The chapter will address the following questions:

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Introduction

• The chapter will address the following questions
• What is the systems implementation process in
  terms of the construction and delivery phases of
  the life cycle?
• Can you describe the systems implementation
  phases in terms of your information building
  blocks?
• Can you describe the systems implementation
  phases in terms of purpose, activities, roles,
  inputs and outputs, techniques, and steps?

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What is Systems Implementation?

• What is Systems Implementation?
• Systems implementation is the construction of the
  new system and the delivery of that system into
  production (meaning day-to-day operation).

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Introduction
• The purpose of the construction phase is twofold
  
• To build and test a functional system that
  fulfills business and design requirements, and
• To implement the interfaces between the new
  system and existing production systems.
• The project team must construct the database,
  application programs, user and system interfaces,
  and networks.
• Some of these elements may already exist (subject
  to enhancement).

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Build and Test Networks (if Necessary)
• Purpose
• The purpose of this activity is to build and test
  new networks and modify existing networks for use
  by the new system.
• Roles
• This activity will normally be completed by the
  same system specialists that designed the
  network(s).
• System Owners and system users - not involved
  in this activity.
• System analyst - The systems analysts role is
  more in terms of a facilitator and ensures that
  business requirements are not compromised by the
  network solution.
• Network designer - The network designer is a
  specialist in the design of local and wide area
  networks and their connectivity.

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Build and Test Networks (if Necessary)
• Roles (continued)
• System builders.
• Network administrator - This person has the
  expertise for building and testing network
  technology for the new system. He/she will also
  be familiar with network architecture standards
  that must be adhered to for any possible new
  networking technology.
• Prerequisites (Inputs)
• This activity is triggered by the approval from
  the system owners to continue the project into
  systems design.
• The key input is the network design requirements
  defined during systems design.

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Build and Test Networks (if Necessary)
• Deliverables (Outputs)
• The principle deliverable of this activity is an
  installed network that is placed into operation.
• Network details will be recorded in the project
  repository for future reference.
• Applicable Techniques
• Skills for developing networks are becoming an
  increasingly important skill for systems analyst
  -- especially given the industry trend toward
  downsizing existing applications.

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Build and Test Networks (if Necessary)
• Steps
• The following steps are suggested to complete
  this activity.
• Step 1 - Review the network design requirements
  outlined in the technical design statement
  developed during systems design.
• Step 2 - Make any appropriate modifications to
  existing networks and/or develop new networks.
• Step 3 - Revise network specifications for future
  reference.

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Build and Test Databases
• This task must immediately precede other
  programming activities because databases are the
  resources shared by the computer programs to be
  written.
• Purpose
• The purpose of this activity is to build and test
  new databases and modify existing databases for
  use by the new system.
• Roles
• This activity will typically be completed by the
  same system specialist that designed the
  databases.
• System owner and system users - are not involved
  in this activity.
• Systems analyst - (optional) When the database to
  be build is a non-corporate, applications-oriented
  database the systems analyst often completes
  this activity.

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Build and Test Databases
• Roles (continued)
• System designers - The system designer will often
  times become the system builder responsible for
  the completion of this activity.
• System builder - is primarily responsible for
  this activity.
• Database administer - When the database to be
  build is a corporate database, the database
  administrator will be play a large role in
  completing this activity.
• Prerequisites (Inputs)
• The primary input to this activity is the
  database design requirements specified in the
  technical design statement during systems design.
  
• Sample data from production databases may be
  loaded into tables for testing the databases.

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Build and Test Databases
• Deliverables (Outputs)
• The end-product of this activity is an
  unpopulated database structure for new database.
• The term unpopulated means that the database
  structure is implemented but that data has not
  been loaded into the database structure.
• Revised database schema and test data details are
  also produced during this activity and placed in
  the project repository for future reference.

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Build and Test Databases
• Applicable Techniques
• Sampling. Sampling methods are used to obtain
  representative data for testing database tables.
• Data Modeling. This activity requires a good
  understanding of data modeling.
• Database Design. Understanding database design
  requirements is essential for completing this
  phase.
• Steps
• The following steps are suggested to complete
  this activity.
• Step 1 - Review the technical design statement
  for database design requirements.

