AIM (Application Implementation Methodology)

As promised, here is yet another detailed analysis for AIM's.

Big -5 Implemenation consulting companies uses AIM (Application Implementation Methodology) to
manage all of its Oracle Application projects. AIM can also be used for other different software
implementations and does not limited to only Oracle Applications. However, the methodology was/is
purposely built for Oracle Applications and the detailed deliverables produced are designed with the
Oracle Application products in mind, as these are initially used for oracle consulting guys, and with
time these are adopted methodology in Oracle application across the industry.
The following Oracle Applications Areas are covered by AIM:
Oracle Financials
Oracle Distribution
Oracle Human Resources
Oracle Manufacturing
Oracle Projects
Oracle Process Manufacturing
Business Intelligence
AIM incorporates two things. First, it is a methodology showing what tasks are required, what
order they should be completed in, and what resources are required . Secondly,it provides
deliverable templates for all the tasks that require them. Hence the hybrid of methodology with
a deliverable template tool makes AIM a powerful product.
One biggest disadvantage of AIM methodology is that is very complicated. Complicated in the sense it
has ample number of deliverables which are more than 225 in number. In other word , the project
time frame can be makes direct impact on this methodology , i mean to say if you tried to use them
all you would be spending atleast 9-12 months implementing a 3 month project. AIM is supposed to
be used by experienced project managers that pick and choose the tasks they require for each
project.Most of Consulting company have fine tuned and took tailored approach for AIM's
methodology, based of there standard implementation practice.
AIM defines business needs at the beginning of the project and maintains their visibility throughout
the implementation. It defines internal, external, and time sensitive business events and maps each
event to the responding business and system processes. Using this method, the client gains an
accurate understanding of the business requirements that need to be focused on during the course of
the implementation.
AIM Structure Framework
AIM is a framework of related elements. It involves phases, processes, tasks and dependencies:
A task is a unit of work, which results in a single deliverable. That deliverable may take many
different forms like reports, schedules, code, or test results for example.
A process is a closely related group of dependent tasks, which meets a major objective. A
process is usually based on a common discipline.
A phase is a chronological grouping of tasks. It enables a flexible way to organize tasks,
schedule major deliverables, and deliver projects.
Processes and phases are explained in more detail below.
Processes
A process in AIM represents a related set of objectives, resource skill requirements, inputs, and
deliverable outputs. A task can belong to only one process. Project team members are usually
assigned to a process according to their specialization and background. A brief description of the AIM
processes are given below:
1. Business Requirements Definition: Business Requirements Definition defines the business needs
that must be met by the implementation project. You document business processes by identifying
business events and describing the steps that respond to these events.
2. Business Requirements Mapping: Business Requirements Mapping compares the business
requirements to standard application software functionality and identifies gaps that must be addressed
to fully meet business needs. As gaps between requirements and functionality emerge, they are
resolved by documenting workarounds, alternative solutions, application extensions, or by changing
the underlying business process.
3. Application and Technical Architecture: During the Application and Technical Architecture you
design an information systems architecture that reflects your business vision. Using the business and
information systems requirements, this process facilitates development of a plan for deploying and
configuring the hardware required for a successful implementation.
4. Module Design and Build: Module Design and Build produces custom software solutions to gaps
in functionality identified during Business Requirements Mapping. Custom software solutions include
program modules that must be designed, built, and tested before they can be incorporated into the
system.
5. Data Conversion : Data Conversion defines the tasks and deliverables required to convert legacy
data to the Oracle Applications tables. The first step of this process explicitly defines the business
objects that are required for conversion and the legacy source systems that store these objects. The
converted data may be needed for system testing, training, and acceptance testing as well as for
production.
6. Documentation :Documentation begins with materials created early in the project. Using detailed
documents from the project, the writing staff develops user and technical material that are tailored to
the implementation.
7. Business System Testing: Business System Testing focuses on linking test requirements back to
business requirements and securing project resources needed for testing. It supports utilizing common
test information including data profiles to promote testing co-ordination and to minimize duplication of
test preparation and execution effort.
8. Performance Testing:Performance Testing enables you to define, build, and execute a
performance test. Use the results to make decisions on whether the performance is acceptable for the
business and to help propose tactical or strategic changes to address the performance quality
shortfall. Performance Testing is closely related to Application and Technical Architecture; they are
interdependent.
9. User Training:Training prepares both users and administrators to assume on the tasks of running
the new application system. It includes development of materials and methods as well as
administration. Instructors and courseware developers orient their material toward roles and jobs, and
not toward application modules.
10.Production Migration : Production Migration moves the company, system, and people to the new
enterprise system. Following production cutover, it monitors and refines the production system and
plans for the future. The Production Migration process encompasses transition to production readiness,
production cutover, and post-production support
The Process can easily understood by this diagram against Phases discussed below.

