Looking at the challenges and approaches for using an SI to supplement an architecture team

1. Enabling Application Architecture Capacity Through Offshore SI
Engagement
19/05/2014 (slide 1)
Phil-at-mp3monster.org
www.mp3monster.org
‘Enabling Application Architecture Capacity
Through Offshore SI Engagement’

2. Enabling Application Architecture Capacity Through Offshore SI
Engagement
19/05/2014 (slide 2)
Phil-at-mp3monster.org
www.mp3monster.org
Disclaimer
• The following presentation is the opinion of the presenter
only
• The viewers expressed here are not representative of the
presenter’s employer
• The contents of this presentation do not constitute a legal
understanding,
• Neither can the presenter or their employer accept any
liability for the accuracy of the information presented

3. Enabling Application Architecture Capacity Through Offshore SI
Engagement
19/05/2014 (slide 3)
Phil-at-mp3monster.org
www.mp3monster.org
Introduction
• Introduction
– Many midsized & large organisation recognize the value of an architectural function, but
also seek to keep the cost of resources down through the use of offshore resources
– The following looks at the issues and considerations when trying to use an offshore
organisation to burst resources for an architecture function
• Goals
– Identify some candidate SLAs for a vendor capacity burst solution
– Means to measure compliance to SLA
– Identify what Specsavers need to deliver to enable service levels and measurement
• To do this we need …
– There is a presumption that practicalities of making such engagements work can be
achieved
– Understand the value proposition of using a vendor organisation in this capacity
– Understand the relationship between the vendor and us
– Clear documented ways of working along with governance, standards etc
– Identify key touch points, such as processes like the design governance reviews
– Recognise what behaviours do we want to promote (and those that are not desirable)

4. Enabling Application Architecture Capacity Through Offshore SI
Engagement
19/05/2014 (slide 4)
Phil-at-mp3monster.org
www.mp3monster.org
Understanding Value & Working Approach

5. Enabling Application Architecture Capacity Through Offshore SI
Engagement
19/05/2014 (slide 5)
Phil-at-mp3monster.org
www.mp3monster.org
Value Proposition
• Using an offshore SI organisation to deliver additional resource into an Application
Architecture function, is to achieve the following benefits …
– “Organisational Memory” to ensure continuity of knowledge, resource and capability
– Sufficiently large enough to have a pool of available resource to quickly draw on (vs having to
goto market to locate resource ourselves as is the case of local contract market)
– The resource pool has the appropriate skills available
– Simpler linkage between Architecture and Development as potentially all in same organisation
& potentially location
– Limits workload in terms of practice management (focus is more on process and policy rather
than line management considerations) for our business

6. Enabling Application Architecture Capacity Through Offshore SI
Engagement
19/05/2014 (slide 6)
Phil-at-mp3monster.org
www.mp3monster.org
Value Proposition
• Commercial benefits …
– Easier to flex resource profile in response to ebb & surge of the business planning
– Commitment to continue to deliver quality based on poor delivery could mean loss of other
revenue streams from our business
– Simplified cost & relationship management (only 1 or 2 suppliers rather than dozens)
– Lower man day rates – true if the proportion of effort resides offshore (traded against
increased management cost)

7. Enabling Application Architecture Capacity Through Offshore SI
Engagement
19/05/2014 (slide 7)
Phil-at-mp3monster.org
www.mp3monster.org
Relationship between roles and providers
for the Architecture function
Vendor Architect
Resources
Our business FTE
App Architects
Our business FTE
Lead Architects
Architecture
cohesiveness
Domain coverage
& knowledge
Functional capacity
Vendor

8. Enabling Application Architecture Capacity Through Offshore SI
Engagement
19/05/2014 (slide 8)
Phil-at-mp3monster.org
www.mp3monster.org
Work Approach (1)
• Resource Availability & Engagement
– We would expect resource to be available with approx 1-3 month lead time on the basis we
have a planning horizon of 3-6 months
– The architect should be based on-shore for the key project phases (HLD and parts of LLD)
• Note on-shore period is likely to be impacted by Visa constraints for longer running
projects
• Being off-shore to support the ‘tail’ i.e. development onwards gives geographic proximity
to development team(s) in many cases
– Resourcing will be offered as a ‘service’ to ensure continuity
– It is assumed that Lead Architect’s will produce the Solutions Options activities, so the solution
selection will contribute to skills identification

9. Enabling Application Architecture Capacity Through Offshore SI
Engagement
19/05/2014 (slide 9)
Phil-at-mp3monster.org
www.mp3monster.org
Work Approach (2)
• Resource Management
– We can assume an Architecture Practice Manager will be in place to address burden of closer
management necessary of resourcing via a Vendor
– It is assumed that Lead Architect’s will the visit vendor site to observe and understand
operations & behaviour periodically to help maximise the relationship through understanding
– A ‘1 team’ mentality although ideal, is less likely to be achieved due to resource fit to need
rather than resource against continuous need
• Enablers needed from Specsavers
– Need provide resources/artefacts to enable service delivery (e.g. policy & process guidelines)
– Means to measure SLAs
– Agreed framework to shape and feedback
– A level of maturity & cohesiveness to apply any measures & behaviours identified within the
core FTE team