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Build and Test Databases
• Steps (continued)
• Step 2 - Locate production databases that may
  contain representative data for testing database
  tables. Otherwise, generate test data for
  database tables.
• Step 3 - Build/modify databases per design
  specifications.
• Step 4 - Load tables with sample data.
• Step 5 - Test database tables and relationships
  to adding, modifying, deleting, and retrieving
  records. All possible relationships paths and
  data integrity checks should be tested.
• Step 6 - Revise database schema and as necessary
  for future reference.

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Install and Test New Software Package
  (if Necessary)
• Purpose
• The purpose of this activity is to install any
  new software packages and make them available in
  the software library.
• Roles
• This is the first activity in the life cycle that
  is specific to the applications programmer.
• System owner and system users - are not involved
  in this activity.
• Systems analyst - (optional) The systems analyst
  typically participates in the testing of the
  software package by clarifying requirements.

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Install and Test New Software Package
  (if Necessary)
• Roles (continued)
• System designers - The system designer may be
  involved in clarification of integration
  requirements and program documentation that is
  used in testing the software.
• System builder - is primarily responsible for
  this activity.
• Applications programmer - The applications
  programmer (or programming team) is responsible
  for the installation and testing of new software
  packages.
• Network Administrators - Network administrators
  may be involved in actually installing the
  software package upon the network server.

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Install and Test New Software Package
  (if Necessary)
• Prerequisites (Inputs)
• The main input to this activity is the new
  software packages and documentation that is
  received from the system vendors.
• The applications programmer will complete the
  installation and testing of the package according
  to integration requirements and program
  documentation that was developed during system
  design.

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Install and Test New Software Package
  (if Necessary)
• Deliverables (Outputs)
• The principle deliverable of this activity is the
  installed and tested software package(s) that are
  made available in the software library.
• Any modified software specifications and new
  integration requirements that were necessary are
  documented and made available in the project
  repository to provide a history and serve as
  future reference.

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Install and Test New Software Package
  (if Necessary)
• Applicable Techniques
• There are no specific techniques applicable to
  this activity. Successful completion of this
  activity is primarily dependent upon programming
  experience and knowledge of testing.
• Steps
• The following steps are suggested to complete
  this activity.
• Step 1 - Obtain the software packages and review
  documentation.
• Step 2 - Install the software package.
• Step 3 - Conduct tests upon the software packages
  to ensure that it works properly - making
  revisions as necessary.

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Install and Test New Software Package
  (if Necessary)
• Steps (continued)
• Step 4 - For future reference, revise software
  specifications to reflect modifications.
• Step 5 - Add the software to the information
  systems shop's software library.

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Write and Test New Programs
• Purpose
• The purpose of this activity is to write and test
  all programs to be developed in-house.
• Roles
• This activity is specific to the applications
  programmer.
• System owner and system users - are not involved
  in this activity.
• Systems analyst - (optional) The systems analyst
  typically serves merely in clarifying business
  requirements to be implemented by the programs.
• System designers - The system designer may be
  involved in clarification of the programming
  plan, integration requirements, and program
  documentation (developed during systems design)
  that is used in writing and testing the programs.

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Write and Test New Programs
• Roles (continued)
• System builder - is primarily responsible for
  this activity.
• Applications programmer or programming team - The
  applications programmer is responsible for
  writing and testing in-house software.
• Application tester - an application or software
  tester specializes in building and running test
  scripts that are consistently applied to programs
  to test all possible events and responses.

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Write and Test New Programs
• Prerequisites (Inputs)
• The primary input to this activity is the
  technical design statement, plan for programming,
  and test data that was developed in during
  systems design.
• Since any new programs or program components may
  have already been written and in use by other
  existing systems, the experienced applications
  programmer will know to first check for possible
  reusable software components available in the
  software library.

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Write and Test New Programs
• Prerequisites (Inputs) (continued)
• Some information systems shops have a quality
  assurance group staffed by specialists who review
  the final program documentation for conformity to
  standards.
• This group will provide appropriate feedback
  regarding quality recommendations and
  requirements (OPT).
• Deliverables (Outputs)
• The principle deliverable of this activity is the
  new programs and reusable software components
  that are placed in the software library.
• This activity also results in program
  documentation that may need to be approved by a
  quality assurance group.

