Delivering complete, mission-critical solutions that exceed client expectations, while adhering to fixed budget and time constraints, requires an effective methodology to control the process.

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DefenseWeb has developed an effective, flexible methodology to design, develop, and implement successful advanced, internet solutions for DoD organizations. Our methodology has evolved from years of building complex IT solutions for Government organizations under firm fixed price contracts.

Our methodology delivers results on time and within budget that are put to use in the field to solve our client’s needs. Our clients especially benefit from the speed of our project development and delivery cycle. We emphasize small team approaches that are flexible and responsive to change, but still use formal processes and documentation to ensure that our clients are never surprised.

DefenseWeb's methodology is broken into five functional phases to quickly deliver a complete IT solution:

Phase I: Gap Analysis
Phase II: Domain Analysis
Phase III: Modeling
Phase IV: Iterative Development
Phase V: Implementation and Maintenance

Phase I: Gap Analysis
Understanding the Program and Problem Domain

In Phase I, we hold extensive interviews and meetings with our clients to understand their program needs, develop their vision, and interpret it into an achievable IT solution. We compare this solution to the current technology and organization to form a baseline that we use to measure the changes that must be implemented to achieve the solution.

This is an important process, as changes to the IT structure often require changes in how the organization operates. During this stage, we identify milestones to measure progress and develop a framework for allocating resources. The most important requirements are prioritized in the project plan so the solution can be delivered on time and within budget.

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Phase II: Domain Analysis
Making Sense of the Data, Making Sense of the Processes

In Phase II, we collect, analyze, and document the "territory" where the client organization will use the solution. This includes understanding the environment, user needs, and the challenges that need to be solved. We assess the data that must be collected and determine the processes and outputs required for mission success. During this phase, we further refine the major project elements to provide a complete end-to-end solution and begin the analysis of technical trade-offs.

Key goals of the Domain Analysis Phase include:

• Defining the basic concepts (boundary, scope, and data elements) necessary to generate the solution's architecture.
• Describing the data (e.g., variables, constants) that will support the function and operation of the solution.
• Identifying the data and functional relationships and constraints within the projected solution.
• Identify existing legacy systems which must be considered for the final technical solution.
• Initiating system and software requirements documentation.,

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Phase III: Modeling
Identifying Application Interfaces, Operational Events, and Data Transformation

During Phase III, we analyze the data collected during Phase II. We identify user and data patterns to determine which trends are relevant to the problem. We map operational sequences to determine the order of events required for the solution to function properly.

Because we develop complex, multi-user systems, we create organizational user profiles to understand how each user will interact with the solution. We create a different user profile for each position or role in the organization and use it to understand which functionality and access level is necessary for each type of user.

We use this information to build an online prototype, with minimal functionality, to demonstrate the usability and flow of the solution before we start developing. Close collaboration during this gives our clients valuable insight into how the final product will look and process data. During this phase we finalize the system and software requirements documents and draft any required design documents.

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Phase IV: Iterative Development
Applying the Technology to Meet Client Expectations

Once the client reviews and approves the prototype, we begin an iterative development process. We deliver working components or sections of the solution at short, regular intervals. Our client reviews each component and provides feedback that we use to enhance or modify the component. With this process, we can address the most complex or high-risk items early in the development cycle. We can also ensure that the core architecture and functionality of each component meets our client's expectations before final release.

The benefits of iterative development are:

• Collaboration toward a common objective. Both the client and DefenseWeb work together to develop a solution to meet the client's expectations.
• Client involvement in the development process promotes user adoption of the solution.
• The need for extensive training is eliminated because the client understands and learns the solution as it is developed.
• Effective communication of needs and expectations. Regular releases of each iteration and the incorporation of client feedback ensure that the correct solution is developed.
• Ability to quickly respond to changes in the client's requirements or expectations.

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Phase V: Implementation and Maintenance
Releasing the Solution and Supporting Our Clients

Before the solution is fully released to the client, our Quality Assurance department tests it on both a development and staging platform. Incorporating strong QA and usability testing into this phase is critical to ensure optimal navigation, usability, and accessibility of the final solution. By engaging client users as consultants to review and test the solution, we work to fully simulate operational events and help our clients conduct qualitative usability studies.

Once the project is fully tested, we launch and implement the finished solution. If requested by our client, we will conduct beta testing with user groups to introduce the system to the user community before it is released for widespread use. We believe in forging strong, lasting relationships with our clients. To achieve this, we provide all clients with the following support:

• End-user training
• Unlimited, 24/7 technical support (available by e-mail or telephone)
• Content integration from previous systems or solutions
• Weekly client teleconferences
• Monthly and quarterly project status reports
• Hosting and security reviews (DITSCAP/DIACAP)
• Reporting and site statistics

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