Mss2010 enus crm_03

Chapter 3: Project Planning and Execution during the Analysis Phase

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CHAPTER 3: PROJECT PLANNING AND EXECUTION DURING THE ANALYSIS PHASE Objectives

The objectives are:

• Ensure the project plan is updated. • Examine how to prepare for and conduct the Kick Off meeting with

the customer. • Determine if a Solutions Overview prior to the Business

Requirements Workshops is a necessity. • Understand the process of the Detailed Business Analysis. • Identify and document the gaps in the workshop review documents. • Identify the integration requirements from the workshop review

documents. • Examine how to handle issues in your project. • Learn how to control scope creep by implementing proposal

management.

Introduction The Analysis phase represents the official start of the implementation. This phase defines the activities required to initiate and effectively plan the entire project. The key objectives for this phase include the following:

• Finalization and approval of the project charter and project plan. • Execution of the executive and project team Kick Off meetings. • Documentation and approval of functional requirements. • Development of future state business process models. • Execution and documentation of Fit Gap analysis.

The functional consultants conduct business process workshops to document and model the future state of the business processes.

During the Analysis phase, gathering and documenting the customer's business requirements is the most important set of activities undertaken when implementing a Microsoft Dynamics CRM solution.

These requirements are documented in the Functional Requirements Document (FRD) which is an input to the Fit Gap Workshop.

The Fit Gap Workshop produces the Fit Gap Spreadsheet which is used to determine the business requirements that are a Fit for either a Microsoft

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Project Managing Microsoft Dynamics® CRM Implementations with Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step 2010

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Dynamics CRM or ISV solution, and the ones that are Gaps that will require customization.

Analysis Timeline

The Analysis phase for Tailspin Toys starts in the beginning of April and ends mid-May. Crucial tasks in this phase include the following:

• Conduct the Kick Off meeting • Complete the Solutions Overview • Create the Functional Requirements document • Update Fit Gap Analysis

FIGURE 3.1 ANALYSIS PHASE TIMELINE



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Project Planning and Communication Management during the Analysis Phase

Project Planning

Project planning sessions are conducted as joint exercises with the customer. The session agendas include an overview of the project, timeframes, deliverables, the establishment of the project structure, and risk and stakeholder analysis.

In many instances, the customer may be viewing the agenda items for the first time. Therefore, these sessions are scheduled during the Executive Kick Off meeting to allow the customer to allocate the proper resources.

Project planning involves two key activities: finalizing the project charter and finalizing the project plan (which includes the work breakdown structure).

NOTE: This chapter does not contain a lab on finalizing the project plan, since an exercise in the previous chapter covered this topic. In a real life situation, the project plan is refined at the beginning of the Analysis phase.

Communication Management

The Kick Off meeting supports the transition from the Diagnostic phase to the Execution phases of the project. For the visibility of the customer's stakeholders as well as the project team members, the Kick Off meeting is the official start of the implementation project.

This is the opportunity to meet with all project stakeholders and to overview the project vision, objectives, and environment.

The Project Charter

The Project Charter documents the purpose of the project and how it will be executed.

The project charter documents the entire engagement, including the following key information from the project team, statement of work, and executive kick off meeting.

• Opportunity Overview • Business Objectives • Technical Objectives • Stakeholder Analysis • Scope • Timeline • Deliverables



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• Project Team Structure • Communications Schedule • Reporting Structure • Account Team Information • Key Performance Indicators • Business Benefits • Engagement Exit Criteria

The project charter and its content are explained during the kick off meeting. The kick off presentation can be created by reusing the information from the project charter.

Kick Off Meetings

In Microsoft Dynamics® Sure Step there are a number of kick off meetings that may be incorporated based on the project type and needs:

• Executive Kick Off: this is between the vendor and the customer's teams and does not include the project team members. This meeting begins the detailed planning of the project.

• Project Kick Off (Internal): this provides a high level overview of the project vision and objectives. The project team members meet internally before officially starting the execution of the project.

• Project Kick Off (Customer): this is between the vendor and the customer's project team members and project managers, which officially starts the execution of the project.

An Executive Kick Off is recommended within an enterprise project in Sure Step, however the need for one may vary based on consulting practices and client expectations as well as project type.

The last activity in the Diagnostic phase, Project Mobilization, also includes a formal internal kickoff meeting where the team members review the engagement including the proposal, project scope, schedule, costs, risks, roles and responsibilities.

In Lab 3.1 you prepare for the kick off meeting with the Customer, and then actually conduct the kick off meeting in Lab 3.2.

Project Status Reporting

Project Status Reporting provides the customer with a weekly summary of the project consisting of the accomplishments, decisions, planned work, risks, and issues.



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A status report is a document prepared by the Project Manager on a weekly basis using the information provided through the consultant status reports and the updated project plan.

The status report contains the following information:

• Overall health status of the project • Tasks accomplished this week • Decisions made • Tasks planned for next week • Issues and risks • Vacation schedules • Forecast/actual hours by consultant

The status report is first reviewed with the project team through an internal weekly team status meeting and then presented to the customer per the agreed upon timeline.

Project team members provide their level of status reports a day before the reports need to be consolidated at a project or program level by the Program Manager.



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Lab 3.1 - Prepare for the Kick Off Meeting The purpose of this lab is to learn how to prepare for and conduct a kick off meeting. Create the necessary documents and presentations. Then prepare for the real kick off of the Tailspin Toys implementation project.

Scenario

Prepare yourself for the Kick Off meeting with the customer. This meeting is planned for April 2, 2010, which is only days away, so you need to hurry.

Goal Description

It is now time to envision what the content for this customer kick off meeting must be. First think about the best possible content for this meeting and then verify it using Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step.

