Management by Metrics Application Knowledge Capture

1
Management by Metrics Application Knowledge
Capture

• Austin SPIN Meeting
• November 8, 2007
• Johan Sundlöf

2
Agenda

• Why the focus on Application Maintenance?
• Management by Metrics what is it?
• CAIs Managed Maintenance methodology
• Case Study Air Products
• How do we do it?
• Transition
• Focus on Application Knowledge Capture
• Operation

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Why the focus on Application Maintenance?

• Largest Part of Software Budgets
• 50-80 of Software Management Budgets
• Most Critical Software Work
• 100 of the Software supporting business
  operations

Software Supporting Business 100
Maintenance and Support
Software Budget 65
Development
4
Management by Metrics what is it?
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Managed Maintenance
Operation
Stabilization
Optimization
Transition

• Solidify Process

Efficiency and Quality

• Document Apps
• App/Process Training
• Implement CAI Process Tools

Initiatives

• Process QA

Prevention
Assessment
Continuous Process Improvement
Initial Evaluation


Develop Initial
Project Plan

Identify Target Systems

Define the Project Scope

Document Existing
Processes/Methodologies

Develop the Transition Plan
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Managed Maintenance
Operation
Stabilization
Optimization
Transition

• Solidify Process

Efficiency and Quality

• Document Apps
• App/Process Training
• Implement CAI Process Tolls

Initiatives

• Process QA

Prevention
Assessment
Continuous Process Improvement
Initial Evaluation


Develop Initial
Project Plan
7
Managed Maintenance
Operation
Stabilization
Optimization
Transition

• Solidify Process

Efficiency and Quality

• Document Apps
• App/Process Training
• Implement CAI Process Tolls

Initiatives

• Process QA

Prevention
Assessment
Continuous Process Improvement
Initial Evaluation


Develop Initial
Project Plan
8
Air Products Engagement
Engagement Overview
Complexity

• Contract signed 12 Sep, go-live 13 December 2005
• 5 year agreement for application development
  maintenance
• Baseline scope
• 297 Applications
• 41 Consultants
• Split team 75 US, 25 Philippines
• Within 2 years baseline scope to be supported by
• 32 Consultants
• Split team 50 US, 50 Philippines
• CAI Managed Maintenance implementation using
  Tracer tool
• Integrated with Air Products ITIL processes
  (incident, problem, change, release)
• Application areas include
• Former CAI MM engagements (E-Business
  Engineering)
• Applications previously supported by APCI
  employees
• Expanding engagement scope currently supporting
  369 Applications

WEB BASED ASP, ASP.Net C.Net, JAVA
Startup
Primary Technologies
CLIENT SERVER VB, Powerbuilder SQL Server
Includes package applications

• Global application user base
• (Asia S. America)
• 1,500 incidents, call supports /mo.
• 24x7x365 support for applications
• w/ Premium support tier
• Strict SLAs

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Engagement Productivity

• First two years of operation
• 27 savings in cost per supported application
• 18 increase in number of supported applications
  per FTE
• 49 decrease in cost per trouble ticket resolved
• 33 decrease in support cost for baseline
  applications (planned in contract)
• 6.6 additional savings through cost-avoidance
  and delayed staffing ramp-up
• Met Contractual SLAs 96.7 in FY2007
• This just in Inaugural (2007) Winner of Air
  Products IT Global Partnership Award!

10
How do we do it?
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Transition

• Duration varies average 3 months
• Milestones
• Define scope
• Establish staffing
• Define process, tools, and interfaces
• Define Service Level Agreements (SLA)
• Establish system access method and security
• Configure tools
• Perform Application Knowledge Capture

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• Managed Maintenance Team Training
• Train team in customer relations
• Develop plan for application training
• Develop plan for cross application training

• Pre-Transition Planning
• Assign project leadership
• Review key documents
• Develop team member technical profile
• Prepare initial transition plan

• Develop the base level metrics
• Identify customer administrative and
  security policies
• Establish CAI team policies

• Establish the Physical Operation
• Obtain facility, furniture and utilities
• Obtain equipment and communication services

