MTEK Development Integration Project Methodology

MTEK Development follows a ten-step approach for Project Management.  This proactive methodology combined with MTEK’s experience with CRM installations minimizes implementation risks associated with complex integration projects.

The following is a breakdown of our CRM project methodology.  Project steps have been modified to meet the unique requirements related to interfacing with ERP .

These are the steps involved with this process:

Staffing Structure

At MTEK Development, we recognize the importance of a systematic approach not only to the implementation of customer projects and requirements but to their operational support as well.  MTEK Development understands that a customer’s initial satisfaction serves as the fundamental building block to that goal.

Project success also depends on Mtek assembling a group of knowledgeable and motivated key-users to work with MTEK consultants to provide Mtek specific knowledge and work closely with other Mtek end-users to facilitate project acceptance.

  Phase 1:  Project Definition

The Project Definition phase consists of the following milestones and associated activities:

1.    Identify Resources

·         Identification of MTEK Development project management and Mtek executive sponsors.

·         Identification of Mtek key-user group.

·         Establishment of roles and expected levels of participation

·         Documentation of contact information

·         General calendar planning

2.    Establish Project Procedures

·       Status meetings and reports

·       Issue resolution

·       Change management

·       Documentation repositories

·       Version control

·       Communication methods

3.    Conduct Project Review

·       Scope of services

1.     Determine integration points to ERP

2.     Scope level of functionality utilized in CRM

3.     High-Level determination of integration protocols to ERP BOIs, DAL,flat-file, etc.)

·       Confirm assumptions

·       Confirm documented requirement

·       Assess client infrastructure capabilities for integration

1.     Verify database compatibility

2.     Verify infrastructure requirements to project scope

4. Develop Project Schedule

·         Project plan

·         Assign responsibilities to team members

·         Required inputs

·         Dependencies and critical path

·         Deliverables

5. Confirm Project Conceptual Design

·         Network connectivity

·         ERPIV integration methods and integration points

·         Security policy

·         Database synchronization (if required)

·         Establish customization framework for incentive plans (ERP IV or CRM)

·         Operational procedures

6. Create Project Detailed Design

·   Author detail design document

·   Design integration protocols (technology, frequency, etc.)

·   Finalize database integrations between systems

·   Detail ERP IV customizations (if required)

·   Detail CRM ustomizations

7. Mtek Design Acceptance

·         Presentation of final design

·         Assessment against requirements

·         Acceptance and sign-off

Optional Phase (I.a) (Proof of Concept)

1. Establish Proof of Concept Certification Criteria
2. Deploy Proof of Concept Solution Components
3. Conduct Component and System Testing
4. Achieve Certification and Approval

Phase II – Development & Integration

1. Establish Development and Testing Environments

·         Installation of CRM CRM and ERP IV (including service packs) to environments

·         Replication of required sample databases

·         Verification of security models

·         Verification of database sync and connectivity (if required)

                CRM Customization Development

                  Customization Development (if required)

2. Integration development

·         Create BOI or other integration protocol components
(ERP IV Business Object Interface – BOI)

·         Create CRM integration scripts (may include external.NET development)

·         Database sync or trigger development (if required)

5. Conduct Component and Unit Testing

Phase III – Test & Integration

Prior to the production deployment, it will be important to review and test all individual components of the project development as well as the performance of the overall architecture.  MTEK uses a dedicated team of Quality Assurance specialists during this project phase.  To provide the highest quality testing, our QA team is not part of our development resource pool which allows the QA team to provide a truly objective, “user-centric” view of the implementation.

During the testing phase it is vital that the Mtek key-user group is involved in executing the test scripts to insure acceptance of the final project functionality.

MTEK Development will perform the following activities in support of this milestone:

·         Define testing elements

·         Develop a test plan and test criteria for each element

·         Define and jointly agree with Mtek a testing methodology that will permit clear observations of expected performance

·         Conduct system integration tests to determine the functionality, stability, interaction and performance characteristics of the design

·         Create documentation that verifies the functionality and performance of the design

·         Present documentation to Mtek for approval.

Mtek will perform the following activities in support of this milestone:

·         Participate in the definition and development of the testing methodology and acceptance criteria to be used

·         Participate in the testing and Conference Room Pilot

·         Perform an on-site Conference Room Pilot testing phase.  This testing includes a complete “project life-cycle” test of the functionality implemented.  (i.e. from new prospect, to ordering, to tracking incentives, to payout)

·         Acceptance and Sign-off on project functionality.

Phase IV– Production Rollout

The Production Rollout phase consists of the following milestones and associated activities:

1.    Pre-Implementation Planning

·         Roll-out schedule

2.    Implementation and Configuration

·         Mtek domain / security structure

·         Mtek database servers, communication, and replication (if required)

·         Establishment of production server locations and base installations

3.    Testing

·         Component and system testing

·         Fail-over

·         Operational readiness

4.    Certification and Acceptance

·         Results documentation

·         Assessment against criteria

·         Modifications as needed of solution and supporting procedures/documentation

·         Acceptance of solution

5.    Production Turnover

·         Final cut into production