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Write and Test New Programs
• Applicable Techniques
• If modules are coded top-down, they should be
  tested and debugged top-down and as they are
  written.
• There are three levels of testing to be
  performed stub testing, unit or program testing,
  and systems testing.
• Stub testing is the test performed on individual
  modules, whether they be main program,
  subroutine, subprogram, block, or paragraph.
• Unit or program testing is a test whereby all the
  modules that have been coded and stub tested are
  tested as an integrated unit.
• Systems testing is a test that ensures that
  application programs written in isolation work
  properly when they are integrated into the total
  system.

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Write and Test New Programs
• Steps
• The following steps are suggested to complete
  this activity.
• Step 1 - Review the design specifications.
• Step 2 - Develop a detailed programming plan.
• (Optional) Formulate the project team and assign
  responsibilities.
• Write and document programs and perform unit
  testing.
• Review program documentation for quality
  standards. Note that this step may be required in
  some organizations.
• Conduct system testing to ensure all programs
  work properly together.

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The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Write and Test New Programs
• Steps
• The following steps are suggested to complete
  this activity.
• Step 2 - Develop a detailed programming plan.
  (continued)
• (Optional) Update the project repository with
  revised program documentation for future
  referencing.
• (Optional) Place new programs and reusable
  components in the software library.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Introduction
• This is the last system implementation phase in
  the life cycle -- deliver the new system into
  operation.
• To achieve the purpose of this phase, we must
  accomplish the following objectives
• Conduct a system test to ensure that the new
  system works properly.
• Prepare a conversion plan to provide a smooth
  transition to the new system.
• Install databases to be used by the new system.
• Provide training and documentation for
  individuals that will be using the new system.
• Convert from the old system to the new system and
  evaluate the project and final system.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Conduct System Test
• Purpose
• The purpose of this activity is to test all
  software packages, custom-build programs, and any
  existing programs that comprise the new system to
  ensure that they all work together.
• Roles
• The systems analyst facilitates this activity.
• System owner and system users - are not involved
  in this activity.
• Systems analyst The systems analyst typically
  facilitates this activity by communicating
  testing problems and issues with the project team
  members.
• System designers - System designer specialists
  are typically responsible for testing integration
  requirements and resolving design problems.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Conduct System Test
• Roles (continued)
• System builders - System builders, of various
  specialties, are involved in the systems testing.
  Applications programmers, database programmers,
  and networking specialists may need to resolve
  problems revealed during systems testing.
• Prerequisites (Inputs)
• The primary inputs to this activity include the
  software packages, custom-built programs, and any
  existing programs comprising the new system.
• The system test is done using the system test
  data that was developed earlier by the systems
  analyst.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Conduct System Test
• Deliverables (Outputs)
• As with previous tests that were performed, our
  system test may result in required modifications
  to programs - thus, once again prompting the
  return to a previous activity in the
  implementation phase.
• This iteration would continue until a successful
  system test was experienced.
• Applicable Techniques
• A good understanding of testing is essential.
• Whereas this activity is concerned with systems
  testing, the identification of program specific
  problems may necessitate a return to previous
  activities and subsequent stub and unit level
  testing.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Conduct System Test
• Steps
• The following steps are suggested to complete
  this activity.
• Step 1 - Obtain system test data.
• Step 2 - Ensure that all software packages,
  custom-build programs, and existing programs have
  been installed and that unit testing has been
  completed.
• Step 3 - Perform tests to check that all programs
  work properly together making appropriate
  revisions as needed and testing again.
• Step 4 - Record any required modifications to
  programs in the project repository.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Prepare Conversion Plan
• Purpose
• Prepare a detailed conversion plan to provide a
  smooth transition from the old system to the new
  system.
• Roles
• The activity is facilitated by the project
  manager.
• System owner roles
• executive sponsor
• user managers
• system managers
• project manager
• steering body (optional) many organizations
  require that all project plans be formally
  presented to a steering body (sometimes called a
  steering committee) for final approval.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Prepare Conversion Plan
• Roles (continued)
• System user roles
• business analysts (optional)
• Systems analyst, system designer, and system
  builder roles are not typically involved in this
  activity unless deemed necessary by the project
  manager.
• Prerequisites (Inputs)
• This activity is triggered by the completion of a
  successful system test.
• Using the design specifications for the new
  system, a detailed conversion plan can be
  assembled.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Prepare Conversion Plan
• Deliverables (Outputs)
• The principle deliverable of this activity is the
  conversion plan.
• This plan will identify databases to be
  installed, end-user training and documentation
  that needs to be developed, and a strategy for
  converting from the old system to the new system.
  
