Foresight’s Advanced Implementation Methodology (AIM) is based on a structured sequence of implementation task groups, as described below.  It should be noted that the methodology presupposes that Foresight will not perform the actual implementation; rather that Foresight will provide the necessary guidance, resources, ancillary skill-sets and knowledge to the client’s internal Project Team.  The composition of the Project Team is a critical factor in the success of the project, and we will make every effort to assist the client in the appropriate selection of Project Team members.

Foresight also recommends the appointment of a Project Steering Committee to be composed of senior management personnel, to whom the Project Team leader will report on a regular basis, and who provide strategic guidance and grants of authority to the Project Team as required.

Note that the role of Project Team leader should be filled by a member of the client’s staff who has the confidence of a wide range of personnel, and who has sufficient authority to direct Project Team members, internal work groups, and other client employees in the furtherance of the implementation project.  By definition, this should not be a 3^rd party resource or consultant.

Project Coordination

Foresight can offer Project Coordination services throughout the implementation, ranging from delivery of an AIM-based implementation project plan template through full participation in the Project Team.  If the client elects the latter service level, our Project Coordinator will function as an expert advisor to the Project Team leader in the area of project management: developing and maintaining the detailed, load-balanced project plan; ensuring that project deadlines are met and that resource shortage or conflict issues are resolved appropriately; coordinating application issue resolution with various Team members, work groups or vendors; participating in Steering Committee reports; etc.  This level of assistance, normally requiring 10-15% of the total implementation labor budget, greatly improves the project’s chances of successful, on-time, in-budget completion, since the client seldom is able to provide sufficient expertise in software implementation project management using in-house resources.

Conference Room Pilots

During the Conference Room Pilots, or CRPs, Foresight will provide a structured series of training sessions / discussion during which the “vanilla” or standard software functionality will be presented to the Project Team and other appropriate personnel, and the group will discuss how the software can be mapped into the existing and desired business processes and functionality.  The output of this process can be divided into three areas: (1) specifications of required software customizations or modifications; (2) required changes to existing business processes; and (3) functional issues which may require software corrections, workarounds, or other undefined resolutions.

Note that the CRPs are targeted to individual functional areas, allowing in-depth discussions by experts on both the software and business sides, while minimizing the drain on resources normally applied to day-to-day company operations.  Cross-functional coordination, a major benefit to be achieved by the successful implementation, will be accomplished by the Project Team members themselves, working with our subject-matter experts. 

Custom Modifications

Should the CRP sessions result in the discovery of modifications or customizations required to tailor the application to the client’s business model, Foresight can assist the client in designing program specifications and either perform the application coding, or coordinate that process with the application vendor (if this is not a Foresight-developed product).

During the modification process, we will closely coordinate the development with Project Team input, install the modification(s) on completion, and assist the client with appropriate testing and corrections where required.

Procedure Development/Documentation

In the case that the client has existing formal procedural documentation (for ISO certification, for example), and if procedural changes are required based on the CRP process, Foresight can assist the client in appropriately modifying the existing procedure documents.  If no such document set exists, we can provide standard operating procedure templates and assist in the documentation process.

In any case, a complete set of operating procedures that overlay the new application functionality on the client’s business processes will be a necessary component of the Business Pilot phase, and will be an invaluable tool for user training and future reference.

Issue Resolution

For those issues identified during the CRPs that require program corrections, additional training or explanation, procedural workarounds, etc. Foresight will maintain a prioritized issues database and will coordinate the resolution of these to the client’s satisfaction.  The issue resolution process will involve regular review with the Project Team of issue status, coordination with the application developers, provision of training, or other application delivery tasks.

Data Conversion

Foresight has developed a toolkit (FACT, or Foresight Advanced Conversion Tool) to assist in the conversion of Progress-to-Progress application data.  We have also compiled a library of certain pre-developed conversion routines for our own applications.  If the client has selected a Foresight product, this toolkit will be licensed during the sales cycle, and we can provide assistance in its use.  For those environments where there are no pre-defined routines, or if the client’s existing data is in a non-Progress database, we can provide expert consulting and programming assistance to convert the existing data (where appropriate) into the new application database.

Business Pilot

The Business Pilot phase of the implementation provides final validation that the modifications, procedures, resolved issues and data conversion have created a true map between the client’s business and the application.  Structured in a fashion similar to the CRPs, the Business Pilot follows the new Procedure documents, using delivered and tested modifications and converted customer data to run a simulated business cycle.  Output data and functional results are then compared to existing system data, discrepancies are resolved or explained, and the new system is reset to go-live-ready state.

The Business Pilot will require intense participation by the entire Project Team, as well as input from various functional work groups as the process examines their particular areas of operation.

End User Training

Following the successful conclusion of the Business Pilot, the Project Team (with Foresight assistance) will conduct a series of end-user training sessions.  While many of the end users will have been involved with the CRPs, procedure development, issue resolution, and/or the Business Pilot, these training sessions will insure that the users are sufficiently familiar with the new procedures, processes and application screens to perform their day-to-day jobs satisfactorily.  Each Project Team member will lead one or more sessions in his/her area of expertise so that the training can be accomplished quickly and that there will be minimal “down time” between the conclusion of training and the go-live date.

Post-implementation Assistance

Immediately following go-live, and for as long as required, Foresight will provide on-site and/or remote assistance in resolving any issues which may not have been covered in training, or which may arise for other reasons.