Deloitte Tech Cases Questions and Answers

Deloitte Tech Cases Questions and Answers Software Development Life Cycle Linear sequence of stages all systems naturally undergo. The six distinct phases are: project identification and selection, project initiation and planning, analysis, design, implementation, maintenance. Stages are followed beginning to end; revisiting prior stages is no permitted but there may be some overlap (for example, certain areas might be in design, while others are in analysis). Why Follow SDLC? Why is it important? -Enables thorough project planning and execution -Develops an information system in a structured and methodological way -SDLC brings discipline, rigor, and order to the implementation of complex projects, while facilitating a strong knowledge transfer to the clients -SDLC helps the final system exceed expectations, reaches completion within time and cost estimates, and work effectively and efficiently in current and future IT infrastructure. Waterfall model (classic approach to the SDLC)-DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGY Describes a development method that is linear and sequential. It has distinct goals for each phase of development. Once a phase of development is completed, the development proceeds to the next phase and there is no turning back. Agile model-DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGY Opposite of waterfall model; it is iterative (go in tight cycles); work for a while, see what we get, and then we'll revisit all the plans and make as many changes as we want, and start again (known as "sprints" or iterations); agile loves changes-revisit plan constantly. Agile methodology which allows the company to react and adopt to the rapidly changing market. Agile IT teams deliver smaller increments of work, which will make it possible to gather customer's feedback sooner. The customer's feedback can be used to prioritize work and make decisions around which modules should be enhanced with additional functionalities. Goal of the SDLC To develop software as cheaply, efficiently, and effectively as possible Phase 1: Project Identification and Selection -Identifies problems/identifies need for new system -Learn strengths and weaknesses of the current system with improvement as the goal -Generate alternative options -Compare alternatives (stay with old vs. develop new; custom solution in-house vs. outsource); should be reviewed by various internal stakeholders -Conduct vendor assessment if appropriate -Recommend best alternative -Resources, costs, time, benefits and other items should be considered here -Project managers, project leaders, sponsors Phase 2: Requirement gathering and Analysis -Analyze current system (abilities and limitations) -Structure requirements and eliminate redundancies -Functional teams, subject matter experts Phase 3: Design A physical design is developed-a detailed description of what is needed to solve original problem. Input, output, databases, forms, codification schemes, and processing specifications are drawn up in detail. In the design stage, the programming language and the hardware and software platform in which the new system will run are also decided. -Subject matter experts, functional teams, technical teams Phase 4: Implementation or coding -Develop -Hardware and software installation, programming, user training, documentation -Functional teams, change management, technical teams, trainers, system developers, subject matter experts Phase 5: Testing -testing the code within the system to make sure there are no bugs or errors Phase 6: Deployment Deployed to the customer; system documentation; user training Phase 7: Maintenance -System changed to reflect changing conditions (will the new system be able to handle even more daily transactions in the future?) Will the system eventually be obsolete? Process of change and upgrading are constant: carry out the replacement of outdated hardware/software, security upgrades, and continuous improvement on a regular basis. -Change management, technical team Questions to ask right after the case is given to you -Understand how the current system works (capabilities and limitations) -If any problem or concern is not stated explicitly (like "and other concerns"), ask for them to be clarified -Understand the new system (has it been used before and was it successful; is there market or growth potential for the new system; does it help improve our old system/does it address the current system's limitations?) -Understand the competition (what are they doing? If they have faced a similar problem, then what did they do?) -Understand the client's timeline -Understand the client's budget restraints for the project -Is the company international? -How is the client segmented (by customer, by product line)? -Which customer/product/service line provides the most revenue? The brand recognition? *ALONG WITH PROS AND CONS, ALSO LIST RISK MITIGATION STRATEGIES* Big-Bang Implementation Approach -Go-live scenario where a business switches from their old system to their new system at a single point in time; turning off your old system and then immediately firing up your new system; it creates a whole universe of change all at once -Pros: shorter implementation time, lower costs, single system in use company-wide -Cons: full testing is difficult prior to go live, wider scope of potential system issues, temporary lack of productivity Phased Implementation Approach -System is introduced in a planned sequence, replacing the old systems gradually; has smaller go live dates for each phase of the project which can give your staff more time to adjust to changes -Common "phases" include breaking down the implementation by module, business unit, geographical area, or business priority -Pros: easier to