IS Consulting Process (IS 6005) Masters in Business Information Systems 2006 / 2007 Programme in Professional Information System Practices Fergal Carton Business Information Systems

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process Last week Consulting project examples –ERP projects: big-bang or phased approach? –Vital role of consultants: availability, courageousness and tenacity –Telephone company uses Tel no. to identify customers! –Catering trade: 14% stock loss, use of IT for control Gap analysis example: colour coded “fit” of ERP to actual processes PCB case studies presented (groups 2,3,5 & 6) –Skills a key issue in implementation debate (Project Mgt, IT support, PU’s, …) –Structured process overview diagram a good communication tool –Top down approach, talk to managers first: protocol and common courtesy –Including regional users in requirements specification

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process This week Homework: how to reconcile Requirements Specification (wish list) with ERP generic processes? ERP Finance modules for UCC –Scope –Responding to an ITT / RFP

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process Gap analysis: expectation mgt Describe existing processes –Document how things are currently done –Review inputs and outputs of current process (screens, forms, reports) –Outline problems with current way of doing things (speed, risk of error, …) –What improvements are expected from system (single point of data entry, faster reports, less manual work, …) How to design and communicate the proposed solution –Review requirements documentation: answer with –Walk-through solution –Get sign-off from users

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process Scope Robson Discrepancy Map Sammon and Adam, 2004

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process What is meant by scope? Reconciling technological necessities of the system with business needs ERP systems impose their own logic Balancing the way you want to work with the way the system will let you work 2 stage model for scope decisions –Choice of modules (Purchasing, AP, …) –Configuring the system to your way of working Davenport, 1998

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process Other scope definitions Number of modules Number of functional units affected Number of sites Extent of customisation Number of interfaces with legacy applications Bingi, 1999

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process UCC Finance – Phase 1 General Ledger Accounts Payable Accounts Receivable PurchasingCash Fixed Assets Budgeting and Forecasting Reporting

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process UCC Finance - modules General Ledger Accounts Payable/Creditors ledger including Tax Compliance Reporting Accounts Receivable/Debtors ledger/Invoicing Procurement Management Purchase Order Processing Cash Book, Cash Receipts, Cash Forecasting Capital Project Accounting Fixed Asset Register and Management Research Accounting Budgeting and Forecasting Tax Compliance & Reporting Costing Report Writers System Manager

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process UCC Finance requirements For each requirement, a rating has been provided, as follows: *MMandatory *IImportant; *DDesirable (‘nice to have’)

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process

Extent of customisation Response to RFT included contractual response to Level of Fit: –A : standard functionality inaccurate response from vendor may misrepresent the ability of the software to deliver a functionality –B, C, E: alternative functionality, workaround or modification Notion of workaround misleading : not a once off “fix” Total time = workaround time * number of transactions Remember the Pareto principle : 10% functionality will give 90% of headache

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process How to manage the risk? Prioritise functionality : what is the 10%? Process for identifying incorrect A’s Allocate Bs and Cs to mini-project leaders

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process Fact finding techniques Sampling of existing forms and files Site visits Observation of work environment Research of similar systems Surveys of users and management Interviews of users and management Prototyping Joint Requirements Planning (JRP)

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process Requirements Definition Report Introduction –Purpose –Background –Scope General Project Description –System Objectives Requirements and constraints –Functional requirements –Non-functional requirements Conclusion –Outstanding issues Appendix (eg. Questionnnaires & responses)

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process System requirements System requirements describe the needs and desires of an information system –Must-have –Nice-to-have Requirements can be categorised as –Functional (an action) Eg. the system should process a spending request –Non-functional (a feature or constraint) Eg. budgets are confidential to the department concerned

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process Why is identifying requirements important? 3 different views of systems: Management interpretation IT interpretation User interpretation

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process Criteria for defining system requirements Consistent not conflicting or ambiguous Complete all possible system inputs and repsonses Feasible can be met with available resources & constraints Required truly needed and fulfill purpose Accurate stated correctly Traceable directly map to system functions Verifiable can be demonstrated during testing

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process Impact if requirements are wrong? Cost Delay Dissatisfaction leading to mis-use or dis-use High maintenance / enhancement costs Unreliability / down-time Reputation of IT suffers

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process Is IT consulting a profession? IT and “Consultant”

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process Is IT consulting a profession? IT and “Project Manager”

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process What do consultants do? Tell you what you already know? Guarantee project completion? Take ownership of issues? Energise an existing project team? Cost you a lot of money?

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process What do consultants not do? Give the answer up front Give their services for free Make a client look bad Replace client’s own staff Get involved in politics

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process Information Systems Types of assistance –High level strategy –Feasibility study –Requirements specification –Package selection –Understanding costs of IS operations –… Know-how that you bring to the table –Frameworks to present and prioritise requirements –Trading off requirements when you can’t do everything –Technology and business awareness: best practice –Project management skills –Communication skills –…

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process Consulting process Process of consulting –Understand the requirement Why is client using a consultant? –What is the value you can bring to project? –Writing a proposal –Estimating FTE’s Project management –Project phases and tasks –Project resources –Deliverables –Profitability of contract –Communication with client

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process Topics covered The IS Consulting Business: What does the IS Consultant do? Why do organizations engage consultants? Managing Client Engagements: Making the sales pitch, writing a good proposal Requirements analysis and understanding the client goals Task definition and project resources Preparing and presenting the solution options Making the most of Client Relationships: Communication and selling on Building long-term client relationships Working your client base

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process Recommended text Rick Freedman (2000). The IT Consultant: A Commonsense Framework for Managing the Client Relationship, Jossey-Bass / Pfeiffer, San Francisco

MBS (BIS) / 6005 / IS Consulting Process Reading for 2 nd Oct Peter Keen, BPM, Future of IT ProtectedDocuments/BPMFutureofIT.pdf