• Application Knowledge Capture (AKC)
• Prepare application checklist
• Establish final acceptance criteria
• Prepare AKC schedule
• Document application information in the
  standard template
• Complete the turnover

• Standards Definition
• Collect and review customer standards
• Document standards to be utilized
• Review standards with customer

• Support Team Staffing
• Transfer or recruit/screen/test/hire
• Core Support Team
• Prepare application support matrix
• Develop Associate performance plans

• Procedures Definition
• Develop customer interface procedures
• Develop team operating procedures

• Orient Customer to Managed
• Maintenance Support
• Initial meetings with IT and users
• Review work request flow and procedures
• Develop issue tracking procedures
• Establish a regular
• meeting schedule

• Managed Maintenance Support Overview
• Prepare initial operations manual
• Develop the base level metrics

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Application Knowledge vs. Application
Documentation

• Application Knowledge What is in peoples heads
• Getting application knowledge out of the heads of
  few into the heads of the many
• Practical knowledge used in support of specific
  application functions, output and users
• Focused specific application functional knowledge
• Subject Mater Expert (SME) interview-based
  knowledge acquired from experience
• Standard application knowledge templates
• Web published leveraging knowledge for use within
  the IT and user communities
• Application Documentation Technical
  specifications
• Source code analysis primarily used in
  re-engineering applications
• Extensive business rules and data cross-reference
  listings
• Typically volumes of data with little information
  useful in supporting the application
• Uses source code references in documentation (not
  very useful for support or users)

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Structured Approach
Business functions, screen navigation, system
architecture, security, etc
Application Overview and Structure
Application functions, design, Interfaces, key
users
Application Summary
Programs, databases and files, screens, reports,
problem solutions, etc.
Application Details
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Knowledge Capture Sources

• Structured interviews with Subject Matter Experts
  (SMEs)
• Access to existing application component
  repositories
• Availability and quality of existing documented
  knowledge
• Quality Reviews (ensure completeness and accuracy
  of acquired knowledge)
• Minimum client effort required

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Key AKC Activities

• Identify relevant system components that account
  for 80 of the application usage and problem
  areas within the application
• Based on expected work mix, determine level of
  detail of technical documentation
• Leverage existing documentation, expert
  information, and source code documentation
• Create application knowledge reference material
• Verify accuracy and completeness of knowledge
  capture with client SME(s)
• Client review and final signoff on application
  knowledge capture notebooks
• Publish to Intranet or Web

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Types of Knowledge Captured

• Application Overview (including Context Diagram)
• Online Navigation (Screen Flows)
• Batch Job Flows/Processing Schedules
• Application Design Overview (including Context
  Diagram)
• Application Special Processing Routines
• External Interfaces
• Application Component Inventory
• Complex and Critical Components
• Files, Databases, and Component Relationships

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Types of Knowledge Captured

• Report Format Samples and Distribution
• Failure History (failure patterns)
• Application Trouble Areas and Resolutions
• Troubleshooting Utilities and Programs
• Production and Account Security
• Work Request History and Open Backlog
• Library Environment
• User and Support Contacts

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Example AKC Deliverable
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Example AKC Deliverable
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Operation

• The stage is set now manage by metrics and
  tweak work process to achieve efficiency and
  productivity
• Managed Maintenance methodology enforced by
  Tracer
• Interfaces and tools may vary by customer and
  engagement but core methodology remains the same
• Tracer is repository for all work used for
  managing work, measuring performance, and
  planning ahead
• Visibility, Control, Optimization!

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Implementation Approach
Optimize
Process Customization Continuous Improvement
Streamline Craft Work Processes
Implement

• Continuous Improvement
• Re-Engineer Work Process
• Coaching Mentoring

Process Consistency Quality
Capability Improvement
Implement Standardized Workflow Processes
Initiate
Work Visibility Control

• Integrate Work Processes
• Capture/Manage Knowledge
• Perform Root Cause Analysis

Classify and Capture Work , Metrics, Resources
and Time

• Efficiency / Productivity

• Install / Configure Tracer
• Capture/Manage Time
• Implement Basic Work Process

Cumulative Timeline