Designing processes - EMC Community Network
Designing processes - EMC Community Network Designing processes - EMC Community Network
Planning and Designing the Application the client the ways in which xCP addresses these alternatives. Define the client requirements clearly before implementing xCP projects. Customization Try to avoid customization. Following client specifications exactly can require costly and time-consuming customization. It is more efficient to work within the functionality of the tools. Customization prolongs the time to solution and creates a challenge with future upgrades. xCP projects are high volume. If there are numerous customizations, the upgrade process can be risky and expensive. The client may need to rebuild each application customization from scratch, driving up the total cost of ownership and increases risk. There may be some cases when you need to write custom code, but keep it to the absolute minimum. Roles and permissions During the planning stage of your project, identify the roles of the performers involved in the process. For each role, identify the permissions that each performer must have to access the data required to complete assigned tasks. Include permissions for data that is read-only and for data that the performer enters or modifies. Configure permissions as follows: • Give the user who will be starting workflow instances RELATE permissions and START PROCEDURE extended permissions. • Set the access control list (ACL) of the process variables to allow performers to edit the process variables in a manual task. • Set the ACL of the package object to allow performers to read or edit the package fields based on the business requirements. Setting up the Development Environment We recommend using WMware images to manage the development environment. This approach offers several advantages. It allows the delivery team the ability to control its own infrastructure, which is preferable to relying on the client to manage the development environment for the team. It can also speed up the delivery cycle and facilitate the testing cycle by providing a clean environment for validating the solution. Eliminating the peculiarities and idiosyncrasies of a client environment saves time. System Design and Prototyping Phase In the design phase, identify detailed requirements and create the design for: • Process Definition • Task Processing User Interface • BAM Reporting 20 EMC Documentum xCelerated Composition Platform Version 1.6 Best Practices Guide
Planning and Designing the Application • The Data Model Do not think of these areas as being independent from one another. For example, requirements for BAM reports can suggest data fields to incorporate into the data model. In turn, these fields will be entered into forms by task processors (or captured in automated activities). One corollary of this observation is that the user interface architect must communicate frequently with the information architect to ensure consistency and completeness. The delivery team must understand the interdependence of the Process Definition, UI, BAM, and Data Model so they can properly advise the client. Ideally, the project team creates templates to facilitate the client’s understanding of the interdependencies. If the client wants to change the model, then the client understands the corresponding impact on cost. This also helps the client to understand the importance of the information the client provides to the delivery team. The guiding principle of this phase is Iterative Design. This means that a solution cannot be designed in a single step, but you need a series of workshops to reveal the design. It is not a linear path and the design can change several times, which is relatively easy to do in the planning phase. After the data model is finalized and development begins, fundamental changes can be disruptive. For example, changing the field definitions in the data model causes forms to break (since forms link to data through xpath). Complete the data model in the design phase and then lock it down. Prototyping and Workshops Dedicate one-quarter to one-third of the project to functional prototyping and client workshops. It is easy to prototype and make changes in designs within xCP during the prototyping stage. Do not move into the development phase in your project until the design is stable. Combine prototyping with workshops in which you present the design to the client and solicit feedback. These workshops should have a consistent structure and format. Use a set of predefined templates to present the information and collect feedback. These workshops can ensure that the design meets the true needs of the client and that the client understands and agrees to the solution. Initially, these workshops can be done in a storyboard manner using a whiteboard with hand-drawn screens. As you progress in the design, conduct the workshops using real screens in TaskSpace or BAM. At the beginning of the project, it is important to convince the project sponsor to make client resources available for workshops. Negotiating this agreement ensures that clients take the time from their schedule to meet with you, understand the design, and provide input. Example: Process Builder Articulate that the application is based on a process. Sometimes clients have a Visio diagram that shows the process exactly as they want it. Other times, the desired process is not well defined. In the latter case, map the process first at the business level; that is, the process shows only the activities that are significant in a business sense, dispensing with technical steps like process data mapping. One tool that is useful for this purpose is the Process Analyzer. In a series of interviews with the client business users, the process can be defined to the appropriate level of detail. This process can take a few days to complete, assuming that you have access to the subject matter experts. The following is a swim-lane process diagram in Process Analyzer depicting the hand-offs between two roles in a process. EMC Documentum xCelerated Composition Platform Version 1.6 Best Practices Guide 21
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Planning and <strong>Designing</strong> the Application<br />
the client the ways in which xCP addresses these alternatives. Define the client requirements clearly<br />
before implementing xCP projects.<br />
Customization<br />
Try to avoid customization. Following client specifications exactly can require costly and<br />
time-consuming customization. It is more efficient to work within the functionality of the tools.<br />
Customization prolongs the time to solution and creates a challenge with future upgrades. xCP<br />
projects are high volume. If there are numerous customizations, the upgrade process can be risky and<br />
expensive. The client may need to rebuild each application customization from scratch, driving up<br />
the total cost of ownership and increases risk. There may be some cases when you need to write<br />
custom code, but keep it to the absolute minimum.<br />
Roles and permissions<br />
During the planning stage of your project, identify the roles of the performers involved in the process.<br />
For each role, identify the permissions that each performer must have to access the data required to<br />
complete assigned tasks. Include permissions for data that is read-only and for data that the performer<br />
enters or modifies.<br />
Configure permissions as follows:<br />
• Give the user who will be starting workflow instances RELATE permissions and START<br />
PROCEDURE extended permissions.<br />
• Set the access control list (ACL) of the process variables to allow performers to edit the process<br />
variables in a manual task.<br />
• Set the ACL of the package object to allow performers to read or edit the package fields based on<br />
the business requirements.<br />
Setting up the Development Environment<br />
We recommend using WMware images to manage the development environment. This approach<br />
offers several advantages. It allows the delivery team the ability to control its own infrastructure,<br />
which is preferable to relying on the client to manage the development environment for the team. It<br />
can also speed up the delivery cycle and facilitate the testing cycle by providing a clean environment<br />
for validating the solution. Eliminating the peculiarities and idiosyncrasies of a client environment<br />
saves time.<br />
System Design and Prototyping Phase<br />
In the design phase, identify detailed requirements and create the design for:<br />
• Process Definition<br />
• Task Processing User Interface<br />
• BAM Reporting<br />
20 <strong>EMC</strong> Documentum xCelerated Composition Platform Version 1.6 Best Practices Guide