13. Core Operational Processes
This chapter refers to the core operational processes: lead generation, project realisation, program management, human resource management and finance.
13.1 Lead Generation
Via existing contacts, organised events, and social media, sales actively searches for new customer opportunities. The related network activities are based on personal preferences and skills. Future opportunities are sourced and evaluated based on strategic fit.
Contacts become leads when the opportunity is considered feasible and a fit with the product or strategy, and balanced against the expected effort to turn them into a customer. Leads and opportunities are documented and managed via a CRM system.
Leads and opportunities are translated into proposals, supported by a technical lead to validate a technically correct solution as much as possible in line with the product roadmap. Proposals are reviewed and negotiated with the lead. Related project proposals and relevant background information is gathered and stored in the project documentation storage. Before final submission to customers, proposals are reviewed with the management to evaluate feasibility, risks, margin towards product development, as well as the fit within the programming of projects and product.
Customers who distribute the code commercially can agree on a commercial license. Pricing and deviations of the standard License agreement are dealt with as part of the project proposal
13.2 Project Realisation
For project realisation, an agile approach is used with iterations based on issues as defined as part of roadmap, refinement and sprint planning (section 13.3) supported by a scrum based planning system. As part of realisation, automated system and unit tests are developed and included to safeguard code quality.
Daily standups are organised in two rounds with the complete team, the first for each participant to share what he has worked on, will work on and raise impediments. The second round is to discuss impediments and possible resolutions.
In the testing and review phase, code is tested on a local or staging environment, first by a colleague developer and project manager, secondly by the account manager and customer. Issues are tracked and solved, using the scrum system, and released in production.
13.3 Roadmapping, refinement and sprint planning
The roadmapping is done as part of the half yearly cycle of reviewing product development and its programming. It maps long term business requirements from lead customers to product functional requirements.
Project proposals for customers are first reviewed by the product owner and technical lead and compared to existing product releases. Gaps in features are identified. If they are generic features, they become potentially part of the product features in the roadmap. The roadmap is the input for Product development.
To ensure clearly defined issues for project realisation, refinement sessions are organised based on the review of the roadmap backlog and customer project requirements by the product owner. Refinement sessions first clarify user requirements with project technical leads and UX manager. Secondly, the final functional and technical requirements are defined with architects.
Sprint planning is done on a two weekly basis with the whole team and includes the combined planning of both product and project issues. Team development capacity is reserved one day before by product owner and project managers .
13.4 Finance
Financial management consists of financial management of projects as well as organisational financial control.
Project financial management reviews whether projects are planned with a clear coverage of costs with margin for product development and other costs, taking into account a risk margin. Throughout the project, time spent and costs are monitored.
Financial control includes management of organisational expenses, taxes, salaries and invoicing. The objective is to manage OPEX, cashflow and balance sheet. Yearly reporting and tax statements are organised and registered.