledge, system support process and system documentation.

Change Management (End-to-End)

An end-to-end change control process that involves change requests management and change requests reporting throughout the project life-cycle.