Advent's methodology provides the framework for teams to deliver complex solutions successfully, based on well-founded, well-tested software development and project management principles. Advent employs a methodology weighted 50% on Definition and Design, 35% on Development and 15% on Testing and Implementation.

1. Statement of Work

The statement of work defines the expectations of all parties involved with the project, the scope of the project and any known issues that the project team must address initially and during the project.

a. Management Expectations

Define the criteria of the corporation and of management for the success of the project. Criteria should include both the project goals (budget, timeline) and the anticipated functionality of the application (business processes).

Deliverable: List of critical success factors from both the project sponsor and the user group.

b. Scope

Define the high level business processes that are both in-scope and out-of-scope. This will remain the road map that keeps the project team focused on their deliverables.

Deliverable: List of business processes that the system will serve.

c. Define Users

Defining the users early in the process helps to avoid miscalculations with design in the architecture and implementation phases. This process helps the Project Manager plan for the Requirements Definition phase.

Deliverable: List of users and their business processes. Location of each user group is critical to design.

d. External Impacts

Identify any external issues or impacts that are not in the control of the project team or sponsors. Accepting these issues early in the project helps the team to work with them and incorporate them into the project plan, rather than having to address them at the end of the project.

Deliverable: List of known issues or external factors that the project team works with and not against.

2. Requirements Definition

All functional requirements and business processes are captured during "hands on" facilitated workshops lead by our Architecture Team.

Deliverable: Functional Specification Documents and Business Process Flow Diagrams

3. Application Architecture

From the Functional Specifications, the Architecture Team identifies all logical groupings of each function. These groupings will become the outline for all modules and screens within the application.

Deliverable: Module/Screen Flow Diagram with a cross reference to Function Inventory

4. Define Data Elements

This task is the most complex part of the design process. The Team reviews the Functional Specification documents to identify all data elements required by the system. Once all of the data elements have been identified, the Team associates them with specific screens and functions. By associating the data elements with functions as well as screens, the team can determine the usage of each element, which is important in the data-modeling task.

Deliverable: Inventory of Data Elements with a cross reference to screens and functions

5. Application Prototype

During this task, the Architecture Team creates prototype screens. These screens are rendered so that the user can visualize their functionality. The only actual functionality that these screens contain is a mechanism to allow users to tab through the sections of each screen, and between the screens themselves. This task enables users to test the application from a functional perspective and “sign off” on all required functions.

Deliverable: A shell of each screen and module within the system

6. Data and Object Model

Using the deliverables from the first 4 tasks of the project, the Relational Data Model and Object Model are created.

Deliverable: Data Model and Object Model

7. Test Prototype and Design

With the users, the Architecture Team reviews the Screen Prototypes and the Application Design.

Deliverable: Sign Off on Screen Prototype and all Design Specifications

8. Establish Standards

The Technical Standards document defines coding standards for all members of the development team. The Technical Standards document also contains all development standards for the team as defined by the client.

Deliverable: Technical Standards Document

9. Technical Specifications

The Design Specifications Documents for each screen are taken to the next level of detail, which is the Technical Specification Document. This document will be the blueprint for developers and will be created by the development team. This document addresses each function required by the screen or process, and the method in which it will be developed. The Technical Specifications identify every component or procedure in the system.

Deliverable: Technical Specification Documents

10. Development

Each Advent Development Team consists of Team Leads and experienced developers. Team Leads are responsible for establishing consistency in the code and ensuring that Technical Standards are followed. Each Team Lead constantly performs code reviews with each developer during the development phase.

Advent believes in a "hands on" development process. Status meetings and adherence to the project plan are the rule. Project Impacts are presented to the customer for approval prior to the impact being realized.

Our philosophy is that no matter the size of the project, the application must have the consistency and uniformity that it would have if it were written by a single developer.

Deliverable: Fully Unit-Tested application

11. Implementation and Testing

With our unique testing application, PRIME, the customer's user base can play a very hands-on role in the project no matter where they are located. This web-based change management tool establishes a standard process for approval and release of all bug fixes and change requests. PRIME's reporting module allows the customer and project manager to view workload by application, module or user.

Deliverable: Final product