Once you are prepared, this kick off meeting will be conducted in class. Follow the Step by Step instructions below, which will guide you toward a successful meeting.

Step 1 - Project Organization and team

The kick off meeting provides a convenient forum for the introduction of the project team members.

Read the following information about the Trey Research staff:

During the Diagnostic phase several persons from Trey Research were involved with this project. Trey Research wants to keep as many of the same consultants as possible for several reasons.

Adam Carter agreed to work with Trey Research because he has confidence in the consultants' knowledge and expertise. Changing consultants could affect the customer's confidence in Trey Research and jeopardize the implementation of the project. Also, this team is already familiar with Tailspin Toys' background and requirements, and this decreases their time needed to initiate and conduct the Analysis phase. However, there are also other capable consultants within Trey Research who have the experience or want to work on a project of such magnitude.

Up to this point, the following people have been involved in the project.

Allison Brown is the first person to have contact with Tailspin Toys as a Sales Representative. She managed to successfully complete the sales process and maintains a positive relationship with the customer. She has already worked with Tailspin Toys throughout the Diagnostic phase and assisted with the contract closing and the sign-off.



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Upon completion of the implementation, Allison is targeted to remain the owner of the account and help Tailspin Toys plan upgrade activities and coordinate support activities. She has six years experience as a Sales Representative, and was recently promoted to Account Manager, due to her proactive customer relationship management and creative skills. She is very motivated to handle her first account, Tailspin Toys, to the best of her abilities. Allison is comfortable managing this project with the Project Manager, since she worked with the Project Manager previously.

As a Sales Representative she gave numerous demonstrations, has a good understanding of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM functionality, and is eager to keep up with market trends. She has focused on her career in recent years, and is being considered for a position within Trey Research's Paris subsidiary. With this possible move to Paris by the end of the year there is a strong possibility she might not be able to complete the implementation with Tailspin Toys.

During this sales process Allison Brown worked closely with the Engagement Manager, Roland Wacker, who has an Economics degree. Roland helped prepare the opportunity briefing and followed up on the decision accelerator deadlines and quality. He is also familiar with the project and is known by the Tailspin Toys' project team. However, he has been absent from the project for some time, and is currently not viewed favorably by Tailspin Toys. Although he is mentioned as a replacement for Allison Brown, if she moves to Paris, it is uncertain at this time.

The Project Manager (you) was appointed as the Project Manager during the Diagnostic phase and introduced as such to Tailspin Toys. The Project Manager has successfully organized all activities, from planning customer meetings to creating a proposal. The suggestion is that the Project Manager should remain for the duration of the project.

The Project Manager's main responsibility is to ensure that all aspects of the project are planned and executed in a manner that will lead to meeting the implementation goals within the established timeframe and budget, and to a high degree of customer satisfaction.

The Project Manager has ______ _ years experience as a Project Manager.

As an Application Consultant, Brian Burke has participated in the project by performing the high-level analysis regarding Tailspin Toys' business requirements and conducting a fit gap analysis during the Diagnostic phase.

During the actual implementation he will need to perform more in-depth analysis including conducting key user training, creating customer design documents and other documentation, and creating and conducting several tests.



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Brian has over thirteen years experience as a systems implementer and consultant. He has strong business analysis skills and experience in modeling business processes, and is good at interacting directly with customers. He also has a strong knowledge of what a customer needs, and can be influential in the customer's decision to buy a specific software package. In analyzing customer's needs and proposing the correct solution, he values easy customization, stability, and functionality. Brian also wants to further develop his expertise and continue to grow his knowledge to better serve the customer. His ambition is to move into a leadership position, which sometimes interferes with his performance as an Application Consultant. He often tries to minimize the amount of time spent in training and tries to use web-based and self-guided training whenever possible.

Trey Research supports Brian Burke in his project management ambitions and has hired a new Application Consultant, Carol Philips, previously employed with another Microsoft Dynamics Partner.

Carol needs time to adapt to her new environment and become acquainted with Trey Research's processes; however, she is learning quickly. She has been involved with just one Trey Research project which was never completed because the client decided to stop its cooperation with the Microsoft Dynamics Partner.

Because of this history, she has several concerns, including: customer dissatisfaction, issues that cannot be worked out due to the customer, a lack of new business, and possibly losing her job. However, because of her education and previous work experience she has sufficient knowledge regarding the Microsoft Dynamics CRM application to manage the implementation project with Tailspin Toys.

During the Diagnostic phase, Brian Burke received some help from Heather Murchison, a Technology Consultant, who analyzed the integration needs and assessed the data migration requirements for Tailspin Toys. However, her help will not be required for the validation and setup of the customer's infrastructure. This will be performed by the internal IT Department of Tailspin Toys, under the leadership of Mike Nash. Heather will remain available for any questions that might arise concerning infrastructure requirements. She has three years IT experience, with only one year as a Technology Consultant. She handled mostly administrator tasks internally for Trey Research, but expanded to consulting tasks. Her preference is in the setup of hardware environments, not in data migration, training, and customer support. Currently, she is not performing the job she was hired to do, and as a consequence she is dissatisfied and is looking for another job.



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For the high-level fit gap analysis during the Diagnostic phase, Brian Burke also contacted Jim Wilson, a Development Consultant, to discuss the feasibility of some functional requirements, either by standard Microsoft Dynamics CRM functionality or by customization. Jim will be responsible for designing and performing development of modifications to the standard Microsoft Dynamics CRM application. Jim has eleven years experience with Trey Research, a Bachelors degree in Computer Science, and is strongly focused on the architecture of the software, rather than project management. He spends three out of five days on development and wants to create a software development process that ensures quality. His biggest challenge and concern is to keep up with the constantly changing technology. He has worked with Brian Burke before and the two communication well and have an understanding of each other's processes and documentation. He values product integrity and delivering to the customer what is promised. However, lately his schedule is full, and for him to be available for the Tailspin Toys' project the Project Manager will need to be quick and negotiate with other Project Managers.

