Case: Manufacturing II
Narrative
This manufacturer used a stand-alone application to collect and report production information that its ERP system did not provide for. The cumbersome dual data entry, together with associated delays and errors, eventually led to the conclusion that integrating the functionality of the stand-alone application directly into the ERP system would create significant value for the business. The scope of the required integration emerged through iterative analysis of the information provided by the existing application and review of the related business processes. This analysis in turn led to recognition that current processes could be streamlined significantly while at the same time enhancing the content and quality of the information that could be made available. A first-cut version of the application delivered substantially all of the needed functionality. Final refinements were readily put in place.
Comments
The evolution of this project very largely adhered to the principles of a standard systems development life cycle (SDLC). The most noteworthy outcome was the significant streamlining of the business processes involved. It should be noted that extensive analysis of data and processes as a prerequisite to actual software development does not automatically mean that the overall project is cheaper. However, there is a much higher probability of a successful outcome.
|
|
