Ascent Technology project management, implementation, and post-implementation
services
Ascent Technology provides powerful solutions that determine which resources you need,
when you need them, and where you need them, so you have the right resources in the
right places at the right times at the right cost to operate efficiently and
effectively.
We surround the solutions with comprehensive support services that will you get started
quickly so you can optimize your human and physical resources, operate efficiently, and
control your costs without delay.
When you acquire a solution from Ascent Technology, our dedicated delivery team works closely
with you, using a combination of face-to-face meetings, teleconferences, web conferences, and
email exchanges to keep you informed every step of the way.
Three solution-delivery phases
Ascent Technology solution delivery involves three phases of work: the Pre-implementation
phase, the Implementation phase, and the Post-implementation or Production phase.
The Pre-implementation phase.
During the Pre-implementation phase, Ascent Technology works with you to develop a
detailed, mutually acceptable statement of work and project management plan. This
generally involves activities such as gathering and analyzing technical and functional
specifications; specifying product customizations, extensions, and enhancements;
specifying integration and connectivity software; specifying hardware and software
components; and identifying business knowledge for the knowledge base.
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Ascent Technology manages its work according to the statement of work and project
management plan that we develop and maintain jointly with you. The project management
plan describes our respective responsibilities, tasks, dependencies, contingencies,
milestones, and deliveries. It also describes delay-mitigation strategies. Typically,
we use Microsoft Project to create and maintain the project management plan, which we
share with you electronically.
You always have the ability to view the information captured in the project management
plan; there are no surprises or hidden tasks.
To give you a better idea about how Ascent Technology manages its work, here is a
high-level example of a recent licensed-software solution project management
plan:
|
Task | Description
|
|
Provide project management | Ascent Technology manages its activities, measuring and
evaluating its progress against the project-implementation plan, providing frequent
status reports. The Ascent Technology project manager reviews project status
regularly with the customer project manager by telephone conference call and attend
scheduled project management meetings.
|
|
Develop technical and functional specifications | Ascent Technology develops written
technical and functional specifications for the solution, analyzing current operations and
future plans with customer managers, IT staff, and users.
|
|
Perform knowledge engineering | Ascent Technology performs knowledge engineering
activities at the customer site, gathering information about customer policies,
procedures, standards, and preferences for resource planning and management. Ascent
Technology incorporates the knowledge engineering information into the knowledge
base.
|
|
Specify and install hardware, third-party software, and telecommunications services |
Ascent Technology specifies, installs, and tests hardware, third-party software, and
telecommunications services with which the solution will operate.
|
|
Develop and test custom software | Ascent Technology specifies, develops, and tests
customized, extension, and enhancement software and connectivity software needed to
integrate the solution with existing customer systems.
|
|
Install the Ascent Technology solution | Ascent Technology installs, configures, and
tests the Ascent Technology solution on the hardware and third-party software.
|
|
Perform quality-assurance and acceptance tests | Ascent Technology performs the
Factory Acceptance Test and the Site Acceptance Test. Ascent Technology assists the
customer to perform the User Acceptance Test at the completion of training. In all
cases, Ascent Technology reviews observation reports, makes necessary corrections,
and repeats tests as needed.
|
|
Provide training | Ascent Technology provides specified training courses to users,
system administrators, and IT staff; Management Overview courses to help managers
understand how the system operates; and Operational Training/Transition Support Services
to assist users to move to the new method of operation.
|
|
Provide software maintenance and support | Ascent Technology provides specified
on-going software maintenance and customer support services.
|
The Implementation phase.
During the Implementation phase, Ascent Technology performs activities such as
configuring and testing the knowledge base; developing and testing specified product
customizations, extensions, and enhancements; developing and testing specified
integration and connectivity software; installing hardware and software; conducting
factory, site, and user acceptance tests; training users, system administrators, IT
staff, and managers; and providing operational support when you start to use the
solution.
The Post-implementation or Production phase.
During the Post-implementation phase, you use the solution and Ascent Technology provides
maintenance and customer support services first under warranty and then under a maintenance
and support agreement or a software-as-a-service subscription agreement. The Ascent
Technology customer support team can arrange additional and refresher training for you
and help you to refresh the business knowledge in the knowledge base.
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After you begin to use one of Ascent Technology's solutions, our interactions continue.
Some interactions are some purely technical, and others involve discussions between your
users and Ascent Technology's customer support team.
The Ascent Technology customer support team communicates with you regularly to ensure
that you are satisfied with Ascent Technology's solution and performance. During
periodic conference calls, we discuss concerns, problems, and recommendations for improvement.
Ascent Technology provides information about upcoming upgrades and releases. Prior to each
call, Ascent Technology provides a report about outstanding concerns and problems.
When problems occur, Ascent Technology provides a report that describes what happened,
how the problem was or will be corrected, and whether additional work is required or recommended.
A key component to ensuring long-term success is the Ascent Technology technical
infrastructure for software maintenance and customer support. Using a secure
telecommunications link, the Ascent Technology customer support team can gain access to
your systems remotely and deliver help quickly in the event you experience problems.
The telecommunications infrastructure enables the Ascent Technology customer support
team to do many things, such as install new versions, upgrades, and patches; proactively
monitor the performance of the solution; analyze your system logs and replicate
problems; and assist users interactively.
Learn more about Ascent Technology services
To learn more about Ascent Technology's project management, implementation, and
post-implementation services, send email to or call
the Ascent Sales and Marketing team at +1.617.395.4820.
