Windows NT Application Planning

To meet the requirements of quick development, rapid deployment and easy adaptability, many businesses are turning to solutions based on Windows NT. The Windows NT Application Planning service is designed to help you leverage the power of Windows NT and other technologies (e.g., Microsoft's BackOffice suite and the Internet/Intranet) to meet your business challenges and to improve your return on IT investments. To achieve these goals, you must plan carefully.

In the First Step Windows NT Application Planning service, certified consultants identify the tools, technology and application architecture best suited for an NT-based solution for your business. This can include the following activities:

• Business needs assessment
• Organizational readiness assessment
• Application architecture definition (e.g., 2-tier/3-tier, middleware, use of ISAPI, etc.)
• Internet/Intranet accessibility requirements
• Integration/Interoperability requirements (e.g., legacy applications, UNIX, etc.)
• Application characterization (e.g., performance)
• Mission critical/reliability requirements (clusters, 365x24)
• Guidelines for desktop/user interface (e.g., Web access)
• Tool selection (development tools, appropriate BackOffice products, etc.)
• Application management

 

Windows NT Application Design
The Windows NT Application Design service is the next step following the application planning. With this service consultants take the results of the application-planning phase and develop a solution blueprint. The solution blueprint provides:

• Information on the initial system architecture
• Information on the recommended solution (consisting of the delivery and development approach)
• The schedule for the proposed system

During this phase consultants also develop a prototype that shows some aspects of the potential solution.

Steps included in this service are:

• Determine development and delivery strategy
• Develop a demonstration prototype
• Produce a solution blueprint document
• Analyze benefits
• Prepare project plan

 

Windows NT Application Implementation
The Windows NT Application Implementation service uses the First Step RAD Program Methodology -- an evolutionary approach to understanding application requirements and to developing appropriate systems to support your needs.

With its basis in the RAD approach, the Application Implementation service develops and delivers the system incrementally, with each service increment building on the completed results of the previous one. The solution blueprint guides the development of each phase and is updated with new information in response to changing business requirements. This allows you to adjust for today's business needs while maintaining on-time system delivery schedules.