DEVELOPMENT, FRAMEWORKS AND METHODS

Development, Frameworks and Methods

DEVELOPMENT, FRAMEWORKS AND METHODS

Section A

Implementation of IT with DSDM Atern at CSA

The case reveals that Children Support Agency or CSA is lacking with significant information technology tools and skills. In fact, the organisation does not have any single database software in order to process collected data. Another thing that can be seen inside organisation is that organisation does not have enough awareness about the storage of information in secured manner as the staff is also less professional. It would not be wrong to say that organisational culture is not conducive to promote information technology. This suggests that CSA should adopt an innovative approach that is based on agile methods to process business operations. In addition, it is also important to know that CSA not only need to change their organisational culture but also train their staff in relation to information technology.

In this regard, the consultant has suggested incorporate the DSDM Atern that is an effective agile method. The Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM) is a software development methodology based on the concept of Rapid Application Development or RAD (Richards, 2007). In 2007, DSDM became the main approach to project management and application development processes. In other words, the DSDM can be seen as an iterative and incremental approach, which emphasises the duration of participation in the process of user/ consumer (Tudor, 2010).

The purpose of the method is to get ready project on time and stay within budget, but at the same time adjusting to the project requirements change during its development. DSDM is a family of agile software development in which development is outside the sphere of information technologies. The latest version of the methods is recognised as DSDM Atern, where Atern is an acronym for Arctic Tern - a bird that can travel long distances. It symbolises many aspects of the method such as the definition of priority or co-operation, which are a natural way of working process (Tudor, 2010).

It is also essential to discuss that the previous version of DSDM was released in May 2003, which is still in effect and is widely used. The DSDM 4.2 is slightly extended version of DSDM 4, which contains guidance on how to use DSDM with extreme programming (Tudor, 2010). As an extension of the concept of rapid application development, DSDM focuses on projects of information systems with a tight schedule. The implementation of DSDM at CSA will help indicate typical errors of information systems projects, such as over budget, delay the timing of delivery or performance, and the lack of user involvement. The DSDM system at CSA will focus on (Richards, 2007):

Pre-stage of the life cycle of the project and post-project phase.

Life stage of the project consists of five phases: feasibility study, feasibility study, the creation of a functional model, design and development, the implementation phase.

In fact, the Atern is the framework for agile project management of the DSDM Consortium. This framework will allow CSA to compile the experiences of practitioners, which were collected in ...