Besides Jim Wilson, Trey Research currently has two other Development Consultants: Josh Pollock and Diane Prescott. They both started three years ago, and have gained some experience although it is for different project types. Josh mainly focuses on small family businesses, with standard demands on trade and inventory functionalities. He is most comfortable on projects with short implementation periods, and likes to be close to the end users. Although Josh spends most of his time refining the application to make it even more user friendly, rather than developing completely new modules or functionalities, he supports the same family values as Tailspin Toys which has created a good relationship. Diane Prescott is much more ambitious and is waiting for the opportunity to work on a larger project. Most of her time is spent working internally on a transport module solution that Trey Research is developing. She is lobbying hard to be part of this project, even though Tailspin Toys is not active in the transport sector, but in the distribution sector. She is hoping to see some business processes in real life to match her theoretical knowledge, and possibly do some traveling in the process.

Who will be on your team for this project and why were they selected? Identify each team member's role.



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Task: Document the roles and responsibilities of your project team members. Use the template provided in Sure Step. Update the template with your answer from the prior question.

HINT: You can find additional information about the Roles and Responsibilities Template in the Resource Management area of the Project Management Library.

Step 2 - Project Scope

Write a brief summary that describes the purpose of the Project Scope. In addition, identify which source documents provide the information that you would include in the scope for Tailspin Toys.

Step 3 - Key deliverables

Which deliverables can Tailspin Toys expect after the Analysis Phase? List them here.



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Step 4 - Issues and risks

Identify and document possible issues and risks discovered during the Diagnostic phase.

Step 5 - Solutions Overview

Are you planning a Solutions Overview before the detailed analysis? Explain why and how.



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Step 6 - Project Status Reporting

How will you report the Project Status to Tailspin Toys? Are there templates for this in Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step? Briefly explain this.

HINT: Locate the Project Status Report template by using the Project Management Library in Sure Step.

Step 7 - Create the Project Charter

With the answers from the questions above there is sufficient essential information gathered to complete the project charter. Use the Microsoft Sure Step Project Charter template.

Step 8 - Make the Kick Off presentation

Prepare yourself for the Customer kick off presentation. Create the agenda and presentation for this meeting based on the previous steps in this lab using the Project Kick-Off Meeting Agenda and Project Kick-Off Presentation templates provided in Sure Step.

It is not necessary for you to complete each document. Focus on the key areas you feel are important to convey in the meeting.



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Lab 3.2 - Conduct the Kick Off Meeting The purpose of this discussion is to organize a real kick off meeting and learn from it. The class will act as the customer while you conduct the kick off meeting.

Scenario

It is now April 2, 2010 and it is time to conduct a kick off meeting for Tailspin Toys. Make sure to deliver this kick off presentation as if this is a real life situation. Concentrate on the key points you wish to convey to the project team.

If you are not delivering the presentation, play the role of a Tailspin Toys employee. Ask questions and make notes.



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Conduct the Solutions Overview The activities in the Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step Implementation Methodology Analysis phase are detailed in the Conduct Solutions Overview.

This activity provides the customer with a baseline understanding of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM solution which will increase their ability to contribute as participants in the interactive Business Requirements workshops. The purpose of the solutions overview is to provide the project team members participating in the Business Requirements Workshop a foundation regarding the terminology and processes used within the Microsoft Dynamics CRM solution.

The solutions overview is not meant to be complete formal training on the solution, but should focus on detailed demonstrations and discussions of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM solution for the applicable functional areas.



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Lab 3.3 - Necessity of Solutions Overview Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step plans for the Solution Overview for key users before the detailed analysis. The instructor will organize a class discussion about the necessity and benefits of this type of overview.

Scenario

Are there any risks involved with this? Are there any benefits? What types of projects could benefit from this type of training? Express your ideas and share your experiences in the class discussion.



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Lab 3.4 - Plan for the Solutions Overview During this lab, think about the necessity of a Solutions Overview during the Analysis phase. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Will it be necessary? • What will need to follow? • What will be the subject of this training? • What benefits will it return?

Scenario

If conducted, the overview will take place from April 13, 2010 through April 16, 2010. If you decide to continue with the Solution Overview, plan for its success.

Goal Description

Create a plan for the Solutions Overview for Tailspin Toys.

Step by Step

Step 1 - Define the business areas and the Microsoft Dynamics CRM modules that will be subject to the Solutions Overview.

The Solutions Overview must include detailed demonstrations and discussions of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM product for the applicable functional areas and modules that are considered in scope for the implementation project at Tailspin Toys.

List the areas that need to be covered by the Solutions Overview.



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List the Microsoft Dynamics CRM courses that need to be covered in this training.

Step 2 - Define the key users of Tailspin Toys that need to participate in the Solutions Overview.

List the relevant key users of Tailspin Toys that need to participate in the Solutions Overview.



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Detailed Business Process Analysis In Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step detailed business process analysis is conducted by means of organizing workshops with the customer.

With the implementation of a CRM solution, organizational change management efforts are generally involved to varying extents based on the size of the organization and complexity of the implementation. It is important that these anticipated changes are incorporated in the business process analysis tasks through the identification of the 'as is' as well as the 'to be' processes.

The Detailed Business Process Analysis Workshops define these processes and identify where specific functionality of the new system will be used. At the same time the workshops identify the gaps and overlaps between the 'to be' and 'as is' processes.

