Development is a critical component of the original implementation of E-Business Suite, and continues with ongoing Support. -Development is the set of activities surrounding the definition, design, construction, testing and implementation of components of a software solution. -For our discussion purposes, the software solution in question extends core functionality provided by Oracle EBS modules. -Even a “vanilla” implementation - where customization is explicitly avoided - may entail a substantial automated data conversion effort, which requires a software solution.

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How to Get the Most from your E-Business Suite Developers

2. Agenda
• Introductions
• Who Needs Developers?
• Software Factory (An analogy)
• Managing the Raw Materials
• Transformational Labor
• Production Processes
• Production Assets
• What’s The End Game?
• Conclusions

3. AXIA Consulting
About AXIA Consulting
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4. Agenda
• Introductions
• Who Needs Developers?
• Software Factory (An analogy)
• Managing the Raw Materials
• Transformational Labor
• Production Processes
• Production Assets
• What’s The End Game?
• Conclusions

5. Who Needs Developers?
Definition / Purpose
• Development is the set of activities surrounding the definition,
design, construction, testing and implementation of
components of a software solution.
• For our discussion purposes, the software solution in question
extends core functionality provided by Oracle EBS modules.
• Even a “vanilla” implementation - where customization is
explicitly avoided - may entail a substantial automated data
conversion effort, which requires a software solution.

6. Who Needs Developers? cont.
When is it needed?
• Development is a critical component of the original
implementation of E-Business Suite, and continues
with ongoing Support.
• Additionally it is needed during:
• Upgrades and/or Family Pack Level Patching
• Merger/Acquisition-Driven Integration
• New Product Launches
• Compliance with Regulatory Changes
Who needs developers? Practically every organization at some point.

7. Agenda
• Introductions
• Who Needs Developers?
• Software Factory (An analogy)
• Managing the Raw Materials
• Transformational Labor
• Production Processes
• Production Assets
• What’s The End Game?
• Conclusions

8. Why is Development like a Factory?
Manufacturing transforms inputs into valued goods using
repeatable processes that, in our modern world, are typically
mechanized. In our analogy:
• Inputs include raw materials and labor.
• Our developers (obviously) provide the transformational labor.
• The primary raw materials are business requirements.
• The organization’s software development methodology usually defines
the production processes and procedures. Many organizations have
defined their IT processes and procedures using the ITIL framework.
• Production assets (machinery) include development tools and
environments.
• The value of the produced good is determined by the satisfaction of the
consumer. In our analogy, the consumers are the end business users.

9. “Software Factory” Side Bar
• The term software factory has been used before, but
mostly in the context of removing the skilled craftsman,
i.e., the software engineer, from the production (i.e.,
development) process through the use of patterns,
templates and framework components.
• In other words, the factory term could imply that
development becomes a high-volume, low cost assembly
process.
• This is not the point we are making with our
manufacturing-based analogy. Rather, our point is that
quality outputs rely on quality inputs, skilled labor, and
effective tools & processes.

10. Why is Development like a Factory?
A Classic SIPOC Diagram

11. Agenda
• Introductions
• Who Needs Developers?
• Software Factory (An analogy)
• Managing the Raw Materials
• Transformational Labor
• Production Processes
• Production Assets
• What’s The End Game?
• Conclusions

12. Managing Raw Materials
What’s the comparison here?
• Experienced Material Handlers will understand the products being
received
• Developers must understand business requirements and ask the
right questions up front

13. Managing Raw Materials
Has this ever happened to you?
• Scenario: The need for a complex enhancement is identified
during an fast-moving integration project with aggressive time
lines. Tasked with many other responsibilities, the business
analysts frames out a “back of a napkin” design and reviews it
with a remote development team via conference call. The
analyst gives the development team “poetic license” to architect
a solution that realizes the requirements. Weeks later, a solution
is installed for extensive integration testing of the enhancement.
Nothing, however, works as expected.
• How to Avoid: An EBS developer must discern incomplete,
poorly conceived and misleading requirements.

14. Managing Raw Materials cont.
• How does this apply to Developers?
• In a factory, receiving often incorporates an inspection step.
Developers must act in the same way as Material Handlers.
They have a responsibility to identify non-conforming
materials and prevent them from being used.
• Relevant Capabilities
• Understanding of the business activity that the build unit
streamlines or automates.
• Communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Awareness of the generally accepted methods for extending and
customizing EBS.

15. Agenda
• Introductions
• Who Needs Developers?
• Software Factory (An analogy)
• Managing the Raw Materials
• Transformational Labor
• Production Processes
• Production Assets
• What’s The End Game?
• Conclusions

16. Transformational Labor
What’s the comparison here?
• Skilled, careful, diligent resources familiar with many of the
processes throughout the plant
• Use of structured programming techniques can effectively turn all
sorts of business requirements into code

17. Transformational Labor cont.
Has this ever happened to you?
• Scenario: Some projects may encourage the Staffing team to
select Low Hourly Rate resources. However, the “commodity”
approach does not always turn out to be the best option for
delivering a solution. We have many seen cases where the
Analyst/Developer cycle can spiral out of control for some
objects. These delayed objects not only lead to increased
project costs, but can threaten project deadlines once these
efforts become the “critical path”.
• How to Avoid: A low hourly rate does not always translate into a
lower project cost. Look for the resources with the highest value.

18. Transformational Labor cont.
How does this apply to Developers?
• The quality of the developer and what he/she does
correlates directly with the quality of the solution
components produced
• Relevant Capabilities
• Consistently apply structured programming techniques.
• Adhere to programming standards when they exist or
implement standards when they don’t.
• Architect solutions that are maintainable and extensible.
• Make liberal use of comments.

