Website Transition

If SBSI takes over a current website, we are required to transition the current website to our Master Enterprise Definition (MED) in order to provide the advanced functionality desired by the client.  The MED provides the website with centralized services required to maintain and update it in an efficient manner.  To do this we must be able to comprehend what the current site has as far as functionality (i.e. interactivity) and scope (i.e. the number of pages) with the objective of understanding what the client desires from its website.  This understanding facilitates the architectural standard that SBSI will build to.

The SBSI web hosting paradigm is based on the LAMP environment (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP)into which the MED becomes the core.  Much like the human body where the Central Nervous System coordinates all function, the MED coordinates central services to the websites and allows SBSI to control maintenance, updating, and correcting from the central core.  After initial loading, all access and content is controlled by the client through password-protected wizards.  The wizards allow for editing of content and menus as well as the creation of new content.

Our Technical Approach for Web Site Development and Support is as follows:  In the interest of cost efficiency (albeit at the expense of progress visibility) each of the Definition & Design and Implementation & Test Phases has only two milestones – in essence a Client-directed “Approval to Proceed” and Client-approved “Phase Completion” Milestone.

The Definition & Design (D&D) Phase begins with issuance of the Contract (a tacit “Approval to Proceed”) and ends with the the client approval of the Design Complete milestone.  At this point, all functional requirements will be finalized and responding components chosen, the Site navigational scheme fully developed, and the Site’s graphical and textural content will have been fully defined (although not necessarily generated).  Client-driven additions, deletions, or other modifications beyond this point will be considered “Design Modifications”.

The client approval of the “Design Complete” milestone will likewise be considered tacit “Approval to Proceed” for the Implementation & Test (I&T) Phase.  This phase encompasses all actual development and publishing activities and completes with Final Acceptance of the Web Site (prior to initiation of the Maintenance Phase).  Rather than a classic “waterfall” approach (i.e., design it all, then develop it all, then test it all, then resolve the deficiencies), we will employ a “spiral” development model.  This model results in a “build a little, test a little” approach that has been shown to result in higher customer satisfaction at lower costs than the “waterfall” model.  This phase will also include all activities related to content conversion and data importation.

Definition & Design Phase

As described above, the Definition & Design (D&D) Phase begins with issuance of the Contract and ends with the Client’s approval of the Design Complete milestone.  This phase includes all activities associated with:

• Definition of the Site’s requirements;
• Domain Server Requirements (spthe client, support policies, functional capabilities, limitations & constraints, etc.);
• Target Browsers (multi-browser, what versions, graphical or text-only, at was supported resolutions, java-capable, etc.);
• Component Requirements (discussion groups, data-base, guestbooks, counters, scrollers & faders, image-maps, forms, FTP, etc.);
• Navigational Scheme (frames vs. nav-bars, static vs. drop-down menus, explorer trees, free-form, etc.);
• Wizards & Administrative Control (direct the client modification of Site Content and/or access to site statistics)
• Access-Control Mechanisms (restriction of all or part of the Site to one or more authentication groups and utilities for efficient control of those restrictions);
• Content Conversion & Importation Requirements (conversion of the client-provided content into target format and publishing said material to the Site);
• Electronic Commerce (options range from replication of current store to replication plus additional features).
• Graphical Lay-up of all Page Types
  The objective of this activity is to develop a paper-based view of each type of page that will exist in the final Site.  The purpose is to develop and finalize the graphical and structural elements of each required page type.  This will facilitate the definition of common graphical and structural elements and assist both SBS and Client’s early visualization of the Web Site – both from an ascetic and a usability standpoint.
• Selection of Commercially –Available Solutions
  Some (and often, many) of a Web Site’s functional requirements can be met through the utilization of free- or purchased components.  The objective of this activity is to bound the set of viable solutions for Client’s defined requirements and to make a recommendation regarding “make or buy”.  SBS will, to the best of its ability, analyze the relevant tradeoffs and will supply that information to the client along with our recommendations.
• Definition of All Required Art-Work
  The objective of this activity is to delineate the source, specifications, and target page for all Art-Work required for the Web Site.  “Art-Work” as used here includes illustrations, 2-D & 3-D graphics, photographs, animation, and video.
• Design of the Site’s Navigation Scheme
  The objective of this activity is to define the mechanism(s) that will be used to navigate between related pages in the Web Site.  This activity will include lay-out of any framesets for frame-based Web Sites.
• Development of the Site’s Page Tree
  The objective of this activity is to lay-out the full “Page Tree” for the Site.  This Page Tree is a hierarchical listing of all pages that will exist in the completed Web Site.  This list will delineate the content to be provided by the Client and will control the Navigational entries in the above Navigation Menus.  In addition, this activity will define all source material requiring format conversion by SBS.
• Data Definition of Databases
  The objective of this activity is to fully define all Databases (and any other such data files) required by the Web Site.  This activity will include a detailed definition of the Tables, fields, and other such elements required by the Database(s).  It will also include a full definition of the desired interrelationships and interactions between those elements.
• Algorithmic Design of Specialty Programming Elements
  The objective of this activity is to define, at an algorithmic level, the mechanisms that will be used to respond to specialty requirements necessitating Java, JavaScript, or Perl programming.  This definition is required in order to scope any specialty programming efforts for the I&T Phase.

Completion of the above activities will result in an SBS declaration of “Design Complete” and a request to seek the client approval of that Milestone.  In essence, this milestone signifies SBS’ belief that sufficient design decisions have been made to support a reliable “estimate to complete” for the Web Site.  Generally, this will result in the submission of a Design Definition Package delineating the results of the Definition & Design Phase.

Developmental Installation and Setup Phase

This phase involves developing, installing, configuring, and enabling the base functionality of the Web Site on the Contractor’s Developmental Platform.  This requires SBSI to:

• Install and configure CSE (see Appendix on CSE)
• Setup and configure Web Site’s “Look and Feel” aspects
• Install, configure, and link navigational menus
• Install, configure, and link page containers

Content Load and Initial Functionality Development Phase

This phase involves the loading of all the client-content into its respective page containers and databases as well as commencement of initial development, installation, and configuration of advanced functionality elements.

Advanced Functionality Development Phase

Complete the development, installation, and configuration of the Advanced Functionality elements of the Web Site and the declaration of Initial Operating Capability by SBSI.

Final Acceptance Phase

This phase constitutes the resolution of deficiencies, training of Administrative Users, and delivery/installation of the finalized code.

At the time of IOC (Initial Operating Capability), the client may desire to have the Web Site go live to the public since the Site is essentially finished with only the “punch list” to be worked off.  From this point on, the Web Site will be in a Maintenance, Support and Enhancement Phase.  In this phase, SBSI provides ongoing maintenance, support, and enhancement of the the client Web Site.  This task may include, but is not limited to: additional client Content porting, conversion, & positing, functional modifications and enhancements, access/authentication control, provision of Help Desk functions, and monitoring of Web Site functionality, performance, and stability.  This service is provided on an ‘as-requested’ basis.