The following highlight the key steps in Detailed Business Process Analysis:

• Define Target Processes (To Be) • Map Existing Processes (As Is) • Conduct Business Process Gap Analysis

In particular, the documentation should identify the job roles that perform individual activities as well as the business decisions required for executing the tasks and activities within each process.

These workshops can build upon the information gathered during the Diagnostic phase, particularly if a Requirements and Process Review was completed during that phase.

Workshops are typically run for each business area (Sales, Marketing, Customer Service, Service Scheduling, and so on).

Each workshop involves business process owners and key users from the customer's business and is facilitated by application consultants and business analysts.

The workshops generally run from a few days to a couple weeks in total depending upon the complexity of the business processes. The team generally needs as much as a day to prepare for the workshop and as much as two days to complete the final documentation.



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Lab 3.5 - Review Detailed Business Process Analysis In this lab, review the deliverables from the workshops. The purpose is to acquire more information on the scope of the Tailspin Toys project and become familiar with the standard process flows offered by Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step.

Scenario

Brian Burke ran these workshops at Tailspin Toys for the following departments

• Sales • Marketing • Customer Service

He conducted these workshops from April 20, 2010 through May 5, 2010.

Goal Description

Brian documented his findings from these workshops along with customer provided flows of their 'as is' processes. As the Project Manager, locate these documents in the project repository. Read through all the Detailed Business Process Analysis Workshop documents and review them.

Step by Step

Step 1 - Locate and review the Detailed Business Process Analysis Workshop Document.

HINT: Focus on Chapter 6 of the documents, which contains both summary and details of the analysis.

Step by Step

Step 2 - Locate and review the process flows available in Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step.

Locate the process flows that apply to the CRM product. Examine the process flows relative to the process flows provided by the customer in the notes from the Detailed Business Process Analysis workshops. What comparisons can you make? Are changes to processes anticipated? Why is this comparison important to the Detailed Business Process Analysis activity? Be prepared to discuss your impressions in class.



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Lab 3.6 - Complete the Functional Requirements Document Gathering and documenting customer's business requirements is a critical path activity that is executed in the Analysis phase of the Microsoft Dynamics implementation. The process involves a series of Business Requirements workshops conducted with the key users, business process owners, and subject matter experts (SMEs) for the customer as well as a mapping of these processes to the 'to be' processes identified in the CRM solution. The purpose of these workshops is to collect the customer requirements that are being documented in the Functional Requirements Document (FRD).

If high level functional requirements are captured during the Diagnostic phase, those requirements will be an input for this activity.

The end result of this activity is a clearly documented list of customer requirements in the FRD.

The FRD in turn becomes an input to the Fit Gap Analysis activity. While the FRD captures what needs to be accomplished, the Fit Gap Spreadsheet captures how those requirements are met.

Scenario

Based on the information contained in the workshop documents prepared by Brian Burke, the FRD has been started for Tailspin Toys. You have May 6 through 8to complete this document.

Goal Description

Examine the structure of the FRD document, and finish it. Refer to chapters and sections from the workshop reports, if necessary. It is not necessary to type everything manually; feel free to copy and paste content from workshop reports.

Your challenge is not the detailed content but to give this document a structure by which a reader can easily understand what is in scope and what is out of scope. Focus on the areas you feel are most important to convey to the customer and project team.

Step 1 - Read the FRD content already provided in the FRD.

The FRD contains information already put in place by Brian Burke. Read the following sections carefully:

• Revision and sign off • Introduction • Reference documents • Company background



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Step 2 - Complete the FRD.

The FRD contains sections where functional and integration requirements should be documented for each Microsoft Dynamics CRM module. Perform the following steps to complete these sections:

1. Chapter 5 of the FRD (Customer Relationship Management). Remove the sections from the FRD that are not relevant to this project. Alternatively, you can enter them in the out-of-scope appendix. Refer the other sections to the corresponding Workshop Reports and write a small summary for each.

2. Chapter 6 of the FRD (System Integration). List all programs for which integration is required. Refer to the corresponding Workshop Reports and write a small summary for each.



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Fit Gap Analysis The Fit Gap Analysis serves to identify gaps in the business solution compared to the customer's requirements. The gaps need to be documented and serve as the basis for the consulting team to find resolutions or propose alternative workarounds.

This detailed process can build upon the Fit Gap Analysis and Solution Blueprint decision accelerator in the Diagnostic phase, if completed. The process in the analysis phase can then be used to accomplish the following:

• Validate the results of the Diagnostic phase with the entire team. • Evaluate/Reevaluate additional items that were not previously

considered. • Conduct an initial comprehensive Fit Gap Analysis.

The process of evaluating, reevaluating, or conducting consists of the following steps:

• Review the customer requirements in the business solution. • Document gaps between the customer requirements and business

solution. • Analyze gaps and identify solutions, workarounds, or recommended

process changes. • Document gaps, resolutions, workarounds, or recommended process

changes

The actual business processes and requirements are reviewed in the business solution. The gap analysis is able to disclose the exact details of the missing functionality and identify where the business solution can be optimized regarding usability.

Business processes which can run using the business solution can be confirmed as a Fit. The configuration settings and setup option values also need to be documented.

For the business processes which cannot run completely using the business solution, the corresponding Gap must be documented. The nature and the details of the gaps must be recorded for business processes and supported with examples if needed. This is important since the resolution for the gap must consider all aspects of the gap.



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The Fit Gap Analysis Worksheet will be used to document the analysis done in this activity. Each business requirement will be confirmed either as a Fit, or defined as a Gap in the spreadsheet.

This task is executed jointly between the key users and the Application Consultant. However, it is recommended that you involve the Business Analyst to assist with asking critical questions of the key users to best identify the priorities and need for customizations.



