Project Requirements Process R110

R110 - Feeder Review

DEFINITION

Brief initial analysis of the issues and approximate work involved in establishing each of the anticipated interfaces or systems integrations.

SUMMARY

Interfaces and integration requirements may have been identified as part of the “system vision”.  Very often these require custom programming sub-projects to construct new routines handling the extraction, summarisation, translation, control and input of data involved.  This may frequently involve amending other systems, some of which may be difficult to maintain.  It may also involve other packages or systems outside the control of the client organisation.

This process is intended to make a feasibility study into such situations to establish the feasibility, issues, risks, resource requirements, costs, time constraints and technical constraints attaching to the proposed interface.

PATH PLANNING GUIDANCE

This process is optional.  It is used where integration or interfacing issues are significant and insufficient facts or analysis has been performed to identify the options, costs and other implications of proposed interfaces.

DEPENDENCIES

Prerequisites (Finish-Start):

• Project launch

Prerequisites (Finish-Finish):

• System Vision (R070)
• Constraints (R040)

Dependent procedures (Finish-Finish):

• Collate and agree final report (R150)

RECEIVABLES

• Constraints (technical, organisational and financial)
• Foundation (analysis of existing systems)
• System Vision

DELIVERABLES

• Feeder Review - part of the Definition of Requirements (DoR)

TOOLS

• (none)

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TASKS

An initial analysis is made of the suggested interfaces or integration requirements.  This will seek to establish their feasibility and, possibly, their desirability.  It is not a replacement for the detailed analysis and design that will occur during the Delivery Segment of the project.  Designs may only be suggested in principle for estimation purposes at this stage as the actual design will depend largely on the subsequent choice of business and technical solutions.

The following key points may be identified:

• business need for the interface
• the data or information that needs to be passed
• availability, accessibility, completeness and integrity of that data in the other systems
• possible approaches to extracting that data (including manual techniques)
• needs to summarise, translate reformat and convert the data,
• needs to validate and control the data passing between the systems,
• technical options for building the required processes and/or modifying existing processes,
• initial estimates of work involved in terms of human resource requirements, timescales, costs,
• analysis of the impact this might have on the overall project, for example overall costs, risks, timescales, design constraints etc.

If appropriate, custom development methodologies and/or techniques may be applied for this work.  Formal estimation techniques such as “Function Point Analysis” may be appropriate.

It may be appropriate to consider the use of interfacing tools.  Some Consultants can provide certain interfacing tools, eg for use in creating interfaces into Application modules.  Use of such tools would change the time, cost and effort estimates.

Any effect on the system vision or cost/benefit model should be considered and agreed with the project’s sponsor and other relevant key decision makers within the client organisation.  The findings and any recommendations would be included in the Definition of Requirements report.