Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Software design requires a multigeneration planning that takes into consideration
demand growth and the level of coordination in planning, and resource allocation
among functions within a company. The plan should take into consideration uncer-
tainties in demand and technology and other factors by means of defining strategic
design generations, which reflect gradual and realistic possible evolutions of the
software of interest. The decision analysis framework needs to be incorporated to
quantify and minimize risks for all design generations. Advantages associated with
generational design in mitigating risks, financial support, economies of scale, and
reductions of operating costs are key incentives for growth and innovation.
The main step is to produce generation plans for software design CTSs and
functional requirements or other metrics with an assessment of uncertainties around
achieving them. One key aspect for defining the generation is to split the plan into
periods where flexible generations can be decided. The beginning of generational pe-
riods may coincide with milestones or relevant events. For each period, a generational
plan gives an assessment of how each generation should performs against an adopted
set of metrics. For example, a company generational plan for its SAP
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system may
be depicted in Figure 9.7 where a multigenerational plan lays out the key metrics and
the enabling technologies and processes by time horizon.
9.3.2.6 Training.
To jump start the deployment process, DFSS training is usually
outsourced in the first year or two into deployment (www.SixSigmaPI.com).
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The
deployment team needs to devise a qualifying scheme for training vendors once their
strategy is finalized and approved by the senior leadership of the company. Spe-
cific training session content for executives leadership, champions, and Black Belts
should be planned with strong participation by the selected vendor. This facilitates
a coordinated effort, allowing better management of the training schedule and more
prompt software. In this section, simple guidelines for training deployment cham-
pions, project champions, and any other individual whose scope of responsibility
intersects with the training function needs to be discussed. Attendance is required
for each day of training. To get the full benefit of the training course, each attendee
needs to be present for all material that is presented. Each training course should be
developed carefully and condensed into the shortest possible period by the vendor.
Missing any part of a course will result in a diminished understanding of the covered
topics and, as a result, may severely delay the progression of projects.
9.3.2.7 Existence of a Software Program Development Management
System.
Our experience is that a project road map, a design algorithm, is required
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SAP stands for “Systems, Applications, Products” (German: Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte). SAP
AG, headquartered in Walldorf, Germany, is the third-largest software company in the world and the
world's largest inter-enterprise software company, providing integrated inter-enterprise software solutions
as well as collaborative e-business solutions for all types of industries and for every major market.
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Six Sigma Professionals, Inc. (www.SixSigmaPI.com) has a portfolio of software Six Sigma and DFSS
programs tiered at executive leadership, deployment champions, project champions, Green Belts, Black
Belts, and Master Black Belts in addition to associated deployment expertise.
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