NRM SDLC - Planning
Last updated on December 19, 2023Prior to a project beginning, there are certain activities that need to be completed. These activities will vary depending on project type, complexity, size and duration. Project proposals should be discussed with the Ministry Investment and Portfolio Services (MIPS) team to ensure appropriate resources are available to proceed.
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Business Solutions Options
The Business Solutions Options document is to provide decision makers with an analysis of the viable options for managing a specific business problem or opportunity, and to recommend a preferred option.
It can be used to initiate a course of action such as to develop a detailed business case for the recommended option and/or to strike a new project.
Standards / Guidelines
The standard is to use the template provided below.
Templates
Deliverable Requisite
The Deliverable is optional for all project complexities unless there are similar existing software applications available in the sector, government or as a Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) Solution.
Samples
There is no sample currently available
Complexity Assessment
A Complexity Assessment Tool (CAT) is a standard set of evaluation criteria used to assist in the determination of the complexity and risk of work being undertaken for a project.
The CAT is used upfront in the planning phase and the results guide the level of governance, project deliverables, change control methods, and application delivery approach required for the success of the project.
Standards / Guidelines
There currently is no standard way of assessing complexity. Any assessment of complexity should be documented and filed in the project repository.
A revised template is currently under development. In the interim, the NRIDS Investment and Governance team can provide additional information. Send an email to NRIDS Standards Enquiries if you have a question on this process.
Deliverable Requisite
Assessing project complexity is encouraged during the planning phase for all projects.
Samples
There is no sample currently available.
Feasibility Whiteboard
Whiteboard sessions are scheduled at various stages of the project to ensure that the direction being taken is following Natural Resource Sector IM/IT standards.
The purpose of a whiteboard session is to bring together the necessary business and technical resources to determine the best approach and best practices to:
- Address a business need using information technology;
- Address a technology issue relating to an application or service provided by the Information Management Branch (IMB); or
- Achieve decisions that will allow the work to go forward.
There are different types of whiteboards carried out at different times within a project as identified in Usage Within the SDLC.
- Feasibility Whiteboard – is used to define the business problem and identify potential system solutions that may be viable within the Ministry standard deployments.
- Technical Whiteboard – is used to confirm the design solution identified by the vendor will fit within the Ministry standard deployment patterns and confirms the technology and servers to be used.
- Warehouse Whiteboard – is used to get agreement from both DataBC and the operational resources on what and how data will be replicated to the data warehouse.
Standards/Guidelines
Send an email to NRIDS Standards Enquiries if you have a question on this process.
Templates
A whiteboard checklist is available to assist in asking the right questions and documenting the results of the whiteboard sessions:
Deliverable Requisite
A whiteboard session is mandatory for all project complexity levels.
It is expected NRS Projects continue using Whiteboards and Technical Advisory Group (TAG) and Architecture Review Board (ARB) is not intended to replace either Whiteboards or TAGs. If at a Whiteboard or TAG, a solution is recommended that does not conform to NRS architecture, the project must proceed with an ARB Submission and receive exemption before advancing with that solution.
Samples
There is no sample currently available.
Impact Analysis
Technical Impact Analysis assessment identifies all of the existing business areas, applications and database tables which may be affected/impacted by the project.
It describes the nature and detail of the impact to ensure there is thorough analysis and that required changes to impacted systems can be planned. It confirms the required dependencies in the release schedule for the project to align impacted systems maintenance releases where required. This will help projects to have a clear understanding of possible impacts and communications needed to manage these impacts.
A project manager should use this checklist to confirm they have considered all types of impacts of their project at both a high level during initiation and at a detailed level during the requirements phase of the project.
Standards/Guidelines
The standard is to use the template below to capture the details required.
Templates
Deliverable Requisite
The Project Assessment is optional for all project complexities unless multiple business areas may be impacted by the new application.
Samples
There is no sample currently available.
Business Change Impact
On the initiation of a new project and subsequent information system, steps must be taken to determine what the impact will be to the stakeholders of this business area in terms of the changes required to business process, skills required and steps required for success.
The purpose of conducting change impact assessment is determine which stakeholders may be impacted and what is required to mitigate the changes.
Standards/Guidelines
A Change Impact Tracker and a Stakeholder Engagement and Assessment must be completed for any new system or major enhancement.
Templates
Deliverable Requisite
An assessment is mandatory for each project complexity level.
Samples
There are no samples currently available.
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Contact information
Please contact us via email for any inquiries related to the SDLC.
NRIDS.Standards@gov.bc.ca