IAR Solutions ~ Implementation

Implementation and Integration

At IAR solutions we believe that implementation is far more than simple installation of software. Whilst the exact nature will vary with your organization and objectives the broad outline will usually include:

Design and Development

Very few systems exist in isolation and performance measurement/risk systems are no exception. At a bare minimum they will require feeds of account data and market data. Often referred to as 'ETL' (extract, transform, and load) the tools which wire in systems need to extract data from outside sources, transform it to fit operational needs (which can include quality levels) and load it into the end target. Whilst the needs and sophistication will vary with each solution the principles remain the same. IAR Solutions consultants have knowledge of a wide variety of ETL tools in addition to experience in developing custom ETL solutions.

Getting data in is only a part of the solution. As important is the delivery of information from your analytics package. What reporting is needed? Will the system be feeding information into existing reporting tools or using a dedicated reporting tool. Whether you need to feed information on to other systems, configure custom reporting packages or simply use built in reporting tools, IAR Solutions can assist you in meeting your objectives.

Testing and Validation

Before relying on a new system in production you need to be confident that it will meet or exceed your expectations. The testing and validation stage should ensures that all original functional requirements of the system are met. A test plan based on the original requirements specification should be developed to ensure that requirements are tested and acceptable. Going beyond the original requirements verification, IAR Solutions can also assist you with performance testing (to ensure that timing requirements such as throughput and response time are met) as well as regression testing (to ensue that related system functions have not been degraded).

To carry out the testing and validation the planning needs to identify and configure a system testing environment. It must allow time for the system, functional, and performance testing. During the testing there should be an allowance for identification, control and resolution of any defects found. To complete the testing phase time needs to be allowed for the business side project members to sign off on the results.

Deployment to Production

This stage will must include steps to ensure uninterrupted continuing operations with the existing systems and processes. The plan needs to allow for the migration of the developed and tested system from the test environment to the production environment. Time needs to be factored in for training around business as usual commitments. 'Run books' or business process documents should be in place for reference as users gain mastery on the new systems.

Retirement of Legacy Systems

The nature of performance reporting, especially when considering GIPS requirements, will often mean that legacy systems cannot simply be discarded. IAR Solutions can help you ensure that all necessary data has either been migrated or appropriately archived for future reference. The original business analysis should have identified any processes dependent on the legacy systems. Sign off needs to be obtained that each and every one of these processes has been replaced by the new systems.

Review of Original Objectives

This final stage of an implementation is often overlooked but should be regarded as just as important as all other stages. Comparing the end result to the original project goals can provide valuable insight into the overall process. Reviewing the risks originally identified and comparing them to any problems encountered will help to build in house expertise. This knowledge can then be applied to future projects to ensure smooth and succesful outcomes.