Oracle E-Business Suite: Software Factory Development Process

by: Sandro Marques

The Software Factory concept is based on a production line for systems from user requirements to software delivered. This production should be done without any direct communication between developers (production line workers) and users, system analysts and designers (customer side), based upon a scope, schedule, costs and quality standards.

A software development process is a fundamental piece to a software factory success, it considers all software development cycle and help project activities and resources management (plan and control).

Software Factory for Oracle E-Business Suite Projects uses a software development process based on AIM Advantage (Application Implementation Method). AIM Advantage is a proven, comprehensive method and toolkit to successfully guide implementation of an Oracle Applications solution. Developed and sold by Oracle Corporation, AIM is used by Oracle consultants, partners and customers when implementing Oracle Applications.

Talking about Oracle Applications extensions only, AIM offers templates and tools for all extensions development cycle, considering problem definitions phase, business requirements analysis, system analysis, design, build, test and transition to production environment. The activities executed can be categorized as follow:

• Project Management: project scope definition activities; version control; work, quality and risk plans; human resources organization, training and allocation, and so far;

• Business Requirements Mapping: based on specific business requirements and Oracle Applications functionalities gaps, customizations (extensions) will be planned and developed;

• Module Design and Build: activities to estimate, plan, design, build, test and document custom program modules (forms, reports, database, etc);

• Business System test: integrated approach to testing the quality of all application system elements;

• Performance Testing: these activities helps the project team define, build, and execute a performance test on specific system modules and configurations;

• Adoption and Learning: accelerates the implementation team’s ability to work together through organization-specific customizations learning.

Other important development process features are standards names for file structures, tables, fields, variables and others key elements used during development activity. This facilitates upgrades procedures and applications maintenance.

If you would like to see how an Oracle Applications customization would be using such a techniques you can contact us, we are able to work with you on your company specific needs with great results and quality with affordable costs.