Volia Software Development Process

Volia's development approach is based on the Rational Unified Process, which offer practicality, reusability and flexibility.  We hope to demonstrate the common philosophy (quality, reliability, flexibility, reusability, maintainability, and leverage) inherent in all of our IT Projects:

• Process Focus - An iterative, process oriented approach to systems and architecture development that enables a continuous IT process to be established and integrated with existing business and IT activities.
• Collaborative effort  - Leverages Volia's experience in development across many different clients in many different industries with client's business and applied technology knowledge
• Acceleration

o   Use of parallel tasking wherever possible

o   Leveraging Volia and/or client IT standards, methods, and templates where appropriate

o   Gain agreement by stakeholders quickly and leverage Subject Matter Specialists at the appropriate time

•   Knowledge Transfer - Provide the technical knowledge transfer, enabling ongoing management of developed application by client, Volia, or another provider.
•   Practical & Usable Outputs - Provide documentation and deliverables that serve as practical tools for IT, the customer, and business people.

Volia offers a structured comprehensive approach to application and technology development and implementation as described in Figure 1 above. The post implementation "Operate" c mponent of the Volia approach is not represented and is not included in the scope.

We see no reason why the approach will not work successfully for client's project. Though certain aspects of the process can be adapted to the client's requirements, if needed.

For purposes of the Vision application project, one of Volia's first outputs will be a project plan describing solution elaboration through project completion for each release of the application.  Each release will address a major use case, or set of use cases, incorporating components of the Volia development process.

Each use case will go through the entire project life-cycle to quickly achieve production quality.  client will have the opportunity to review the release, provide changes and/or input and accept or reject the deliverable.  Volia will follow the same process for each iteration through project completion.

For each release, the solution elaboration phase will finalize business and technical requirements for the Vision application.  The specification will serve as the basis for subject matter analysis.  As part of design documentation and to finalize Vision application functional requirements the following elements may be created for each functional area:

• Prototype
• Use Cases
• Test Cases

Depending on the complexity of the subject matter and Volia's ability to understand client's requirements, some of the aforementioned work products may require input, support, and review from client and client acceptance upon completion.

Elaboration also includes finalization of architecture requirements. 

Application and technical standards, methods, and tools are identified and described in elaboration.  Preferred ATG standards and tools will be used where will be so required by ATG.  Throughout the project, application and architecture team efforts will be closely coordinated.

The solution construction phase resolves any remaining design considerations.  It is also the phase where the Vision application components are developed and tested. 

The application will be documented and tested.  Test cases will be developed (with client involvement as reasonably necessary) early in solution construction so that the application can be validated against expected results.  Volia may rely on client insight for test data to the extent it can be provided.  Where practical, Volia will attempt to perform as much of the testing as possible while recognizing some scale testing can only be performed at an event.  In addition to ongoing unit testing, Volia performs test cycles that usually include functional, integration (or string) testing, and system (performance and stress) test. 

The construction phase will be repeated for each Vision application release demonstrating core functionality and architecture components.  Client review and feedback will be necessary at each release throughout the project. 

Volia will provide interim code "drops" as often as possible, but only when it makes sense.  We will certainly provide a prototype early in the project.  The interim releases provide client a technical deliverable to assess functionality and quality.  Once a release is accepted by client, the remaining application and architecture components will be created and tested in preparation for implementation.  Deliverables during solution construction include:

• Developed software components
• Documented source code
• Build Scripts and Installation Guide (optional)
• Release notes
• Test cases and test results

The transition from the construction phase to a beta release of the Vision application is called Solution Transition.  The Solution Transition phase includes any acceptance testing client wishes to conduct with break-fix support provided by Volia Software.  It is also the phase where all previous deliverables and documentation are finalized for client.  Final versions of the documentation are provided.  With Volia support, client will prepare the technical production environment, provide appropriate authorizations (security set up, etc.), and make decisions around overall production readiness (operations, support, etc.).  Once client deems the application "ready", it will be available for distribution.

Note that since this a relatively small project with a short duration many of these steps will pass rather quickly.  Rapid feedback and turnaround from client will be required to maintain the schedule.

The project management thread will be consistent throughout the project.  The Volia project manager will be responsible for communication and coordination with client.  Project management activities are part of everyday project activities and are not identified as formal deliverables.