Phases
An AIM project is conducted in phases that provide quality and control checkpoints to co-ordinate
project activities that have a common goal. During a project phase, your project team will be
executing tasks from several processes. A brief description of the AIM processes are given below:
1. Definition: This consist of review the organization's business objectives, evaluate the feasibility of
meeting those objectives under time, resource, and budget constraints. Moreover this can be best
consider as SOW(statement of work) preparation phase.
2. Operations Analysis:During Operations Analysis, the project team develops Business
Requirements Scenarios based on deliverables from Definition that are used to assess the level of fit
between the business requirements and standard application functionality. Gaps are identified and
corresponding solutions developed. The analysis results in a proposal for conducting business
operations under the envisioned application technical architecture. Solutions for gaps evolve into
detailed designs during Solution Design.
3. Solution Design:The purpose of Solution Design is to develop the detailed designs for the optimal
solutions to meet the future business requirements. During this phase, project team members create
detailed narratives of process solutions developed during Operations Analysis. Supporting business
requirements may require building application extensions to standard features; several alternative
solutions may have been defined during Operations Analysis. The project team carefully scrutinizes
these solutions and chooses the most cost effective alternatives.
4. Build:The coding and testing of all customizations and other custom software including
enhancements, data conversions, and interfaces is done during Build. Policy and procedure changes
relating to business process modifications are developed. Business system testing is performed to
validate that the developed solutions meet business requirements. If customizations, extensions, or
conversions are not required, Build is still important because it includes the business system test,
which is commonly conducted as a formal conference room pilot. The business system test validates
the solutions and is performed in an environment that closely resembles production.
5. Transition: During Transition, the project team deploys the finished solution into the organization.
All the elements of the implementation must come together to transition successfully to actual
production. The project team trains the end users while the technical team configures the production
environment and converts data. Transition ends with the cutover to production, when end users start
performing their job duties using the new system.
6.Production: Production begins immediately with the production cutover. It marks the last phase of
the implementation, and the beginning of the system support cycle. Included in this final phase is a
series of refinements and performance measurement steps. The inhoues MIS/IT Department
personnel work quickly to stabilize the system and begin regular maintenance. They will provide the
ongoing support to the organization for the remaining life of the system. During Production, you
compare actual results to project objectives.





Oracle Unified Method (OUM)

