Increased Efficiency when Using Highly Specialized Teams
Case Study
Smoothly to the Right System
Case Study
Smoothly to the Right System
Professional Support, from Requirements Analysis to Implementation
Developing complex IT systems is a comprehensive process that many companies simply cannot manage on their own. In one such case, our IT consultants supported one client as they worked to develop a new system to estimate price elasticities, engaging in the entire process from requirements analysis, to tendering to the final implementation.
Challenge
Companies setting out to develop a new IT system are faced with the tasks of managing complex evaluation processes, selecting suitable software suppliers and, finally, integrating the desired solution into their existing IT infrastructure. The necessary expert knowledge and human resources required for such a comprehensive process are rarely available in-house, so it just makes sense to involve external IT consultants who possess the desired technical expertise—not only for requirements engineering but also for active support and monitoring of implementation.
Our Contribution
In the context of developing a new system to estimate price elasticities, we collaborated with one particular customer throughout the entire process—from requirements analysis to system integration—actively helping to shape implementation. As part of this activity, we first collected, structured and documented system requirements to be developed in cooperation with our customers. In taking further steps, we established an initial data model together with our client’s experts, identifying and describing relevant system interfaces. On this basis, the client was able to prepare tender documents and select an IT supplier, accordingly.
During the implementation phase, our team worked to continuously develop necessary extension and system adaptation requirements. We also managed communication processes between various parties including the core project team, users, the team responsible for method development and the test team. The unique expertise of the VIA Software team was essential to project success, with members who were not only experienced system analysts but also possessed an academic background in applied mathematics.
Benefits for the Client
- By providing our services with respect to requirements analysis and tender preparation, we helped the client expedite supplier selection more quickly than would have been possible with in-house staff alone.
- Our team cooperation during the implementation phase significantly relieved our client in tailoring integration of the new software into their existing IT landscape.
- Due to our comprehensive involvement in requirements analysis and associated parameters for the required solution and system integration requirements, we quickly and effectively assisted the client project team in clarifying questions and overcoming any obstacles that arose. Last but not least, we helped facilitate and support communication between our client's project team and users—in both workshops touching on specific topics such as GUI design and regular project progress meetings.
- Our team mathematicians and software developers supported our client's test team in many ways by creating test scripts, generating test data and performing analyses.
- Thanks to our consulting team’s many years of comprehensive experience across all software development phases, additional experts were not needed for individual tasks within the development process—significantly reducing complexity within the project setting.
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