Identifying and defining detailed requirements for the Information System.

During this phase, main business functions to be performed by the information system are identified and prioritized singling out those that need to be addressed as a matter of priority, and the Client's information requirements are described.

Requirements are specified by LEAVES experts working in close cooperation with the Client's staff. Requirements for the conversion of the existing data and the possibility for using the existing software applications and hardware in the new information system are identified.

Assessment of the scope of the project is made followed by the development of the preliminary implementation schedule for each subsequent phase. A possibility to implement the project to budget, using the existing hardware, etc. is determined.

Main deliverables of this phase:

List and descriptions of the information system business functions;
Preliminary functional model of the information system;
Preliminary information model of the information system.

Design Phase

Main goal of this phase:

Translation of requirements into detailed specifications for the information system.

During this phase, CASE-tools are widely used to develop operational prototypes of the applications. Entity-Relationship Diagrams are built (ER-diagrams), and an analysis of entities is carried out.

Requirements for the information system that may have been overlooked at the previous phase are clarified and added during this phase. The information system's processes are analyzed in more detail. The functional model of the IS is analyzed and amended as necessary. Each process is considered in detail. Where necessary, a partial prototype is developed for each basic process comprising a screen, dialogue and report.

Any uncertainties and ambiguities are eliminated. Access authorization levels and a set of the required information system documents are defined. Following the identification of the detailed process composition, the number of functional elements of the information system is assessed, and a decision is made with regards to dividing the information system into subsystems.

All models and prototypes are built using the same CASE-tools that will be later used for the information system design to avoid uncontrolled data distortion when information on the project is passed on to the next phase.

Main deliverables of this phase:

Overall information model of the information system;
Functional models of the information system and individual subsystems to be implemented by LEAVES developers;
Clearly defined interfaces between subsystems that are being developed separately;
Completed prototypes of screens, reports and dialogues

Development (Build) Phase

Main goal of this phase:

Creating and testing the information system applications.

During this phase, the actual development of the information system applications takes place. LEAVES developers use an iterative approach to build the actual system based on models developed during the development phase and non-functional requirements. The application code is partly generated by automatic generators receiving information directly from the CASE-tools repository.

During the development phase, the Client can assess the deliverables achieved and introduce changes if the system does not meet the requirements specified earlier. The information system is tested during the development process.

Upon completion of the development work on individual parts of the information system, they are integrated with the other parts; a full application code is generated; each part of the information system is tested in combination with other parts followed by testing the whole system.

Physical design of the system is completed - it is defined whether data model should be distributed; data use analysis and physical design of the database are carried out; final hardware platform requirements are finalized and performance criterions of the information system are defined; project documentation development is completed.

Main deliverables of this phase:

Fully implemented information system that meets all listed requirements.

Transition to Production Phase

Main goal of this phase:

Putting the Information System into operation.

During this phase, users are trained, organisational changes are made and, in parallel with the implementation of the new information system, the existing system is operated until the new system is fully operational. Acceptance testing is carried out.

Implementation preparation and planning are started earlier, during the design phase. LEAVES experts support the information system during the period specified in the contract with the Client.

Main deliverables of this phase:

Fully implemented information system that meets all listed requirements

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