Process development

Cases and consequences

• Modernisation of existing software should be considered if the current system continues to predominantly serve business processes or contains significant intellectual property.
• Integrating the legacy system ensures continuity and minimises the need for costly retraining. However, it can double the size of the support team due to running legacy and new systems together, resulting in minimal cost savings.
• After an acquisition, keeping a company's system in place is likely to lead to user dissatisfaction. While some users will understand how to use the system, others will need further training.
• Keeping the best parts of the system after a merger can lead to overlaps, duplication or even gaps. In the vast majority of cases, new modules will eventually have to be added to the common system, increasing training time and costs. However, on the positive side, there will be familiar and new parts for everyone.
• A complete replacement of the system that controls the processes always requires learning for the entire staff, while providing agility to strengthen the business. The merger of companies can be a good time to introduce such a system to streamline processes.

Data migration

In most cases, data from the "old" system will need to be "migrated" or transferred to the new system. In some cases, the data needs to be synchronised between the two systems to ensure that the simultaneous systems are up-to-date. We have extensive experience in managing complex data migration scenarios, so you can trust us to handle the entire implementation to ensure a smooth process.

Development process

Process support systems are all about managing specific steps, with a start, a branch and an outcome, but all planning contingencies need to be taken into account and a flexible system developed to meet the needs of the business.

Information collection and analysis

To do this, we first gather information and thoroughly analyse the current system(s) and business processes: what works, what doesn't, whether there are any gaps in functionality and any out-of-system solutions.

Research

We then work with the management and relevant staff to find out more about the business and its plans. We talk to the colleagues concerned, as they often point out areas of the workflow that need improvement to do their job more effectively, and we also present our own suggestions.

Planning

We look at all aspects of process improvement, including data, security, data transfer and networks. We then draw up a design for the new system, which:

• points out the necessary functions of the old system
• overwrites or replaces certain components
• proposes previously non-existent modules, such as:
  • the ability to import and export information from one system to another
  • a detailed management report that our clients can access through a secure client portal
  • secure data transfer
  • fully automated procedures as opposed to manual or semi-automated procedures
  • data input from other databases - so only the most recent customer information is used

Specification and prototype

The next step is to produce a written specification and create a prototype of the new system to illustrate what it will look and feel like to work with, at this early stage of the planning.