Viewing The Status Quo: Review of Life-Cycle Approaches

Abstract

A success factor for process driven implementation of Standard Software is the applicability of the underlying implementation approach, i.e. the life cycle model. Since the book focuses on process orientation in light of IT projects, the characteristics of conventional software development processes are highly relevant, as is the recent trend in the process driven configuration of Standard Software. Experience suggests that life cycle models for business process engineering do often neglect the systematic combination of a process analysis/optimisation, an individual software development and standard software. In fact, proceedings for Standard Software implementations are mostly proprietary with the emphasis on a specific product. An isolated view of either software development, the configuration of Standard Software or process optimisation leads to sub-optimal solutions. The implementation approaches do often imply a certain sort of IT solution. Proprietary life cycle models have a rather technical view, as they strive for speedy implementation of a specific software product. This is particularly applicable to the release changeover of a certain software product where continuation of the daily business is the centre of interest. A continuous and seamless life cycle that incorporates process analysis and optimisation tasks with a later Standard Software implementation and software development methods has not yet been defined in sufficient detail.