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Lab 3.7 - Identify Gap information In this lab, identify information regarding the Gaps to determine whether the conclusions gathered during the Diagnostic phase evolved after analysis. Will the overall Fit remain identical or change?

Scenario

For Tailspin Toys, Brian Burke performed the Detailed Business Process Analysis Workshops from April 20, 2010 through May 5, 2010. In the reports from this workshop he already paid a lot of attention to the gaps that resulted from this detailed analysis.

On May 8, 2010, you must have the reviewed Fit Gap Spreadsheet ready. You will have to update any new gaps that Brian has reported.

Goal Description

Collect all the relevant information regarding the Gaps based on the input information from the FRD and the Workshop Review Reports.

Once this is completed, populate your Fit Gap spreadsheet (used during the Diagnostic phase) with this new information. This will allow you to make new conclusions regarding the Fit Gap after analysis activities.

Review the Workshop Reports for each business area. Perform the following steps as you review each report:

• Identify the Gaps marked as NEW in the GAP-id description. • Determine if each new Gap is related to an existing requirement. • For Gaps related to an existing requirement, determine if the

requirement is marked as a Gap in a previous phase.

After performing this analysis, complete the existing Fit Gap spreadsheet with the new required information.

As a final step, summarize your findings regarding the Fit Gap situation.

Step by Step

Step 1 - Identify and comprehend new Gap information.

In the Detailed Business Process Analysis Workshop Reports for each business area, navigate to Chapter 6: Deliverables.

In this chapter there is a section where all functional Gaps are listed. Start your identification as follows:

• List all requirements marked as NEW.



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• Make a note if each requirement is related to an existing requirement or a new Gap.

• Identify what the Gap status of the existing requirement is before analysis.

Step 2 - Complete the Fit Gap spreadsheet with new information.

Reuse the Fit Gap Spreadsheet from Chapter 2 (Diagnostic phase) and update it with the new information documented in the workshop reports.

Step 3 - Analyze the new Fit Gap situation.

What is the degree of Fit after the Diagnostic phase?

What is the degree of Fit after Analysis?



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Explain the reason for this change in the overall degree of Fit after the analysis is completed.



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Integration and Interface Analysis The Integration and Interface cross-phase in Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step covers the design and delivery of ongoing information flow among Microsoft Dynamics CRM and other systems, applications, and parties. Parties involved in the integration may include customers, partners, regulatory agencies, and even peer divisions or agencies within an organization. The following requirements are examined during this cross-phase review:

• Integration requirements - focuses on processing and coordination of information among systems, applications, and parties.

• Interface requirements - focuses on the means of communication for sending information to and receiving information from a system, application, or party.

Gather Integration and Interface Analysis

The goal of this activity is to establish the following Integration and Interface requirements:

• The business processes that need integration with systems, applications, and parties beyond the delivered Microsoft Dynamics product.

• All systems, applications, and parties participate in the business processes to be enabled.

• The means of communication (interface) to be used with each system, including the Microsoft Dynamics product.

• The means of coordination (integration) among the interfaces of the systems and applications

• Operational and non-functional system requirements such as Availability, Scalability, Extensibility, Manageability, Monitoring, and Disaster Recovery.

• Candidate middleware, message broker, or other products and technologies for implementing the integrations.

The requirements documented in this activity help establish the Integration Strategy to be completed in the following activity in this cross-phase.

Integration Strategy

The scope of the systems, applications, and parties to be integrated should be established in the Diagnostic phase, and further elaborated upon during the preceding activity in the Analysis phase. Before moving into the Design phase, a strategic framework needs to be established to guide design decisions.



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Guiding principles in an Integration Strategy address the following questions:

• How much effort should be taken to automate integrations? • What integration architecture must be applied: Point-to-point,

Message Broker, Integration Hub, Enterprise Bus, or other? • What is the appropriate functional mode for interfaces: Process,

Application, or Data Integration? • How much weight must be given to operational and administrative

requirements versus functional integration requirements? • Which products and technologies must be used to implement the

integrations and interfaces?

In the absence of guiding principles, integration costs can rapidly exceed the value achieved by the Microsoft Dynamics solution, and seriously delay the go-live date when a business starts to receive that value.



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Lab 3.8 - Identify Integration and Interface Requirements In this lab, identify information regarding the Integration Requirements. This determines whether the conclusions gathered during the Diagnostic phase evolved after analysis. It also determines if the overall integration estimate remains identical or changes.

Scenario

For Tailspin Toys, Brian Burke has performed the Detailed Business Process Analysis Workshops for April 10 through May 5. In the reports from these workshops, he emphasized the integration requirements that resulted from this detailed analysis.

By May 8, you must complete the Integration Requirements Spreadsheet. You must update any new integration requirements that Brian reported.

Goal Description

Based on the input information from the FRD and the Workshop Review Reports, collect all relevant information regarding Integration Requirements and add this data to the Integration Requirements Spreadsheet (used during the Diagnostic phase). This allows you to make new conclusions regarding Integration Requirements.

Review the Workshop Reports for each Tailspin Toys business department. Perform the following steps as you review each report:

• Identify the integration requirements marked NEW. • Determine if any integration requirements are requested by every

department. • Determine if any integration requirements are related to a functional

requirement.

After performing this analysis, complete the existing Integration Requirements Spreadsheet with the new required information. As a final step, summarize your findings regarding the Integration Requirements.

Step 1 - Identify new Integration information.

In the Detailed Business Process Analysis Workshop Reports for each business department, navigate to Chapter 6: Deliverables.

Locate the section in this chapter where all Integration requirements are listed. You can start your identification from here:

• List all requirements marked NEW.



