Excelsior - Agile Methodology for ERP Implementation
The Excelsior Agile project type represents a flexible and collaborative approach to implementing Microsoft Dynamics Solutions at a single site requiring specific features and moderate-to-complex customizations.
The Agile methodology is associated with an iterative, incremental process for implementing Microsoft Dynamics Solutions. This gives greater control over the final solution because the direction of solution development and implementation can be changed quickly. This means that the implementer is better placed to respond to the customer’s businesses needs as development of the solution progresses.
Such an approach can be attractive to customers interested in ensuring that a fit-to-use solution is deployed, but it does come with its own set of risks and potential problems that must be carefully explained to a customer before embarking on this implementation approach. Some of these are:
- This approach requires clear guidance from the customer
- Strong management from the implementation team.
- The frequency and intensity of communication associated with an Agile approach is normally very high, resulting in a solution that reflects the customer’s business needs clearly.
- Additionally, because of the dynamic nature of the project approach, documentation is kept to a minimum throughout the project and is delivered with a barely-good-enough approach during requirement design.
Such an approach is typically used in implementation projects where one or more of the following circumstances exist:
- Customer requirements are not fully defined or known up front.
- Customer requires implementation to be flexible to accommodate changing business priorities.
- Customer focus is on the delivery of solution and does not require complete documentation.
- Customer-specific features are required.
- Moderate-to-complex customizations are required.
- Independent software vendor (ISV) solutions are included.Customer-specific integrations or interfaces to third-party systems are required.
- Simple-to-complex data migration is involved.
- Small-to-medium number of users will use the solution.
The Agile project phase consists of the following two main phases:
1. Preparation
2. Execution
Agile Preparation Phase
The functional consultants conduct business process workshops to document and model the future state business processes.
The Gap Fit Workshop produces the Gap Fit Spreadsheet, which is used to determine the business requirements that are a “fit” for either the Microsoft Dynamics or the independent software vendor ISV solution(s).
The functional consultants also conduct the solution overview and training of the Product during this phase.
After the requirements and processes are documented, they are analyzed and reviewed with the customer to obtain final approval. This forms the basis of the scope for the implementation, which is then migrated into the Solution backlog. The consultants and customer resources give a high-level estimate of how long each requirement will take to implement. They then group the requirements into releases if multiple releases are required. Once approved, this forms the scope of each implementation release of Microsoft Dynamics.
Agile Execution
The goal of the Agile Execution phase is to transform the requirements gathered during the Agile Preparation phase into solution deliverables that can be carried forward for User Acceptance Testing and ultimately into a production environment for the customer.
This is achieved through a series of Design & Development cycles where the customer and consultant resources work as a team to design and develop a Microsoft Dynamics Solution that meets the customer’s requirements.
When the Final Cycle is completed for a Release and the CRP has been held, the consultants perform an overall Solution Test before passing on the completed release functionality for User Acceptance Testing. In addition to this the specification for the customer’s production environment is finalized and the Solution is deemed ready for the next implementation phase – Deployment.