19. Agenda
• Introductions
• Who Needs Developers?
• Software Factory (An analogy)
• Managing the Raw Materials
• Transformational Labor
• Production Processes
• Production Assets
• What’s The End Game?
• Conclusions

20. Production Processes
What’s the comparison here?
• Production processes are repeatable and yield output in tight quality
tolerances
• Presence of a structured methodology

21. Production Processes cont.
Has this ever happened to you?
• Scenario: A team member retrieves the most recent version of an
object from the source code repository to begin an enhancement
project. When completed, the revised object is installed in a QA
environment so that the changes can be verified. Only during testing is
it discovered that a set of recent enhancements were never checked
into the source code repository by a different external developers.
• Related Scenario: An organization plans a release of new and revised
system components as part of a complex integration project. Previous
external developers were unaware of source object promotion steps,
and their work done is not incorporated, leading to a rollback of the
release and a delay in the deployment of the enhancements.
• How to Avoid: A first-rate developer is aware of IT processes and the
importance of the various steps they cover. He/she learns to work
within these processes to carry out assigned responsibilities. Such a
developer would be able to recognize any methodology shortcomings,
and drive the entire team to make improvements

22. Production Processes cont.
How does this apply to Developers?
• Thus, production processes are repeatable and yield output
in tight quality tolerances.
• To accomplish the same approach to quality, software
development activities require analogous governance. This
governance is provided by the IT organization’s software
development methodology and associated internal
processes.
• Relevant Capabilities
• Familiar with the Organization’s development methodologies and
processes
• Willing to suggest changes and improvements to the same
• Discipline and Consistency on all software development activities

23. Agenda
• Introductions
• Who Needs Developers?
• Software Factory (An analogy)
• Managing the Raw Materials
• Transformational Labor
• Production Processes
• Production Assets
• What’s The End Game?
• Conclusions

24. Production Assets
What’s the comparison here?
• Automation components that improve productivity and quality
• Development tools used to improve efficiency and ensure quality of
all developers on the team

25. Production Assets cont.
Has this ever happened to you?
• Scenario: During an R12 upgrade, a third-party development
team attempts to identify custom Oracle Forms and Oracle
Reports objects affected by data model changes. Unaware of
tools that facilitate the analysis, the development team attempts
to manually inspect all *.fmb and *.rdf objects and fails to identify
some remediation needs in the process.
• How to Avoid: Having the appropriate tools at his/her disposal
makes an EBS developer more productive. The caveat,
however, is that the developer in question can make skillful use
of those tools.

26. Production Assets cont.
How does this apply to Developers?
• Obviously, having the appropriate tools at his/her disposal
makes an EBS developer more productive. The caveat,
however, is that the developer in question can make skillful
use of those tools.
• Relevant Capabilities
• Quickly grasps the architecture of a particular tool and gains
awareness of its capabilities.
• Adapts and translates skills acquired using one vendor’s tool for
use of another vendor’s tool when the tools in question offer
analogous functionality.
• Is able identify other automation opportunities based on both
current process shortcomings and the arrival on new offerings from
tool vendors.

27. Agenda
• Introductions
• Who Needs Developers?
• Software Factory (An analogy)
• Managing the Raw Materials
• Transformational Labor
• Production Processes
• Production Assets
• What’s The End Game?
• Conclusions

28. What’s the End Game?
Has this ever happened to you?
• Scenario: An outsourced development team is engaged to
support and extend EBS, beginning with a key phase of the
initial implementation effort. The development team needs to
work well with the consultants/business analysts and deliver in
accordance with the project timelines. Defects and re-work must
be kept to a minimum.
• How to Achieve: Work with development partners to help them
identify and select the resources to serve your organization.
Develop relationships with the development team, perhaps via
the team lead role. Invite development team members to
participate in requirements and design walk-throughs. Train
your development partners in your IT processes and tools.

29. What’s the End Game? cont.
So what can you do with the right developers?
• Avoid unnecessary cycles of the Design-Develop-Test-Fix
flow of activities.
• Avoid excessive project management of development
activities
• Achieve “critical path” milestones
• Delight end users with functionality that supports the
achievement of business objectives
• Minimize the total cost of development and the total cost of
ownership for EBS customizations

30. Agenda
• Introductions
• Who Needs Developers?
• Software Factory (An analogy)
• Managing the Raw Materials
• Transformational Labor
• Production Processes
• Production Assets
• What’s The End Game?
• Conclusions

31. Conclusions
• The development role, particularly when filled by high-
aptitude techno-functional resources, can contribute
significantly to the success of EBS-centered projects
• A mindset that views development as a “commodity”
service may lead to missed opportunities for
transformational enhancements to EBS or, even worse,
greater risk of project failure
• An organization that outsources the development function
cannot abdicate the responsibilities that support, drive
and direct development activities: Tools, methodologies
and requirements still must be provided

32. Conclusions cont.
• The ideal development team member profile
• High Aptitude
• Intellectually Curious
• High Work Ethic / “Healthy” Perfectionism
• Proactive approach
• Paradigm Changes
• Emphasize aptitude over specific skill sets
• Ensure that the requirements gathering and documentation of
functionality is performed well
• Inspect methodologies and internal processes to ensure that
they facilitate achievement of end-state goals
• Be willing to invest in tools
• Be a Gatekeeper!

33. Contacts
For more information, visit
http://www.axiaconsulting.net/
or give us a call at 866.937.5550
AXIA Consulting is a global provider of business and technology solutions
focused on maximizing investments and delivering results. With experience
across multiple industries and more than 54 countries, AXIA’s senior team
helps organizations tackle tough challenges, from large-scale ERP
implementations and post-merger integrations, to organizational change
and more.