adjust to new system, more time to train, fix smaller problems as you go -Cons: more time, higher implementation cost, often requires additional interface. Pilot Program -Like Big-bang but is only a small deployment for testing the system An application is deployed in a small area of the business, and, contingent on success, will be rapidly deployed to the rest of the business -Pros: identify implementation challenges early-allowing large-scale implementation to run more smoothly-saving both time and money; (overcome future problems by documenting lessons learned, testing the effectiveness of your planned process, uncovering hiccups that slow down tasks); can also build a network of technology supporters (employees that participate in the pilot have the chance to see first hand the software's value-these individuals can then become your internal advocates, helping sell the idea to others, answer end-user questions and more) -Cons: may signal a sense of doubt in the technology to employees. Be careful how the project is branded, and proactively communicate to employees the need and benefits of testing. To eliminate confusion, you also may have to establish new processes during the pilot program period. Since some employees will be using the new technology while others historical processes, there is the potential for data and information to get mixed up in translation. Factors to Consider when choosing a Strategy 1. Does the implementation cover a single site or multiple sites? (Consider interdependencies between sites as well) 2. Does the implementation cover a single business or multiple businesses? 3. If a phased approach is adopted, what will this mean for integration between the new system and legacy systems during the interim period? Will the new system need to interface with legacy systems? Does the company currently have infrastructure in place to support it? (Standard Operating Procedures that cover how businesses and processes operate in the interim period) 4. Are there any other competing business activities that need to be taken into account? (Factors such as regulatory compliance, acquisitions, new product introductions and other capital expenditure programs can influence the required timescale for an ERP implementation). 5. What level of risk is acceptable? 6. How immediate is the need for change and results? 7. What is your budget/level of cost? 8. Do we have a logical group of employees willing to test the program? (For a pilot program to be successful, you must have a dedicated testing group). If a client chose the Phased Implementation Strategy, which segment of their business would you recommend implementation to first? Choose the segment that does the least harm to company image if chance of failure If choosing revenue building segment, note that business will see earlier revenue gains If choosing safest segment (affected by neither image or revenue hits), note that this is the "safe strategy", and will not impact tosses in revenue or brand equity nearly as significantly Tips to Succeed with Pilot Programs Provide an open communication forum for employees and participants to provide in-depth feedback How will you identify redundancies? Analyze current activities Map out all initiatives and services within the agency and their target audiences and make sure that there is no overlap IT deployment Encompasses all the processes involved in getting new software or hardware up and running properly in its environment, including installation, configuration, running, testing, and making necessary changes IT infrastructure Refers to the composite hardware, software, network resources and services required for the existence, operation and management of an enterprise IT environment POS (Point of Sale) System Place where your customer executes the payment for goods or services bought from your company. "A point of sale system is a combination of software and hardware that allows merchants to take transactions and simplify key day-to-day business operations Software: on-premise-a traditional software model. Purchase one or more licenses upfront for the software and install it on your computer system or servers. You're in charge of updating and maintaining the software, which may require dedicated IT personnel for larger organizations. Cloud-based-also known as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) POS solutions. You access and support the system via the internet. Don't worry-if your internet goes down, most systems track sales and sync them once you're back online. Hardware: Register screen, barcode scanner, credit card reader, receipt printer, cash drawer. Benefits and must-have capabilities of POS Systems: sales reporting (record and analyze sales data to make informed business decisions), customer management (log purchases and keep in touch with customers through marketing tools), inventory management (manage quantity of stock to determine when and how often to recorder products), and employee management (provide clock-in/clock-out tools and manage scheduling and payroll) Choosing the Best POS System for your Business: 1. Does the functionality of the system suit your specific business needs? 2. How much does it cost? 3. Is it user-friendly? Does it require a lot of training? 4. Analyze vendors: were they successful in the past? Do they have a good reputation? 5. Does it interface well with your old POS system? Is it easy to transition from the old one to the new one? Interface? 