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Delivering quality software on time and within budget remains, for many organizations, a critical but elusive goal. Many organizations are increasingly turning to the use of
commercial software packages, while others continue to custom build applications. A third alternative is the template approach. A template is a system which has been built with a CASE tool and reused, with
modifications made at the design, or model level. Depending on the particular CASE tool, the code is then automatically generated from the changed design. Our prior research in this area suggested a number
of benefits associated with the template approach. In addition, the companies we studied all found that working with models was far superior to working with program code. At the same time, however, working
with models presents some unique challenges. In particular, managing the models across multiple sites and keeping them synchronized has proven to be an extremely complex process. This paper describes the efforts of five companies who are implementing and managing templates internally across multiple divisions. It examines the issues they
are encountering and the different ways in which they have addressed these issues. Key factors which influence the effective use of a template approach include the design of the template, a well-defined
template management process for new releases, clear decision criteria for changes to the core template, and supportive model management tools. Given the degree and nature of change involved, particularly
since it crosses organizational boundaries, senior management involvement and understanding is critical.While the benefits and issues noted here are discussed specifically as they relate to templates,
organizations striving to deploy common systems and packages globally will find themselves faced with a similar set of considerations. |
