Intelligent Customer Support
We are particularly experienced in ensuring that our clients receive the service they have agreed with system vendors, and that system vendors do not try to cut corners in key areas of documentation and testing.
We ensure that there is a clear definition of what is expected of a vendor and that the vendor then delivers to this specification in the agreed timescales.
This is achieved through ensuring there is an agreed set of business requirements and a system specification to match each area. We then make sure there is a robust change control process in place to track requirement changes or areas where the system does not quite match expectation. This is particularly key to the ongoing support of the system once live, as without supporting documentation, it is difficult to remember why decisions were made.
Testing is carried out in a strictly controlled way, with clearly defined test cycles and scheduled down time to allow the vendor to implement required fixes to discovered issues.
Finally, we can ensure that implementation is planned and executed in a controlled manner, having tested the process beforehand to tease out any potential issues to minimise the chance of problems during a go-live period.
We have managed several system implementations, covering all resources required to ensure a smooth and trouble-free process for the client.
Data & System Migration and Management
Our client portfolio includes organisations that have undertaken ambitious programmes of projects to replace a sometimes large, complex and obsolete work management and compliance systems, generally across geographically diverse sites. These systems usually include a complex integrated reporting system and interfaces to other external systems.
Client Case Study:
Caski provided business analysis expertise to not only guide the client in the vendor selection process to enable the adoption of the most fit-for-purpose technical solution, but also to isolate the
critical problems and bring to bear specialist resource in a short timescale to manage manual and automated data transfer between multiple systems whilst keeping data in step.
Services available:-
Business Analysis and Scoping
The first step in understanding what data needs to be migrated is to carry out a detailed analysis of the existing data in each system, and to determine what will be required of the new system.
Caski can perform indepth data analysis and provide advice on the structure and depth of the data in each repository. With this information, the client can make an informed decision based on the
detailed analysis provided by Caski personnel.
Data Mapping
Once the scope of data to be migrated had been defined and agreed for each system an analysis is performed to clearly determine new field locations in the new system, with verification
techniques.
Data Migration
Data look-up tables are then created and managed by Caski personnel in an isolated area of each system (often know as a codes region) under strict change control The data migration
business rules documented in the mapping documents above are translated into extract and convert programs by programmers to ensure a fully documented solution.
Data Verification
Once each system is loaded a set of reconciliation and verification data checks are developed, based on the rules laid out in the mapping documents. The output of these runs will provide the
analysts with two different report formats:-
- reconciliation – data table counts, that will enable global checking of rows in tables against those expected from the load.
- verification – detailed reports, written by Caski personnel, to check that the business rules written into the extract and convert programs have been implemented as per the mapping documents.
If there exists safety significant data in a system, special in-depth reports will be written to ensure that this data had been migrated correctly. It is essential that these reports are able to show to that this safety critical data had been migrated correctly to satisfy external inspectors.
Change Control
Caski have designed and managed change control systems to manage the changes required during an information systems project associated with issues found during test cycles.
We have also designed and operated change control systems in live environments to provide system administrators with the tools to ensure errors are not inadvertently entered into the system.
These processes include thorough testing of all changes in a test environment that closely resembles the production system, full documentation of the change and testing carried out, approval to implement by the process and data owner then final confirmation by a Change Board.
Project Management
All Project Management tasks are carried out under the control of our Quality Management System, including our Management of Work Procedure. This Procedure was written using the guidelines laid out under Prince 2 Project Controls by one of our Prince 2 qualified practitioners and makes best use of current ISO9001 mechanisms. Services include, but are not limited to:-
Development of the Business case and project justification paper.
Scoping of the cost base to deliver the project to defined budget.
Creation of all project documentation:-
project initiation documents,
project plans,
quality plans,
organisational structure,
risk assessments
business benefit identification
Testing
Our previous clients have required our testing services during the installation of country- and company-wide work management and compliance systems that called for a robust and auditable test strategy to prove that the system installation was as specified by the client and would also satisfy the requirements laid down by the industry regulator.
Services available include:-
Preparation and delivery of:-
Test Strategies
Test Plans
Test scripts
Test Reports
Creation and management of:-
Test Incident Databases
Testing feedback forms
System performance test scripts
Risk Management
Caski specialises in supporting highly regulated, safety conscious industries to manage their work processes. We draw on international experience to bring innovation and best practice to areas such as nuclear waste management, decommissioning and record creation and maintenance to meet Regulatory requirements. By satisfying the ever increasing demands of regulation Caski enables clients to secure income streams, maintain a positive public profile and position themselves for future work.
Skills available include:-
Overview of Project Risks
- Methodology for selecting risks the client is most sensitive to.
- Energy Market experience to evaluate risks on a quantitative basis.
- Process and procedure experience for pulling together client risks.
- Programme and Portfolio level risk assessments from a commercial, technical and political perspective
Specific Project Risk Assessments
- Extensive energy industry experience to assess risks across the client’s portfolio.
- Credibility to challenge current assumptions and facilitate improved risk estimates.
- Quantitative methodology to assess risk mitigation actions and their cost.
- Pre project risk reviews facilitating improved risk mitigation in the specification.
Project Risk Management
- Risk register creation and management.
- Experienced in introducing and managing risk management processes.
- Authorship of risk management procedures and their incorporation into quality systems.
- Co-operative approach with Project Managers to provide risk management support throughout the project
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