6. Are there any hidden fees? 7. Is a new system even needed? Or can we simply fix the old system? Oracle Corporation Global corporation that develops and markets computer software applications for business. The company is best known for its Oracle database software, known for its Oracle database software, a relational database management system, and for computer systems and software. SAP (Systems, Applications, Products) German software company whose products allow businesses to track customer and business interactions. It is especially well-known for its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and data management programs IT Cost Reduction -Emphasize benefits of consolidation and synergies in a federated model -Application Rationalization: practice of strategically identifying business applications across an organization to determine which applications should be kept, replaced, retired or consolidated -Storage Optimization: helps to minimize the disk/storage use across all storage tiers and resources; some processes include deduplication (the elimination of duplicate or redundant information, especially in computer data) and compression (the re-encoding of data-usually the binary data used by computers-into a form that uses fewer bits of information than the original data). -Server Optimization: important because your website cannot be slow; if it is too slow, you may lose even your regular customers who are tired of your slow website and will go to a competitor. -Outsourcing Cost-cutting initiative steps 1. Analyze baseline data 2. Identify key opportunities and estimate potential savings for each one 3. Validate and prioritize opportunities 4. Identify quick wins and balance short/long term projects 5. Develop a savings schedule with benchmarks How do you align cost reduction with corporate strategy and business? -Align IT cost reduction with streamlining biz processes via simplification and elimination -Ensure IT is scaled to support some of growing business in the emerging markets -Improve/eliminate non-standard, inefficient, low-value-add biz processes How to approach consolidating systems? 1. Gap analysis: method of assessing the differences in performance between a business' information systems or software applications to determine whether business requirements are being met and, if not, what steps should be taken to ensure they are met successfully 2. Data requirements and preferred platforms 3. Business continuity 4. People/Process/Technology aspects 5. Cultural challenges in merging two distinct corporate environments What are good means of providing IT continued support after implementation? -Governance Body (a group of people who formulate the policy and direct the affairs of an institution in partnership with the managers, especially on a voluntary or part-time basis) -Open Communication forum -Routine meetings that can get more and more infrequent as time goes on/client becomes accustomed to the new technology -Guiding Principles: provide client with that. How will you identify redundancies? 1. Analyze current activities 2. Map out all initiatives and services w/in the agency and their target audiences 3. Examine project management info and budget docs 4. interview division directors and project managers to assess their areas of responsibility and the services provided by each project 5. Compare project activities to identify duplicative effort How would you assess the agency to improve internal coordination? 1. Review current organizational charts 2. Assess internal communication channels 3. Assess internal approval structures 4. Interview key stakeholders at all levels of the organization Common Challenges in Implementing Solution: 1. Resistance to change at all levels of organization 2. Funding: organizational changes may require redistribution of funds 3. Personnel - may be difficult to transition personnel into new roles or to change the reporting structure of the agency 4. Contracts - if changes are made to the agency's organizational structure certain contracts might need to be adjusted 5. Tech - staff may need training to learn how to use new tech How will you identify tech needs? 1. Interview key stakeholders to understand current capabilities and challenges 2. Hold focus group with system users to determine functionality and challenges with system 3. Conduct industry analysis - identify project management technologies used by other agencies with similar missions 4. Conduct internal technology assessment to determine whether the current system can be enhanced 5. Catalog capabilities of current systems What tech solutions can you propose? 1. Agency wide platforms - unified emails and messaging, shared drives to manage projects more effectively and store previous communications in a secure environment 2. Central IT support center Possible challenges in implementing new tech? 1. Feasibility - can new tech system be implemented at all agency locations? 2. Maintenance - what are the maintenance requirements? 3. Training - what training is necessary? Who will receive training? How will it be Implemented? 4. Cost 5. System security ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) -ERP software integrates these various functions (various processes that are essential to running a business, including inventory and order management, accounting, human resources, customer relationship management (CRM), and beyond) into one complete system to streamline processes and information across the entire organization. -The central feature of all ERP systems is a shared database that supports multiple functions used by different business units. In practice, this means that employees in different divisions—for example, accounting and sales—can rely on the same information for their specific needs. CRM (Customer Relationship Management) -used to streamline the process of working with clients -the aim is to help you develop customer relationships, drive business growth, and improve customer loyalty -provides a central place where businesses can store customer and prospect data, track customer interactions, and share