10. Enabling Application Architecture Capacity Through Offshore SI
Engagement
19/05/2014 (slide 10)
Phil-at-mp3monster.org
www.mp3monster.org
Possible SLAs

11. Enabling Application Architecture Capacity Through Offshore SI
Engagement
19/05/2014 (slide 11)
Phil-at-mp3monster.org
www.mp3monster.org
Levels of SLA
• SLAs can be defined at two levels
– The Service Delivery in the sense of how a vendor provides and
sustains resources e.g.
• Ensuring organisational memory,
• Matching resource to requirement
– Service (Architectural) Execution
• The quality of the work delivered by the architectural resources
provided by the service
• The former should allows assessment of the value of the Vendor and
the impact of any overhead on our business
• The later should reflect on the vendor’s resource pool and their
ability to deliver effective value

12. Enabling Application Architecture Capacity Through Offshore SI
Engagement
19/05/2014 (slide 12)
Phil-at-mp3monster.org
www.mp3monster.org
Desired Behaviours to be encouraged
through SLAs
It is a recognised fact that SLAs and measurement in their support can
influence behaviours, therefore we should be mindful of the behaviours
that we would like to positively reinforce, such as:
– Governance compliance
– Standards compliance
– Quality
– Proactive communication
– Timeliness (resourcing, artefact delivery etc)

13. Enabling Application Architecture Capacity Through Offshore SI
Engagement
19/05/2014 (slide 13)
Phil-at-mp3monster.org
www.mp3monster.org
Candidate SLAs against Service Delivery (1)
• Time to make resource available
– The period between providing the vendor with the role/skill mix and the
resource actively working (includes ‘onboarding’ & familarisation as
these are facets of the desired ‘organisational memory’)
• Simply measured by the time between placing the resource request
to the time the resource is onshore and not being impacted by
‘onboarding’/familarisation
– Resource skills gap (how good a fit is the resource to the requirement)
• Measured by number of CVs declined (if there is a screening
process)
• Number of technical domain areas identified as a skill gap
• Continuity of knowledge

14. Enabling Application Architecture Capacity Through Offshore SI
Engagement
19/05/2014 (slide 14)
Phil-at-mp3monster.org
www.mp3monster.org
Candidate SLAs against Service Delivery (2)
• Continuity of knowledge – is the vendor working to ensure knowledge built
up is sustained (accepting the need to rotate staff)
– Amount of time Specsavers need to provide to ‘onboard’ a resource
(excluding project specific aspects). Onboarding would include
• Time to introduce & familiarise with Specsavers process & policy –
operational and technical
• Provide domain knowledge (but not project specific) to allow
sufficient understanding of the wider context

15. Enabling Application Architecture Capacity Through Offshore SI
Engagement
19/05/2014 (slide 15)
Phil-at-mp3monster.org
www.mp3monster.org
Candidate SLAs against Service Execution (1)
• Compliance to Standards, Polices & Practises
– Designs need to be consistent in terms of approach, technology and
presentation structure. These factors need to be defined through
vehicles such as document templates, design review board, policy &
process statements
• This can be measured by number of review comments on
artefacts that don’t make or make inappropriate reference to the
standards vehicles or fail to justify non-compliance with
agreement
• Number of failures to engagement with governance process(es)
being flagged.
– This should also positively influence clarity of communication, as
unclear communication is likely to result questions being raised
against compliance

16. Enabling Application Architecture Capacity Through Offshore SI
Engagement
19/05/2014 (slide 16)
Phil-at-mp3monster.org
www.mp3monster.org
Candidate SLAs against Service Execution
(2)
• Delivery Scheduling & Communication
– Architectural input is of greatest value, if provided in a timely
manner. As one of the motivators for this service is the ability to
meet capacity demands, timeliness becomes a key goal.
Therefore should form part of the SLA
• Artefacts are delivered within a tolerance of an agreed date
in a completed form (agreed dates can be renegotiated)
• Completeness measured by artefact review comments
• Revisions to target dates agreed at the earliest opportunity
(this would need to be a subjective measure)

17. Enabling Application Architecture Capacity Through Offshore SI
Engagement
19/05/2014 (slide 17)
Phil-at-mp3monster.org
www.mp3monster.org
Questions

18. Enabling Application Architecture Capacity Through Offshore SI
Engagement
19/05/2014 (slide 18)
Phil-at-mp3monster.org
www.mp3monster.org
Thankyou