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Original Date: 06/02/2003
Revision Date: 01/18/2007
Best Practice : Partnership to Reuse and Refine an IT Framework
ABC Virtual Communications, Inc. partnered with subject matter experts to create a flexible and reusable information technology framework. This framework enables the company to deliver proven solutions to its partners in a timely and cost-effective manner.
Previously, ABC Virtual Communications, Inc. (ABCV) was a typical information technology (IT) consulting company. The company performed consulting tasks such as web site design and hosting, server and middleware configuration, and custom software development. While performing these consulting tasks, ABCV identified the opportunity to partner with subject matter experts in specific industries to create a generic IT framework that could be applied across several industries.
The generic framework consists of several important features. It is designed to be easily expandable and flexible allowing rapid adaptability for new requirements. The generic framework is designed to support thin (web browsers) and thick (stand-alone applications) clients. It also supports connected and disconnected modes of operation using asynchronous groupware features. The generic framework has built-in software, content, and meta-data updates. Design patterns are used in the implementation of the generic framework, which makes it possible to reuse business objects on both the thin and thick clients.
The close working relationship between ABCV and its partners enables the company to clearly focus on requirements. This relationship has two benefits: first, it allows ABCV to focus on its core IT competencies; and second, its partners focus on their competencies. ABCV was able to adapt its partners’ requirements into a generic framework that could be easily applied to other industries.
By applying its generic framework to new industries, ABCV reduced the development costs, and the time it took to market and provide a proven solution to its partners. In addition, by creating a generic framework that can be applied to new partners, ABCV delivers a proven solution and reduces the risk of failure. It has been estimated that 30% of an IT project cost is in infrastructure. ABCV’s generic framework implements this infrastructure, thereby reducing development costs for new projects that use the generic framework.
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