this information with colleagues. -with a CRM system in place, every question, every service request, every preference, and every past contact detail about every customer is instantly available, which means that every new interaction with them should always be personalized, relevant, and up-to-date. -as well as tracking every phone call, email sent, meeting held and presentation delivered, CRM systems can also be used to add notes, schedule follow-ups, and organize the next steps that need to be taken. RAM (Random Access Memory) -it's an extremely fast type of computer memory which temporarily stores all of the information your PC needs right now and in the near future. It's where your computer loads up all of the things it thinks it'll need to find out soon, so that when it does, it can read it super fast. It's quite different from your system's storage, like its hard drive, where information is stored long term. -Perhaps the best analogy for what RAM is, is to think of it as like your system's short-term memory. It's quick at learning new things and can load in all of the information about your web browser, the image editing tool you're using, or the game you're playing so that you can access it quickly. You don't want to have to dig through your slower storage, like a hard drive or even a solid state drive (SSD) every time you want to open a new tab, or load a new enemy to shoot. As fast as they are compared to storage of years gone by, they're still far slower than RAM. -Like short-term memory, though, RAM is not designed to stay focused forever and is ready to move on to the next task at a moment's notice. It's what is described in computing as "volatile," that is, once it loses power, it forgets everything it's learned. The makes it perfect for handling the multitude of high-speed tasks that your system throws at it on a daily basis, but it's also why we need storage systems like hard drives and SSDs, to actually hold our information when you turn your system off. Front-end The part a user sees and directly interacts with. It's built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. They take care of the structure and content of the website, the colors, fonts, background images, etc. In short, front end developers use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to code up websites Back-end While the front end is everything the user interacts with directly, the back end is much more behind-the-scenes and can have some advantages over front end technologies for specific projects. Back end programming languages include PHP, Ruby, Python, and more. User Guide The user guide explains how to use the software from the user's perspective. A well written user guide will welcome first-time users by providing basic information about how to get started quickly, but also include more in-depth information for power users wanting to understand how to use the more advanced features of the software. System Documentation The system documentation (aka installation guide, administrator's Manual, etc.) explains how to install and configure the software. When considering firms with international locations... 1. Language barrier 2. Policies and tax laws 3. Scalability 4. Culture differences 5. People are resistant to change Things to consider: When working with personal data, always consider international or national privacy laws Some countries may not have suitable infrastructure If dealing with customers... Always consider the full range of people from knowing nothing about tech to being tech-savvy How would you train your employees? Create a video tutorial (general) for all employees to watch Then train the manager with in-depth training; thus, if anyone has any problems, he/she can go to that manager CEO, CFO, CIO/CTO, COO, CMO CIO/CTO: chief information officer or chief technology officer: usually refers to the same position, but in some companies, they may be separate. Advantages of native mobile app vs/ mobile web application Advantages of mobile apps: Native mobile application is stored at the customer's device which makes it possible to use even without cellular service. The mobile web application on the other hand does not require users to download new versions to use newest functionality. Since a native mobile application is stored at customer's device it provides the opportunity to allow customer to use additional features such as camera, or finger print reader. A mobile web application can help track user preferences and behaviors online and serve as a source of valuable data about the user. What are some of the attributes you would need to test after developing the application? Testers would test the functionality against the system requirements collected prior to development. This should include functional testing (making sure that the app can accomplish all the functions it is designed to do) and non-functional testing (for example, performance and security vulnerability). Testers should start testing the basic functionality and then build on that in iterations until they test the entire end-to-end process. What leading edge capabilities should be considered when doing this project? -Push notifications for product deals based on past purchases, recommendations for new products based on past purchases -Scanning products' barcodes to figure out more in depth product information such as product reviews, more detailed nutrition information, to find out prices -Knowing your location to locate nearest store if outside; if inside the store, knowing your location so it can tell you where products are and direct you there -Tell you which lines are moving the fast and tell you which line to go to -If at home, chat online with customer service representative if questions about products or miscellaneous questions.