iBASEt's System Implementation and Integration department provides the services required to guarantee a smooth implementation and transition to Solumina. The general strategy of our implementation methodology includes analyzing existing systems, recommending re-engineering of processes if necessary, implementing our product to interface with key enterprise systems, and providing employee training.

General Philosophies and Procedures

Some of the philosophies and procedures that make implementing Solumina effective and unique are as follows:

Discrete Roles are assigned to program team members: Experienced generalists, rather than independent consultants, operate in specialized functions to assure consistent interpretation, coding, and testing of functionality and rules.

Phased Implementation: Your Solumina implementation proceeds along a logical development path. Discrete phases including requirements analysis, alpha/beta testing, and site release allow for optimal planning and effective coordination with your environment.

Structured modification, verification, and validation process: After your requirements are identified, Solumina configuration and coding begins. We do not release code until it is thoroughly tested both internally and externally. Your use of Solumina in production commences only after validation and final release.

Full service from inception to deployment including Tech Support: Generic and custom training options allow you to select or design a program compatible with your business requirements and personnel's experience level. Our online work instructions authoring service (data entry) takes advantage of new business processes and multimedia delivery. Multimedia can be customized for authoring. We can train your authors to blend their online work instructions with your overall configuration.

Detailed design at completion: Final delivery of Solumina includes business rules (requirements), design documents, and a physical data model to clearly define the "as-implemented" system. The above items contain standardized formats and are configuration managed.

Step One: Analysis

We analyze your functionality and business rules in accordance with the Solumina specification framework. Your required functionality and business rules are then compared to our product baseline within the standard specification framework. Deviations are identified and the programming logic is designed before coding begins.

In addition, interfaces to your legacy systems are identified and analyzed to ensure your requirements are met. Your business requirements for uploading/downloading information from your existing legacy systems and data warehouses to our software application are integrated into the overall Solumina design before coding begins.

Step Two: Managed Implementation and Integration

Our implementation process is managed with these specific guidelines:

Matrix organization with Program Manager: An iBASEt program manager oversees the Solumina implementation and acts as the single point-of-contact for all communication. Two-way communication between the implementation team and your organization is directed through the program manager. This communication process provides you with considerable program management and control.

Phased implementation process: By starting with a Solumina implementation baseline consisting of an integrated set of business rules, feature definitions, and database design, your implementation begins with a semi-configured system. We complete the configuration by enhancing the baseline implementation through a shortened development process.

Flexible and process-oriented structure: After your requirements are identified, configuration and coding begins. We do not release code until it is thoroughly tested both internally and externally. Your use of Solumina in production commences only after validation and final release.

Structured modification, verification, and validation: Standard processes and mechanisms are in place to modify and configure your Solumina implementation. In order to adhere to your requirements, any modifications are analyzed, coded, and then verified by our Quality Assurance department. You validate the implementation for effectiveness within your environment. Changes are incorporated into requirements and documentation to accurately reflect your final configuration of Solumina.

Tight, efficient billing cycles: Time charges are accumulated and billed within a short billing cycle providing short-term feedback of the actual expenses and labor costs.

On site, remote, or in house implementation capabilities: iBASEt possesses the facilities and the experience to develop and test complete Solumina implementations at its own facilities. We have the expertise to import and export database schemas, as well as the tools, discipline, and management mechanisms to implement remotely and export at completion . or entirely at your facilities.

"Built-in" QA: iBASEt Software Quality Assurance Engineers are involved in the entire modification/implementation process. We adhere to your design requirements, as well as detect and correct any bugs identified during formal alpha testing of your final configuration.

Training, online work instructions, and authoring: We integrate training, online work instruction enhancement, and authoring into your Solumina implementation schedule

Step Three: Process Re-Engineering Services

Authoring and work enhancement services are optional and can be tailored to your objectives.

Authoring management: Site management of your complete authoring activity is available.

Other expertise: Industry and multimedia expertise is available to assist you in developing or enhancing your online work instructions.

Training: End-user training for work instruction authors is available.

Authoring and re-engineering: Authoring and re engineering services can be included in the Solumina integration and configuration process.

Step Four: Documentation + Training Option

"As-configured" end-state of implementation: The Implementation department has its own development database instance to accurately capture and incorporate the customer's configuration in parallel with on-going implementation. This means that draft documents are available prior to project completion and convergence between documentation and end-state configuration is achieved shortly after implementation completion.

Customized documentation: iBASEt has the expertise and the tools available to create custom customized documents targeting specific classes of users and administrators.

Several training option available: train-the-trainer, train-the-user, train-the-administrator, etc.

In house Training Classroom with interactive instruction: iBASEt has a completely outfitted interactive training classroom and training database available for instruction of users, administrators, and other specialized staff.

Step Five: Customized Transition

Various modalities of transitioning available: Depending on deployment specifics and company philosophy, iBASEt can recommend and accomodate a suitable deployment modality from a wide range of schemes: big bang, piloted, paper-lite, or paper-parallel. The big bang scheme is a complete and sudden transition to a paperless environment, suitable for greenfield sites or enterprise-wide shifts. The paper-parallel scheme is a gradual transition from full paper to a paperless environment.

Database administration Assistance: iBASEt can assist in the administration of the customers database as needed, including data conversions and data load troubleshooting.

Seamless transition through manpower sharing and configuration-managed hand-off packages: The iBASEt Technical Support department is introduced to the customer environment through active sharing of resources in advance of deployment and after deployment. A complete design package for the "as-implemented" configuration is delivered to the customer and to iBASEt Tech Support.