Capgemini has a proven track record in the package applications delivery market as well having architectural expertise.

This Section contains:

• The Benefits of Architecture
• Capgemini’s Approach
• Capgemini’s Capabilities

Benefits of Architecture

Projects are effectively sequenced and their dependencies are understood. An Architecture approach is used to plan, shape and schedule change programmes and projects more rigorously, so that they are running in alignment and their dependencies are understood.

The start-Up of projects is accelerated

An Architecture approach allows design information to be captured ahead of time, so that projects can move faster. Similar design artefacts, such as the current systems landscape, non-functional requirements, and organisation structures, can be collated at a programme level.

A robust and consistent method is used to execute each project

Architecture frameworks provide a common language of communication between project deliverables and wider organisational context. Using an industry standard approach helps related projects to be integrated at a design level, so that the overall impact and combined solution is understood. Detail can be added to the architecture as a natural by-product of Analysis & Design activity.

The desired business outcome is understood and expressed in governable terms

In order to provide a clear and consistent set of governance criteria for projects, business objectives are translated into specific principles, requirements, standards and guidelines that form the basis for design governance.

Capgemini’s Approach

Large scale package implementations, based on SAP or Oracle solutions, have far reaching consequences for an organisation. To be successful, the package solution needs the right footprint, structure and scope boundaries and must be described in a way that is consistent with the overall business. Additionally, the task of defining and implementing a large scale package-based solution often involves hundreds of stakeholders and specialists, who require a consistent and aligned view of desired direction, current progress and activity and dependencies and impacts.

Capgemini strongly advocates the use of architecture as a discipline to assure that package implementations achieve desired business outcomes. As packaged software becomes more accommodating of customisation and extension, implementations require new approaches to ensure that differentiating functionality is built, whilst still respecting the need to standardise process and adopt industry best practice. A combination of design techniques can be used to most effectively develop a Business Blueprint that is complete, consistent and realistic.

We shape projects quickly to ensure that teams can organise effectively

An initial broad and shallow assessment of the solution in architectural terms provides an outline of the work to be carried out during Blueprint. This early understanding of the problem space allows a project to structure the team effectively to address the risk profile of the work

We communicate the overall Solution Capability and Design Approach

SAP implementations, as an example, rightly focus on areas where the SAP solution does not natively fit to the business requirements. For an SAP-skilled professional, enhancements and configuration on the basic SAP product provide all the required insight to understand the overall capability of a solution. However, for an audience that is not familiar with the capabilities of SAP, it is necessary to formulate an overall top-slice view of the entire solution, expressed in non-vendor language so that these stakeholders can engage with the project and provide their input more effectively.

We select the most appropriate Implementation Approach

In some cases, it is preferable to adopt the industry best practice that is embodied by the out of the box product. In others, it will be preferable to enhance SAP or Oracle, or even to build new applications using package-based technology as an underlying platform. The architectural principles, requirements, standards and guidelines identified at the programme level provide a consistent back-drop to evaluate adopt vs. enhance vs. build decisions about the solution. This evaluation of the implementation approach is the starting point for a “design by exception” process of Rapid Design Visualisation prototyping, which should be used to develop custom solutions areas where business differentiation is critical to the solution, or where the standard solution is not a good fit to the needs of the business.

We ensure that the blueprint is complete and consistent with other projects

Architecture provides a mechanism to manage and align different viewpoints of benefit, process, organisation, data, applications and technology in a way that is consistent across all projects. The architectural models in place can provide additional checks to improve the effectiveness of Analysis & Design, by identifying gaps, overlaps and inconsistencies across work streams.

We aim to produce deliverables that can be used again

Consistent structuring of design work means that there is a greater opportunity for analysis to be used elsewhere, beyond the implementation. For example, analysis carried out during implementation projects can be used to support future portfolio management of change.

Capgemini’s Capabilities

• We have strong heritage built around Architecture with a Global Architecture Practice. We have a global capability of 875 package focused solution architects.
• We have strong relationships with major packaged applications vendors, such as SAP and Oracle.
• We have upwards of 4000 SAP projects globally with a proven track record of packaged applications delivery.
• We have helped SAP to produce its own Enterprise Architecture Framework.