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• Make a note if each requirement is requested by more than one department.

• Identify if the requirement is related to an existing or new functional requirement or gap.

Step 2 - Complete the Integration Requirements Spreadsheet with new information.

Update the Integration Requirements Spreadsheet from Chapter 2 (Diagnostic phase) with the new information documented in the workshop reports.

Step 3 - Analyze the new Integration Situation.

Are there any new programs that must be integrated with Microsoft Dynamics CRM? If so, which ones?

Which new integration requirements were requested by all departments?



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How many integration requirements are listed after the Diagnostic phase? How many are listed after the Analysis phase?

How does a change in integration requirements affect the Tailspin Toys implementation project?



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Issue Management Issues may arise any time after starting the project. The Project Management Team needs to be proactive in managing issues rather than reactive. A solid issue management process can make the difference between project success and failure.

Critical issues that affect time, scope, budget, or quality of the project need to be resolved in an appropriate timeframe. A formal issue management process should be used to handle important issues and to synchronize with scope, time, and cost management.

Important aspects for the management of issues include:

• Managing issues proactively is essential. Issues that are ignored or not resolved in the timeframe needed, can negatively impact the project.

• Make issues visible to the appropriate team members and stakeholders to gain their understanding and support.

• Consider the impact of issues on legal and contractual requirements. • Consider the impact of issues on the project's scope, timeline, and

budget.

Supporting documents for issue management include the following:

Issue management process:

The Implementation Issue Entry Form supports the initial identification and documentation of an issue and will be used by the consultants, key users, or any other stakeholder who identifies an issue.

The Project Manager maintains the Issue List and enters new issues based on the input from the consultant's status report and the Implementation Issue Entry Form.

Activities related to the resolution of issues can be initiated on the Issue Work Form tab of the Issue List. The template supports copying the issue information from the Issue List to the Issue Work Form by typing the Issue ID in the appropriate Microsoft® Office Excel® field of the Issue Work Form .

The progress of the issue resolution will be documented based on the feedback received with the Issue Work Form from the consultant assigned to it.



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A suggested process of managing issues includes the following steps:

• Identify Issue - the consultants, key users, or any other stakeholder who identifies an issue, reports it to the Project Management Team.

• Document Issue - known facts about the issue are documented using the Issue Entry Form. If a resolution is immediately identified, it can be also documented on the form.

• List Issue - list the issue in the Issue List for further administration and management of the issue.

• Analyze Issue - analyze the issue to get an understanding of the impact and actions needed to solve the issue.

• Determine Priority - the Project Management Team determines the relative priority of the issue, based on the results from analyzing the issue. Changes of the project baseline need to be handled with a scope change request.

• Plan and Communicate Activities - issues might require planning for different actions. Examples are to plan project activities for specific resources, to escalate an issue, to initiate a scope change or to reject any further action related to an issue.

• Update Project Planning - once a resolution is proposed, the Project Management Team is responsible for analyzing and communicating the impact the resolution will have on the project plan. Each issue that requires work to be done should be related to a task on the project plan.

• Assign Resources - assign the appropriate project resources to solve the issue. Use the Issue Work Form for initiating and tracking the work related to solving the issue.

• Follow up on Issue - use the frequently scheduled project meetings to follow up on the timely resolution of issues. This can be done based on the Issue List.

• Proof and Communicate the Resolution of Issues - after the issue is resolved, the Project Management Team should initiate or conduct a proof of the resolution and communicate the results appropriately.

• Close Issue - document the closure of the issue in the Issue Work Form and in the Issue List.



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Lab 3.9 - Identify Issues Scenario

During the detailed analysis activities at Tailspin Toys, Brian Burke identified different subjects as Issues.

As the Project Manager, it is your responsibility to identify and manage these issues.

Goal Description

Identify possible issues within the diagnostic and analysis documents from Tailspin Toys. Document these issues in the following documents:

• Implementation Issue Entry Form • Issue List

Be prepared to discuss the issues you have identified with the class, including the following:

• Which issues did you identify? • Why do you feel these are issues? • Are these issues also risks?

The instructor will guide the discussion.



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Proposal Management Proposal Management is a critical process that needs to be carefully coordinated to manage the scope of a project.

Proposal Management is an activity that needs to be executed within all cross phases of the project implementation life cycle. It is the responsibility of the Program Manager to continuously monitor scope, and take necessary action to help the project stay on track. The end result will be a satisfied customer and a committed and motivated project team.

The role of Proposal Management within the Analysis phase is to ensure that changes to scope are documented, analyzed and approved between the vendor and the customer.

Proposal Management includes capturing the scope changes from the customer, documenting these changes in a change request form, and performing a detailed impact analysis.

Once the change request is completed, it is reviewed with the customer and the project team so that the team is in agreement with the impacts of the change to the scope, resources, and schedule. Upon approval from the customer, the Project Manager will update the project plan to account for any scope change.

Manage Change Requests

Change requests are required to document requirements, design, and development changes that occur during the course of the project and alter the agreed upon scope which is the baseline for the project.

Typically, the Application Consultants will gather information indicating scope changes during their activities, including the detailed business process analysis and fit gap analysis.

The Change Request form is a document to capture the change requested and provide an analysis of the change and the impacts of that change. Additionally, the project manager can use the Change Control Request Log to manage the status and impact of all change requests.

Review and Approve Change Requests

Upon completion of the change request documentation, the Project Manager will review the Change Request with the impacted project team members to incorporate any feedback the team members provide.

Then a review session with the customer will be scheduled to describe the change requests and their impacts to the resources, schedule, and costs. Upon review of the Change Request form, the customer will approve or reject the change. The Project Manager will then finalize this information in the project plan and inform the team members of the new schedule and resources, if applicable.