Since retirement for Oracle legacy methods, there was lot of queries on OUM vs AIM , therefore this
post will help reader to know more about new method.
The OUM aka Oracle Unified Method supports the entire Enterprise IT Life cycle, including support for
the successful implementation of every Oracle product.
It is a robust, technology agnostic methodology Oracle Methods
Based on industry standards and field experience
Highly scalable to support project or program specific requirements
Iteratively developed through a continuous, evolutionary process
OUM Principal
This is based out of five main principles
1. Business: Focus on the business and assure stake holder acceptance and delivery of the
developments efforts.
2. Architecture: Define architecture before resources are committed for development and
implementation.
3. Adaptability: Encourages adaptability for scalable delivery across small and large projects
possessing disparate resources and skill levels.
4. Implementation: Provides rapid implementation techniques to ensure business solutions in
short time frames
5. Standards: Leverage the Unified Modeling Language and the Unified Software Development
Process
OUM is able to
Support the complete range of Oracle technology projects including
Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA)
Enterprise Integration
Custom Software
Enterprise Performance Management (EPM)
Business Intelligence (BI)
Enterprise 2.0
Enterprise Application Implementation
Software Upgrade
Currently Oracle Consulting using this methods, tools support a complete range of technology
engagements.
In Summary... OUM structure
is a comprehensive set of method materials that is applicable to any type of information
technology project.
is a plan-based method that includes overview material on various approaches and
standards.
It includes base guidelines for focus areas, views, phases, activities, processes and tasks, as
well as work product descriptions.
OUM basically have focus areas and there underline phases and processes , in summary
OUM FOCUS AREAS
These 3 Focus Areas provide a frameworks for enterprise level planning, project and program
management and implementing .
1. Envision Focus Area deals with development and maintenance of enterprise level IT
strategy, architecture, and governance. This also assists in the transition from enterprise-level
planning and strategy activities to the identification and initiation of specific projects.
2. Manage Focus Area provides a framework in which all types of projects can be planned,
estimated, controlled, and completed in a consistent manner.
3. Implement Focus Area This focus Area provides a framework to develop and implement
Oracle-based business solutions .
Next let take a quick overview for Implement Focus area which got replacement of old methods
like AIM Foundation, AIM for Business Flows, Compass, Results Roadmap, etc.
Understanding OUM's Implement Focus
This focus area typically based out of milestone based approach.Typical Milestone are:
Life cycle objective milestone
Life cycle architecture milestone
Initial operation capability milestone
System in production milestone
Sign-off milestone
As mention earlier this comprises of 5 phases and 14 processes, details as follows:
OUM Project Phases
The Workflows within an OUM project are categorized into five phases: Inception,
Elaboration, Construction, Transition, and Production. These phases are described below:
(A) Phase I: Inception :As the first phases in the project life cycle.Major goal of this phase is to
achieve concurrence among all stakeholders on the lifecycle objectives for the project. Kick off's,
review , high-level business requirements along with initial project plan is being targeted in this phase
only.
(B) Phase II: Elaboration :This is the second phases in the project life cycle, where major focus
would be to develop the detailed requirements models, partition the solution, develop functional
prototyping, and baseline the architecture of the system.
(C) Phase III: Construction :As the third phases in the project life cycle, Construction focuses on
design, implementation, and testing of functions to develop a complete system.
(D) Phase IV: Transition :This typically consist from installation onto the production system through
the UAT and launch of the live application, open and ready for business.
(E) Phase V: Production : The goal of the Production phase is to operate the newly developed
system, assess the success of the system, and support the users. This includes: monitoring the
system; acting appropriately to ensure continued operation; measuring system performance;
operating and maintaining supporting systems; responding to help requests, error reports and feature
requests by users; and managing the applicable change control process so that defects and new
features are prioritized and assigned to future releases.
OUM Process - Typically OUM process defined as "A discipline or sub-project that defines a set of
tasks related by subject matter, required skills, and common dependencies". A process usually spans
several phases in an approach.
All OUM tasks are also organized into processes that group related tasks together. Project team
members are assigned to these groupings according to their specialization and background. OUM
includes the following 14 processes

1. BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS [RD] Objective of the Business Requirements process is to
identify, refine, and prioritize the business requirements for the proposed system
2. REQUIREMENTS ANALYSIS [RA] Objective of the Requirements Analysis process is to
further analyze the requirements identified during the Business Requirements process as the
basis for analysis and design.
3. ANALYSIS [AN] Objective of the Analysis process is to analyze, refine, and structure the
system requirements via the Analysis Model.
4. DESIGN [DS] Objective of the Design process is to translate requirements into a system
design that meets all functional and supplemental requirements.
5. IMPLEMENTATION [IM] Objective of the Implementation process is to develop the final
system, through a number of iterative steps.
6. TESTING [TE] The Testing process is an integrated approach to testing the quality and
conformance of all elements of the new system.
7. PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT [PT] Objective of the Performance Management process is
to define, construct, and execute an effective approach to managing performance throughout
the project life cycle.
8. TECHNICAL ARCHITECTURE [TA] Objective of the Technical Architecture process is to
design an information system architecture that realizes the business vision.
9. DATA ACQUISITION AND CONVERSION [CV] Objective of the Data Acquisition and
Conversion process is to convert all legacy data necessary for the operation of the new
system.
10. DOCUMENTATION [DO] Objective of the Documentation process is to develop
documentation that augments product manuals with information about custom software and
business procedures.
11. ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE MANAGEMENT [OCM] Objective of the Organizational
Change Management process is to identify the human and organizational challenges of the
project in order to mitigate risk.
12. TRAINING [TR] Objective of the Training process is to adequately train the project team to
begin the project and train the users to run the new system.
13. TRANSITION [TS] Objective of the Transition process is to install the system and go
production.
14. OPERATIONS AND SUPPORT [PS] Objective of the Operations and Support process is to
monitor and respond to system problems to fix errors and performance problems and plan
enhancements.
Believe with this method companies get simplified project management, improved planning, reduced
risk which make them manage project within time within Budget.Next post will more the details for
other Focus area.Keep watching this space.