iNetFrame strongly believes that good solutions stem out of these key components in a software organization:

• Core Competency
• Infrastructure
• People and Technical Skills Sets
• Software Engineering Processes
• Software Delivery Processes
• Project Management & Communications

Core Competency
iNetFrame’s core competency is in providing high quality software solutions based on Enterprise Java (J2EE), Microsoft .NET, Open Source and Oracle Technologies.

Infrastructure
iNetFrame has built up a state-of-art infrastructure with multiple servers, powerful development workstations and an excellent communication network. Adequate Security System has also been installed. The infrastructure is also being continuously enhanced to meet growing requirements.

Software Engineering Processes

iNetFrame follows a set of Software Engineering Processes in all its software projects. A combination of Waterfall (Analysis-Design-Development-Testing) and Spiral Project Life Cycle (Iterative Refinement) methodologies is used to develop a software product. Processes are also fine-tuned based on customer’s own Quality System as well as specific types of engagements.

The following lists the activities in a Project Execution Cycle:

• Needs Assessment
• Requirements Specification and Analysis
• Feasibility Study
• Project Plan Preparation
• Project Team Determination
• Preliminary Design
• Prototyping
• Detailed Design
• Development and Unit Test
• System and Integration test
• Documentation
• Quality Assurance
• Installation at Customer-Site and Acceptance Tests
• Training
• Implementation and Roll-out
• Warranty Phase
• On-going Maintenance Efforts

In certain projects, prototyping is included during the design stage. Prototypes help the customer visualize the product being developed with greater clarity. Additionally, it helps software companies reach their customer base for early feedback and buy-in.

iNetFrame assesses these activities required for a specific engagement and defines a phased approach to solution development.

Continuous participation of the customer occurs at every stage of the project from definition, to design, development, delivery and deployment.

Strict adherence to the above software engineering processes combined with strong technical and project management skills guarantees successful execution of software projects.

Software Delivery Processes

iNetFrame utilizes its email, internet and file server infrastructure to make deliveries. iNetFrame is also in the process of setting up a dedicated FTP server that could be used by customers and partners to download releases made by offshore technical teams.

The Release Processes defined and fine-tuned for specific customers, help in validating the release before and after the delivery.

Project Management & Communications

Effective Project Management and clear communication between various players in the project engagement are very critical to the success of a project.

It is our general assessment that projects run into problems more because of lack of proper planning, improper project management, communication gaps in addition to not applying the appropriate processes and tools, rather than good coding skills of the developers.

iNetFrame has instituted the following approach in effective project management and streamlining communication in all projects.
• Each project will have a designated Project Leader from iNetFrame. The PL will directly report to the senior management at iNetFrame.

• Each project would have clearly defined milestones. Each milestone will have specific deliverables.

• The project plan and schedule (MS Project-based) would identify these milestones and deliverables.

• The onsite and offsite teams would submit a Weekly Progress Report (WPR) that highlights the progress made during the week, tasks under progress and to be undertaken, and issues and dependencies that would impact the schedule and quality in the project.

• There would be periodic (once a week is recommended) review meetings between the Customer’s Project Coordinator and iNetFrame. The WPR and the Project Schedule would be used for reviewing the progress and taking any corrective and preventive action.

• The senior management of Customer/Partner and iNetFrame would review the progress, once a month at the least to take stock of the progress and address any issues.

• iNetFrame strongly recommends staged deliveries to get early feedback from customers and to rectify any shortcomings and deviations.

• iNetFrame conducts periodic internal reviews (audits) to validate compliance to quality standards set by iNetFrame and the Customer/Partner. This is in addition to other normal reviews such as design, code and test cases.

• iNetFrame also conducts periodic training for improving soft skills of our technical staff. In addition to improving communication in terms of speech and writing, professional and cultural aspects are also included in these programs.

Flexible Engineering Model
iNetFrame primarily works with the following three models for engaging with customers.

Offshore Development Center Model
• Dedicated team & resources
• Scope flexible
• Customer manages the team
• Monthly/Hourly rates
• Extended duration
• Infrastructure & Resources provided by iNetFrame

Packaged Price-Project Model
• Scope defined at start. Scope is fairly fixed.
• Well defined Change Management Process
• iNetFrame managed team
• Price packaged for specific scope and duration
• Fixed duration. Some activities such as Requirements Analysis may be of variable duration.

Time and Material-Consulting Model
• Team positioned at the customer site or at iNetFrame’s offshore facility
• Scope flexible
• iNetFrame manages the offshore team and Customer manages the team, if onsite
• Time & Material rates
• Variable duration

Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT)
• iNetFrame builds a dedicated team for the customer
• The dedicated team executes projects under the guidance of customer
• After a pre-agreed period (12 to 18 months), the employment is transferred to customer
• Time & Material rates
• One time transfer fee