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Lab 3.10 - Identify Changes Use this lab to identify changes based on gap and issue information from the analysis workshops. Questions to consider include:

• Are all new gaps and issues changes? • Do all changes originate from gaps or issues?

Scenario

The instructor will lead a class discussion on what makes a particular gap or issue a change and investigate the different sources that make up a change request.



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Lab 3.11 - Document Changes and Update the Project Plan The purpose of this lab is to use the change request form provided by Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step and to update the project plan.

Scenario

During the detailed business analysis workshops Brian Burke identified several issues, integration and gap related information.

By identifying this information, Brian has proven to be a really perceptive consultant. His documented information is of great value to this project.

But it is important to manage this information proactively. You are responsible for the scope of this project, and need to manage these issues and gaps to ensure that the customer is aware of the potential for changes to the scope. Without your action, communication and project scope may be endangered.

Goal Description

Review the information Brian documented. Identify the issues, integration requirements and gaps that represent a change.

These changes then require the following actions:

• Document in the Change Request Form. • Subject to your impact analysis. • Review by the customer.

After examining and agreeing on the impact of the changes, update the project plan for this impact.

Step by Step

Step 1 - Review Brian's information for changes.

Brian documented this information when conducting the Detailed Business Process Analysis workshops. This information is located in the Workshop Reports (the document deliverables for the workshops). The Workshop Reports are located in the project repository.

The information can also be reviewed in the Fit Gap Spreadsheet. This document has been updated with the latest gap information in Lab 3.4.1 and 3.5.1.



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Step 2 - Document and analyze the changes in the Change Request Form.

The previous step reviewed the issues, integration issues and Gaps. Now identify which ones represent a change. (Let the conclusions from the class discussion be a guide through this decision making process) For each identified change, fill in a Change Request Form.

Use the Change Request Form sample provided in Sure Step.

Perform the following:

• Create a Change Request Form for each identified change. • Save this Change Request Form in the project repository.

Which changes do you recommend to be out of- cope for the project because they are not considered critical?

Which changes have you identified as having a critical impact on the business?



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Step 3 - Review and Approve/Reject the Change Requests.

During the review meeting with Tailspin Toys, Adam Carter agreed with the recommendation for leaving the following requirements out of scope:

• Approval system • Customer satisfaction analysis • Customized screens • Tracking of changes

However, Adam did approve the MapPoint integration requirement against the recommendation of the project team.

Adam agreed with the recommendation for leaving the following requirements in scope:

• Tracking of promotional material • Campaign (re)scheduling • Customer marketing campaigns

In total this results into an increase in scope of only three days (total of approved change requests: 16 days minus 13 days). This indicates Brian did a fine job of proactively managing these scope issues.

What could have happened if these issues were not clearly and formally documented by Brian Burke?

Step 4 - Update the project plan.

The customer will review the Change Requests and approve or reject the change. The Project Manager will then finalize this information in the project plan and inform the team members of the new schedule and resources, if applicable.

Use the Project Plan started in the Diagnostic phase, and consider the impact of the approved changes. Be prepared to discuss in class what changes you might make to the project plan to accommodate the new tasks.



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Summary This lesson focuses on many of the key activities in the Analysis phase. Specifically these include the following:

• Preparing and conducting the kick off meeting through gathering of requirements in detailed analysis workshops.

• Identifying ongoing risks and issues. • Planning and benefits of a Solutions Overview. • Managing and implementing the scope of changes through proactive

proposal management.



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Quick Interaction: Lessons Learned Take a moment and write down three key points you have learned from this chapter

1.

2.

3.



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Solutions Lab 3.1 - Prepare for the Kick Off Meeting

Who will be on your team for this project and why were they selected? Identify each team member's role.

MODEL ANSWER:

Although you may have come to different conclusions, for the purposes of this case study the team will be comprised of: • Allison Brown – Account Manager/Sales Representative • Brian Burke – Application Consultant • Heather Murchison – Technology Consultant • Jim Wilson – Development Consultant, You - Project Manager These people were selected because they were involved during the Diagnostic phase and are the most familiar with the project. However, the main reason is to keep the customer’s confidence throughout the project.

Write a brief summary that describes the purpose of the Project Scope. In addition, identify which source documents provide the information that you would include in the scope for Tailspin Toys.

MODEL ANSWER:

The Project Scope should contain a listing of all business processes and functional and technical requirements defined during the Diagnostic phase. The business processes and functional requirements for Tailspin Toys can be retrieved from the following documents: • Requirements and Business Process Review Questionnaire • Business Process Overview • Functional and Non-Functional Requirements Spreadsheet • High Level Integration Requirements Spreadsheet • Fit Gap Analysis Spreadsheet

Which deliverables can Tailspin Toys expect after the Analysis Phase? List them here.

MODEL ANSWER:

The following deliverables are all possible during an Analysis phase: • Project Charter • Project Plan • Organizational Change Management Strategy • Risk and Issues Register • Change Control Plan • Communications Strategy and Plan • User Training Requirements • Future State Business Process Workflows • Functional Requirements Document (FRD)



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• Fit Gap Analysis Spreadsheet • Development Standards, Quality and Testing Standards, Infrastructure Scope Document • Infrastructure Design Document, Integration and Interface Requirements • Data Migration Requirements For this case study you will only use the following deliverables: • Project Charter • Project Plan • Risk and Issues Register • Change Control Plan • Communications Plan • Functional Requirements Document (FRD) • Fit Gap Analysis Spreadsheet • Data Migration Requirements

Identify and document possible issues and risks discovered during the Diagnostic phase.