• Applicable Techniques
• Project management.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Prepare Conversion Plan
• Steps
• The following steps are suggested to complete
  this activity.
• Step 1 - Collect and review design specifications
  for the new system to identify databases to be
  installed and user training needs.
• Step 2 - Establish a schedule for installation of
  databases.
• Step 3 - Identify a training program and
  schedule for the system users.
• Step 4 - Develop a detail installation strategy
  to follow for converting from the existing to a
  new production information system.
• Step 5 - Develop a systems acceptance test plan.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Prepare Conversion Plan
• Common conversion strategies
• Abrupt cutover.
• On a specific date (usually a date that coincides
  with an official business period such as month,
  quarter, or fiscal year), the old system is
  terminated and the new system is placed into
  operation.
• Parallel conversion.
• Under this approach, both the old and new systems
  are operated for some period of time.
• This is done to ensure that all major problems in
  the new system have been solved before the old
  system is discarded.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Prepare Conversion Plan
• Common conversion strategies (continued)
• Location conversion.
• When the same system will be used in numerous
  geographical locations, it is usually converted
  at one location (using either abrupt or parallel
  conversion).
• As soon as that site has approved the system, it
  can be farmed to the other sites.
• Staged conversion.
• A staged conversion is based on the version
  concept introduced earlier.
• Each successive version of the new system is
  converted as it is developed.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Prepare Conversion Plan
• Acceptance Test Plan
• A systems acceptance test is a final system test
  performed by end-users using real data over an
  extended period of time.
• It is an extensive test that addresses three
  levels of acceptance testing verification
  testing, validation testing, and audit testing.
• Verification testing runs the system in a
  simulated environment using simulated data.
• This simulated test is sometimes called alpha
  testing.
• The simulated test is primarily looking for
  errors and omissions regarding end-user and
  design specifications that were specified in the
  earlier phases but not fulfilled during
  construction.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Prepare Conversion Plan
• Validation testing runs the system in a live
  environment using real data. This is sometimes
  called beta testing.
• During this validation, we are testing a number
  of items.
• 1. Systems performance.
• 2. Peak workload processing performance.
• 3. Human engineering test.
• 4. Methods and procedures test.
• 5. Backup and recovery testing.
• Audit testing certifies that the system is free
  of errors and is ready to be placed into
  operation.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Install Databases
• Purpose
• The purpose of this activity is to populate the
  new systems databases with existing data from the
  old system.
• Roles
• This activity will normally be completed by
  application programmers.
• System Owners and system users - are not involved
  in this activity.
• System analysts and designers - may play a small
  role in completing this activity. Their primary
  involvement will be the calculation of database
  sizes and estimating of time required to perform
  the task of installing them.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Install Databases
• Roles (continued)
• System builders - play a primary role in this
  activity.
• Application programmers - will write the special
  programs to extract data from existing databases
  and programs to populate the new databases.
• Date entry personnel or hired help - may be
  assigned to do data entry for data that needs to
  be keyed.
• Prerequisites (Inputs)
• Existing data from the production databases,
  coupled with the database schema(s) models and
  database structures for the new databases will be
  used to write computer programs to populate the
  new databases with restructured existing data.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Install Databases
• Deliverables (Outputs)
• The principle deliverables of this activity is
  the restructured existing data that has been
  populated in the databases for the new system.
• Applicable Techniques
• Database and application programming skills are
  essential to the successful completion of this
  activity.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Install Databases
• Steps
• The following steps are suggested to complete
  this activity.
• Step 1 - Review the database structures for new
  databases.
• Step 2 - Identify existing data currently in
  production databases (and other sources) to be
  used to populate the databases for the new
  system.
• Step 3 - (optional) Obtain additional manual
  resources to do on-time keying of data not
  obtained from existing production databases.
• Step 4 - Write programs to extract data from
  production databases.
• Step 5 - Write programs to load new databases.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Install Databases
• Steps (continued)
• Step 6 - Conduct another system test to ensure
  new system is unaffected (see Activity Conduct
  System Test). This preventative step will ensure
  that no task accomplished in this activity
  adversely affects the new system.
• Step 7 - If necessary, revise the database schema
  and update the project repository.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Train System Users
• Purpose
• Provide training and documentation to system
  users to prepare them for a smooth transition to
  the new system.
• Roles
• The activity is facilitated by the systems
  analyst.
• System owner - System owners must support this
  activity. They must be willing to approve the
  release time necessary for their people to obtain
  the training needed to become successful users of
  the new system.
• System user - Remember, the system is for the
  user! User involvement is important in this
  activity because the end-users will inherit your
  successes and failures from this effort.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Train System Users
• Roles (continued)
• System analyst - This activity is typically
  performed by systems analysts is to train system
  users to use the new system. Given appropriate
  documentation for the new system, the systems
  analysts will provide end-user documentation
  (typically in the form of manuals) and end-user
  training for the system users.
• System designers and builders are not normally
  involved in this activity.
• Prerequisites (Inputs)
• Given appropriate documentation for the new
  system, the systems analyst will provide the
  system users with documentation and training
  needed to properly use the new system.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Train System Users
• Deliverables (Outputs)
• The principle deliverable of this activity is
  user training and documentation.
• The golden rule should apply to user manual
  writing Write unto others as you would have
  them write unto you.''
• You are not a business expert.
• Don't expect the reader to be a technical expert.
  
