CedarCrestone: Industry

METHODOLOGY

The CedarCrestone Propel Methodology

The innovative CedarCrestone Propel Methodology promotes a business process driven approach to consistently deliver client success and repeatable results. CedarCrestone’s Propel Methodology is powered by seasoned industry experts utilizing best practices, embedded efficiencies, and proprietary tools.

The CedarCrestone Propel Methodology is one component of CedarCrestone’s complete body of knowledge. Success cannot be achieved with methodology alone. An effective methodology must be amplified by industry expertise, proprietary toolsets, consultant experience, business acumen, and a knowledge repository.

The CedarCrestone Propel Methodology embodies four distinct guiding principles:

A strong methodology is imperative to realize client success; without it, the project’s outcome is incalculable.
The project approach is results oriented, ensuring that deliverables meet expectations and provide momentum for the next project phase.
Key business decisions are made using a process driven approach, providing assurance that critical business processes are the factors that drive major decisions.
To achieve a win/win result, the project approach must closely align with the client’s objectives; where differences lie, the methodology must offer flexibility.

The key differentiator of CedarCrestone’s Propel Methodology is its “process driven” approach, which is evident in the Preview and subsequent fit/gap or prototyping sessions. The Preview accelerates fact-finding to enable decision making earlier in the project, while the facilitated fit/gap or Interactive Design and Prototyping (IDP) sessions focus on the client’s business requirements.

The CedarCrestone Propel Methodology graphic highlights five project phases,
with robust project management being omnipresent. CedarCrestone maintains a continuous focus on the client, which is clearly indicated by placing the client at the hub.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Strong management is pivotal in delivering well-communicated, timely, and successful projects. The CedarCrestone Propel Methodology manifests years of project management experience and has been developed and refined to embrace the processes and techniques that have consistently resulted in CedarCrestone’s on time, within budget PeopleSoft engagements. The CedarCrestone Propel Methodology is used as a guiding principle throughout the life of the project and provides clear direction, practicality, and maximum efficiency.

IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT APPROACH

CedarCrestone’s implementation project approach consists of five phases:

Phase I Plan & Preview – Unique to CedarCrestone, the Plan & Preview phase allows CedarCrestone to gather the information required to determine our client's business, application, and technology needs. The Plan & Preview phase lays the foundation for a successful implementation by outlining project standards, strategies, and plans, in addition to defining and fine-tuning the project scope, timeline, and resource requirements.
Phase II Analyze & Design – The Analyze & Design phase includes infrastructure preparation, the installation of the PeopleSoft application, and Interactive Design and Prototyping (IDP). Additionally, customizations, reports, interfaces, and conversion programs are designed and functional specifications are documented.
Phase III Configure & Develop – The Configure & Develop phase addresses the functional and technical aspects of the implementation, including processes, procedures, customizations, interfaces, reports, and conversion.
Phase IV Test & Train – The Test & Train phase ensures the system and users are prepared to go live.
Phase V Deploy & Optimize – The Deploy & Optimize phase marks the delivery of the system to the users through go live. In addition, CedarCrestone provides support as requested by our client.