Being Open to Innovation in a Small
Company
Frank Cooper
Cooper Software Background
2
•
Founded in 2005, Opened a Swedish Office earlier this month.
•
Privately owned; 20 Staff.
•
Systems integration specialists (Microsoft and Oracle Experts).
•
Niche: Professional technical services\solutions to the IFS ERP Market
(grown rapidly to be largest independent IFS consultancy in the UK).
•
Award Winners; Best Young Company at Scottish Enterprise Business
Excellence Awards.
•
ISO 9001:2008 Accredited.
Confidential
Delivering our Services
• 90% of our revenue comes from Project
Engagements.
• Framework approach based on best practice, is
essential.
• Software re-use where ever possible.
• Part of our project delivery methodology is to assess
if the eventual solution has a potential wider use.
• Recognised the wider opportunity with MiView.
• Limited experience developing a product or taking
one to market.
3
Confidential
MiViewTM
4
Confidential
MiViewTM
Finance
Design
Office
Flight
Ops
5
Confidential
Supply
Chain
Maint.
MiView Delivery Process
• Repeatable, structured approach to delivery.
• Focussed on solving immediate business problems
while exploring wider business issues.
6
Confidential
What experience did we need?
• We were embarking on taking a packaged offering to
market – this was new.
• It presented many new challenges, which we had to
prioritise and overcome.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
7
Licensing Model
Sales Campaign
Market Research
Usability Testing
System Testing
Setting up a Support Infrastructure
…
Confidential
How did Interface assist us?
• Introduced via Scottish Enterprise, pilot initiative
called the “Commercial Breakthrough Service”.
• Interface, understood our MiView challenges &
introduced us to UWS(Specialists in Software
Reporting Applications)
• We decided to focus the assistance from UWS:
• Usability – is MiView user friendly and easy\ intuitive to use?
• Testing – is MiView robust?
• Interface coordinated the initial sessions and
provided the access and support required to establish
the feasibility project with UWS.
8
Confidential
What did the study achieve?
• 20 days of University time over 9 months.
• The work that was carried out by UWS was valuable:
• Usability
• Established that MiView was sufficiently innovative and there is a market?
• Evaluated the existing feature set, identifying some gaps
• Is the Application Robust Enough?
• Focussed testing of the application to evaluate the different Automated
Software testing tools that are available
• A recommendation of the tools and process that we could use to automate
as much testing as possible.
9
Confidential
A longer term relationship
• We benefited and enjoyed the experience that UWS
provided. (Thomas and Robert)
• We looked at ways in which we could extend this
relationship.
• We also became aware of the KTP programme
• Recruitment of a complex role, to move MiView from
a concept to a product:
• Business Analyst; Market Researcher and Product Manager
• Tap into the UWS experience and knowledge base to support
how MiView evolves going forward.
10
Confidential
What now for MiView?
• MiView is a watershed for Cooper Software:
• Many bespoke sales of the system.
• We have delivered our first complete packaged offering – our
first true productised engagement. (this is the future)
• Agreement to embed the MiView reporting engine as the
reporting tool for a Global software provider. (as is this)
• With a web based reporting tool that can be used by
any business, of any size across any technology –
the potential is incredible.
• In these early stages, we need to take care that we
do not lose focus and we prioritise.
11
Confidential
Being Open to Innovation in a small
company?
• We continue to Innovate, its what we do.
• We already have other potential products and
offerings in the pipeline.
• Being Innovative is not enough on its own:
• Professional: Quality, Processes, Experience, Planning
• Ambition, Drive – Lots of Hard Work
• Leveraging the right balance of expertise and
support from the resources available:
• Plug the gaps
• Continue do what you are good at
• Be prepared to put the effort in to make it work
12
Confidential
End of Presentation
Why we engaged with UWS
• UWS possessed expertise in automation tools that
was lacking in-house
• Little to no business justification for performing the
feasibility study in house due to lack of skills and lack
of knowledge with available automation tools
14
Confidential
Benefits we received
• An better understanding of how our product was
placed to allow test automation
• Implementation of certain developed features actually
prohibited or hindered automation.
• An clear indication of what tools would not be suitable
• A massive benefit due to limited resources in house, we could
now understand the tools that would be no benefit and not
waste time
15
Confidential
Outcomes from feasibility study
• Automation tools now considered and detailed in the
Test Strategy
• We will be looking to further investigate UWS’
suggested automation tool when setting up our new
testing environment.
16
Confidential
Building a relationship with UWS
• Investigated the KTP Programme
• We were looking for a very specific individual to
support us on MiView:
• Part Business Analyst
• Part Marketeer
17
Confidential
Vision and Scope
•
Specification; can be used internally or
by other external resources if required.
•
Business Case.
•
Infrastructure and Systems Assessment
•
Targeted ROI.
•
Document of Scope, Priorities and
Stakeholders.
•
18
Confidential
Summary Requirements & Quotation.
Project Management (PRINCE2)
Project Management
Project Plan
RAG Report
(Risks & Issues)
Progress
Report (Weekly)
Delivery
Pipeline
Key:
Envisionment
Design
(Exploration)
- PID*
- Vision and
Scope*
- Delivery Plan*
- Solution
Architecture
- Test Strategy
- Feasibility
Prototype
19
- Documented
Deliverables
Add
ition
al I
Plan ncreme
nts
ned
- Functional
Requirements*
- Non-Functional
Requirements
- Design Model*
- System Design
- Design Reviews
- Dynamic
Design Model
Itera
t
Com ion
plete
Addit
io
Itera nal
tions
Plan
ned
Software
Deliverables
(* mandatory)
Design
(Exploration)
Itera
t
Com ion
plete
Deployment
(CS Release
Process)
- Test Plan*
- Test Scripts*
- Test Summary*
- Deployment
Plan
- Tested System*
- Automated Unit
Tests
Confidential
Fina
Incra l
me n
t
End of
Project
- User Guide
- Technical
Support Docs.
- Delivered
System*
-Project Sign-off*
-Project Evaluation
-Lessons Learned
Support and Aftercare
•
Remote Connectivity (leased lines)
•
Helpdesk & Service Management
•
Oracle Servers & Performance Management
•
Build and Commit Servers
•
Automated Test Stations & Supporting
Methodology
•
ESCROW Agreements
•
Web Server Hosting
20
Confidential
MiViewTM
MiViewTM delivers:
•
•
•
•
•
•
21
A coherent web-based reporting
environment for all data sources and all
users.
Personalised reports, visual dashboards
and plasma displays.
Easy monitoring and tracking of
Key Performance Indicators.
Reports that are refreshed and delivered
on a scheduled basis.
Integration of disconnected IT Systems
into a single reporting platform.
Automated and trigger based report
delivery including mobile.
Confidential