Times 3 Technologies has a core philosophy of establishing long-term partnerships with its clients.  This philosophy is reinforced through its structured approach to implementation projects and ensures total client involvement throughout.

This ensures the complete involvement of our client’s critical resources.  In addition, Times 3 Technologies recommends the use of a project manager to work in conjunction with either a client project manager or key personnel for the duration of the project for the following reasons:

• The long-term partnership philosophy is reinforced
• Shared responsibility and accountability
• Transfer of knowledge and skills
• Ability to leverage the Client project manager’s organisation specific knowledge and expertise
• Ability to leverage Times 3 Technologies Project Manager’s product, service and methodology knowledge and expertise.

In order to optimise the success of this philosophy, a phased approach is often adopted for projects.  Detailed planning and project management, with a primary emphasis on deliverables and deadlines, has become core Times 3 Technologies competency.

Typically the implementation process for a SalesLogix implementation will proceed as follows, however certain steps or procedures might be superseded to meet clients requirements.  This structure may be viewed as a guideline to a proposed implementation.

1.    Project Kick-Off

The project kick-off meeting is normally scheduled within one week of signing the agreement.  Times 3 Technologies will try to gain an in-depth understanding of the scope and overall direction of the program of work anticipated by you, the Client.  All key members from the Client’s team should attend this meeting.

The agenda for the kick-off meeting will include:

• Discussion on specific objectives to be attained through the project
• Develop plans and schedules
• Define responsibilities and allocate resources

2.    Implementation Planning

Proper planning is essential to the success of our partnership with the Client. The implementation plan will achieve the following:

• Facilitate communication between the project team and senior management
• Identify possible problems in advance to take cost-effective steps to alleviate them.
• Help the Client schedule resources efficiently
• Clearly define the efforts of T3T and the Client so it is clear who is to perform each task and the time and resources each task will require

After the first project meeting, T3T will be better equipped to design a specific implementation plan and allocate resources.  This will enable the scheduling and initiation tasks for requirements definition, data conversion, system installation, testing, and integration.

During this period, timeframes for project meetings, interviews with key managers and project personnel, and availability of key platform hardware and project data will be defined.  These factors are critical to assure that all customization, testing, installation, training, and integration are accomplished by the scheduled completion date.

The implementation plan includes milestones, work breakdown structure, and responsibilities for all involved personnel.  Upon completion of this phase, a High-Level Project Plan will have been developed and a complete Statement of Work (Project Initiation Document) for the whole Project will be presented for approval and sign-off.  Once approved, this implementation plan will serve as the basis for further project developments.

3.    Requirements Definition and Design

• Develop & Document High-level System Architecture
• Develop & Document Data Model
• Develop & Document Application Views (Account, Contact, Opportunities, and others)
• Define Users and User Security Requirements
• Develop & Document Legacy System Integration Formats
• Review & Refine Data Model
• Develop & Document Data Conversion Mapping of Tables & Fields
• Deliver Application Blueprint

During this phase of the project, T3T will identify the needs of each of Municipality user areas. Functional Requirements will be defined through interviews between T3T’s consultants and the municipal departmental managers, users, and supervisors.  Through these interviews, we aim to define and explain the following:

• The general workflow of the customer service personnel
• Processing bottlenecks
• Detailed understanding of your most critical needs
• Application parameters
• User security requirements
• Customisation of SalesLogix that may be required
• Non software related changes, such as changes in procedures or business processes
• Basic reports

A functional requirements document will be produced at the end of this series of interviews.  The requirements are not defined in extensive detail as from experience we find that the users’ tend to duplicate what they know and use today.

If there is any existing information held on file that the municipalities would want recorded, then the files can be imported through a comma delimited text format or data will be linked directly to tables in other databases, such as Access, Oracle, or Microsoft SQL Server.  Even user-defined fields located in separate databases can be converted automatically.

4.    Data Conversion

• Develop Final Import Mapping
• Develop Import Scripts
• Develop Data Cleansing/Reformatting Scripts (if needed)
• Perform Data Conversion
• Verify Data Converted Properly
• Backup Data Ready for delivery

5.    Installation and Site Preparation

• Configure Database Server, Network, Install Database Software
• Perform SalesLogix Database Server Installation
• Perform SalesLogix Sync Server Installation
• Perform Full Copy of Customized Alpha-Application
• Perform Full Copy of Converted Data
• Perform Workgroup User Installation
• Perform Remote User Installation
• Perform Alpha-Application Testing
• Configure Users for Beta-Application Testing
• Sign-off on Application Delivered

6.    Post Implementation Support

The objective of the final phase is to iron out any problems that the client may experience during the early part of live operation.  These problems may occur due to inefficiencies in operation not exposed during the pilot phase, customisation errors or operator error due to inexperience.  During this phase T3T monitors the systems effectiveness.

The post implementation support and refinement phase is concluded by the Project Closure Workshop and project sign-off.

The Post Implementation Support will be conducted on an ad-hoc time and materials basis should this be the preference of the Client.

7.    Post Implementation Review

After the Client uses SalesLogix for ninety days, we recommend a Post-Implementation Review.  During this review, which is typically three to five days, we will meet with key department managers to determine:

• If the system is being used to its fullest advantage.
• Are key features being used correctly
• What minor enhancements can be made to provide quick and effective improvements

T3T offers review training on whatever topics that require refreshing and can conduct additional training for any users.