• Every possible situation and its proper procedure
  must be documented.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Train System Users
• Applicable Techniques
• Written and oral communications skills are
  critical.
• Familiarity with organizational behavior and
  psychology may also prove helpful.
• Steps
• The following steps are suggested to complete
  this activity.
• Step 1 - Collect documentation that may prove
  useful in developing user documentation and
  training guides.
• Step 2 - Write user documentation manuals.
• Step 3 - Referring to the conversion plan, review
  the training needs of the system users.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Train System Users
• Steps (continued)
• Step 4 - Schedule training sessions. (individual
  and group sessions).
• Step 5 - Conduct training sessions and distribute
  user documentation.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Convert to New System
• Purpose
• Convert to the new system from the old system and
  evaluate the project experience and final system.
• Roles
• The activity is facilitated by the project
  manager who will oversee the conversion process.
  
• System owner - provide feedback regarding their
  experiences with the overall project. They may
  also provide feedback regarding the new system
  that has been placed into operation.
• System user - will provide valuable feedback
  pertaining to the actual use of the new system.
  They will be the source of the majority of the
  feedback used to measure the systems acceptance.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Convert to New System
• Roles (continued)
• System analyst, designers, and builders - will be
  involved in assessing the feedback received from
  the system owners and users once the system is in
  operation. In many cases, that feedback may
  stimulate actions on their part to correct
  shortcomings that have been identified.
  Regardless, the feedback will be used to help
  benchmark new systems project down the road.
• Prerequisites (Inputs)
• The input to this activity is the conversion plan
  that was created in an earlier delivery phase
  activity.
• Deliverables (Outputs)
• The principle deliverable of this is the product
  information system that is placed into operation
  in the business.

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The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation

• Activity Convert to New System
• Applicable Techniques
• Project and process management.
• Steps
• The following steps are suggested to complete
  this activity.
• Step 1 - Review the conversion plan.
• Step 2 - Complete the detailed steps outline in
  the conversion plan.
• Step 3 - Schedule meeting with project team to
  evaluate the development project and the
  production system.
• Step 4 - Conduct review meeting - record
  enhancement/fix requirements that are identified.

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Summary

• Introduction
• What is Systems Implementation?
• The Construction Phase of Systems Implementation
• The Delivery Phase of Systems Implementation