MODEL ANSWER:

Possible issues include the following: 1. Tailspin Toys' internal IT Department will handle all hardware related issues and analysis. This can jeopardize the project’s time management, if they do not complete the job on time or correctly. 2. Adam Carter is seriously considering setting up a separate Purchase Department in the Asian market and is negotiating with some partners in terms of a venture. Currently there are three locations involved in the implementation. However, this can change during the implementation process and increase complexity, and can even change the project type or lead to a pilot roll-out project. 3. Tailspin Toys wants to expand activities through e-sales directly to end consumers. However, the Web site still needs to be adapted for this new feature, and an appropriate partner still needs to be contacted to handle online sales setup. 4. Shawn Richardson, Tailspin Toy's head of Sales, just completed the implementation of Microsoft Dynamics ERP. Although he was pleased with this change, he is worried about implementing yet another major system. He feels that his colleagues in Sales Administration will not be receptive to another implementation while just beginning their work with Microsoft CRM. He learned from the ERP implementation that being part of a project team is a serious time commitment. It requires significant effort and can be very stressful, while at the same time having to complete the regular duties of his job.



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Are you planning a Solutions Overview before the detailed analysis? Explain why and how.

MODEL ANSWER:

Yes. The solutions overview will be provided only for the key users of Tailspin Toys that will be cooperating later on in the workshops that concern the detailed analysis of in scope processes. This will provide the key users with a basic knowledge of standard modules and functionalities, which makes it easier for both parties when discussing the requirements in detail. They can then focus on areas that need some type of customization. Furthermore, this will give the key users a preview on how their business can work with the Microsoft Dynamics CRM solution and it can positively influence those users that still show some resistance towards the implementation.

How will you report the Project Status to Tailspin Toys? Are there templates for this in Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step? Briefly explain this.

MODEL ANSWER:

In Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step there is a Project Status Report template. This report will gather all notes from the consultants for the Project Manager to present to the customer a weekly summary of the project including information concerning scope, schedule, cost, and quality including risks and issues. This document can be handed over to the customer during a weekly project meeting or mailed for revision, depending on the communication agreements noted in the Communications Plan.

Lab 3.4 - Plan for the Solutions Overview

List the areas that need to be covered by the Solutions Overview.

MODEL ANSWER:

Accounts, Contacts, Activities, Leads, Opportunities, Marketing Campaigns, Customer Service and Other

List the Microsoft Dynamics CRM courses that need to be covered in this training.

MODEL ANSWER:

Possible Microsoft Dynamics CRM training courses include: Applications, Customization and Configuration, Installation and Deployment, and Extending Microsoft Dynamics CRM.



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List the relevant key users of Tailspin Toys that need to participate in the Solutions Overview.

MODEL ANSWER:

Shawn Richardson – Sales Department, Christine Hughes – Customer Service Department, Eric Swift - Marketing Department. Adam Carter (Business Decision Maker and Project Manager) and Mike Nash (IT Manager) can also participate in this training, since they are part of the project team, but their expertise is not in the covered business areas and they will have to participate in the later workshops.

Lab 3.7 - Identify Gap information

What is the degree of Fit after the Diagnostic phase?

MODEL ANSWER:

The degree of Fit should be 77%.

What is the degree of Fit after Analysis?

MODEL ANSWER:

The degree of Fit should be 72%.

Explain the reason for this change in the overall degree of Fit after the analysis is completed.

MODEL ANSWER:

Several gaps are added to the different business areas of Tailspin Toys, leading to more customization requirements. This causes the percentage of fit compared to the total requirements to drop, resulting in a lower Degree of Fit.

Lab 3.8 - Identify Integration and Interface Requirements

Are there any new programs that must be integrated with Microsoft Dynamics CRM? If so, which ones?

MODEL ANSWER:

Microsoft MapPoint will be a new integration requirement.



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Which new integration requirements were requested by all departments?

MODEL ANSWER:

There was only one general integration requirement. It concerns the integration between Microsoft® Office Outlook® and Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Information collected when offline must be written to the Microsoft Dynamics CRM database when logging on.

How many integration requirements are listed after the Diagnostic phase? How many are listed after the Analysis phase?

MODEL ANSWER:

Nine requirements are listed after the Diagnostic phase. Seventeen requirements are listed after the Analysis phase.

How does a change in integration requirements affect the Tailspin Toys implementation project?

MODEL ANSWER:

The requirements concerning integration have nearly doubled in number, and there is an additional program that must be integrated with Microsoft Dynamics CRM. This will increase the project's complexity and the required implementation time.

Lab 3.11 – Document Changes and Update the Project Plan

Which changes do you recommend to be out of- cope for the project because they are not considered critical?

MODEL ANSWER:

Recommendations for out of scope requirements include: 1. Approval system, including notification 2. Microsoft MapPoint integration 3. Customer satisfaction analysis per product type 4. Customized screens 5. Track changes.



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Which changes have you identified as having a critical impact on the business?

MODEL ANSWER:

Scheduling and rescheduling of campaigns. • Organization and follow-up of marketing campaigns for customers. • Also recommended for in scope but not critical • Track promotional material (it is a standard feature and would not affect implementation time when taken in scope.

What could have happened if these issues were not clearly and formally documented by Brian Burke?

MODEL ANSWER:

Not managing the scope and the changes that occur could cause major problems in the project timeline and costs, which could interfere with the successful closing of the project. For Tailspin Toys, this could have resulted in discrepancies between the different perceptions of what is in scope and what is not in scope. For example, Trey Research could have left the MapPoint integration out of scope as recommended. Another example is that Tailspin Toys may have been under the impression that the approval system was included in the project since it was discussed during the analysis workshops. This would have led to unpleasant surprises during the testing activities and the final closing of the project.



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