Several industry-specific terms are used repeatedly throughout this book. Below I define how I have used these terms to help readers more easily understand the book.
What is an IT methodology?
An IT methodology is nothing more than a vehicle designed to provide structure to an IT project. An effective IT methodology is one that delivers a quality end result quickly. The best methodology is simple, transparent and focuses the correct resources directly on the primary deliverables. This means that daily priorities must always focus on prime deliverables and not on arbitrary or intermediate points. For purposes of this book, a methodology refers to an IT methodology and IT refers to Information Technology.
What is an end-user?
An end-user is an expert worker with the knowledge, skills and experience to operate a particular business process in a live operational environment. Knowledge workers who utilize the system are not merely clients who have to be dealt with; they are, instead, a company's means of production and the key to delivering excellence.
What is a business process?
Companies define the term business process differently. However, for purposes of this book, I have defined it as a specific function performed, for which an individual requires specific security access and training. The purpose of delineating business processes is primarily to understand these processes in terms of the number of security and training profiles so that a company can establish the scope and size of the work effort in fixed and finite terms. For example, adding new vendors, changing existing vendors and viewing authorized vendors are three separate business processes, as they require three distinct security access profiles and different kinds of training. One person may perform all three functions and will require security access and training for each process. It is the different access security and training profiles that I focus on in this book, as that is directly proportional to the effort that is required and the audience that will deal with the process. Conversely, many people can perform the same function and require the same security access and training. However, for purposes of this book, one business process cannot be split between two individuals, each of whom performs a part of it. Since each person would require different security access and training, these functions would be considered different business processes.
What is a script?
A script is a course of action, or a sequence of steps, that is recorded once and may be played back as often as is required. Recording a course of action is a computer-assisted procedure that functions in a manner similar to an audio or video recording taped once, then available for playback on demand as often as is necessary. A script is a tool primarily for automating an interactive application that is used repeatedly. It is ideal for capturing intellectual capital that can then be leveraged to allow non-experts to utilize expert knowledge. It also allows data to be reused repeatedly until all defects have been eliminated. Consequently, a script is ideal for creating a lifelong learning tool or an automated testbed for a product. There are many different scripting products available on the market, some of which are in the public domain.
What is a deliverable?
For the purposes of this book, a deliverable is the product or result of any task or activity undertaken during the implementation. For example, the object of exercising business process functionality is to deliver a production-ready business process.
What is a package, implementation or project?
Throughout the book, I refer to a package, implementation or project. In all cases, the single word refers to the act of implementing an enterprise-wide packaged business application. The terms do not refer to any form of custom developed software.
Operations-driven thinking comprises some simple ideas that will set your mind free with irrefutable logic. These ideas will change the way you fundamentally view packaged implementations.
This book breaks down difficult concepts so that you can make informed decisions based on facts instead of myths. You will never view another implementation project the same way after reading this book.
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