The project Management in Infosys

Introduction

Infosys Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: INFY) was started in 1981 by seven people with US$ 250. Today, they are a global leader in the "next generation" of IT and consulting with revenues of over US$ 3 billion. Infosys defines, designs and delivers technology-enabled business solutions that help Global 2000 companies win in a Flat World. Infosys also provides a complete range of services by leveraging our domain and business expertise and strategic alliances with leading technology providers.

Infosys pioneered the Global Delivery Model (GDM), which emerged as a disruptive force in the industry leading to the rise of offshore outsourcing, to ensure the distribution of application and business process lifecycle activities and resources, while ensuring their integration.
The GDM is based on the principle of taking work to the location where the best talent is available, where it makes the best economic sense, with the least amount of acceptable risk. It has several Key Drivers, which are Process, Quality, Tools, Knowledge Management, Program Management, and Risk Mitigation. In this way, the project management in Infosys is a key part of GDM, and to support the whole business of Infosys.

The project Management in Infosys will be fully introduced in this page. Because of the success of Infosys in business, its project management becomes a successful case of project management of Software Outsourcing.

Infosys Project Process will be explained from three parts, the structure of Infosys Processes, Key Elements of Infosys Project Processes, and Process Infrastructure.

The structure of Infosys Processes

The structure Infosys Processes is a pyramidal structure of 4 stages. Each stage presents a level of Infosys Processes. The higher the level, the more rigorous the process is.

In Stage 4 which is the lowest level at the bottom, only records are needed in the process. In Stage 3, which is a level higher than Stage 4, reference document are built as process product basing on records in the process. In Stage 2, which is higher than stage 3, Department and Process Manuals are needed. At last, in Stage 1, the top level, all documents and records in the process should be organized as Quality Manual and Organizational Manual, which is a full dimensional guide in process of the whole organization.

Besides, Process Frameworks in PRIDE System are provided to support management. Project Management, Support Processes, Engineering Processes and Process Management are 4 parts of Process Frameworks. When being used in a certain project, a project Process will be checked out from the Process Frameworks and will be tailored into a list of activities according to customer needs/requirements and project objectives.

A typical project life cycle in Infosys contains Development Process and Project Management Process. Development process uses V model and Waterfall model. The process begins from the Requirement and ends at User Acceptance Test. Requirement Phase is corresponding to System Test. Design phase is corresponding to Integration Test. Implementation Phase is corresponding to Unit Test. Project Management Process is started parallel with Development Process, which includes Risk Management, Change Management, Communication/Status Reporting, and Tracking.

Key Elements of Infosys Project Processes

Traceability, Defect Detection, Prevention, Tracking, Measures & Metrics, Estimation, Quality Assurance & Quality Control, Risk Mitigation are 6 key elements in Infosys Project Processed. They will be introduced one by one below.

Traceability

Traceability ensures all Requirements are implemented in design, code, testing, and helps to identify impacted programs/documents in case of any change. It keep maintain reference between Requirement Number, Description, HLD Reference, DD Reference, Unit Test Plan Reference, Integration Test Plan Reference, System Test Plan Reference. Both forward and backward traceability exists. Forward traceability ensures all requirements are incorporated into product. Backward traceability ensures no unnecessary functionality is included unless specifically called for by a requirement.

Defect Detection, Prevention, Tracking

Defect Detection includes Reviews and Testing, which are common technique in project management. For Defect Prevention, Infosys suggests Learning from past projects, doing defect prevention regularly, and measuring the improvement. In Defect Tracking, it is ensured that all defects are closed.

Measures & Metrics

Measures are rooted in scientific principles and give numeric meaning to physical attributes. And metrics are derived or proposed measures that cannot be directly observed, which provides insight into process or product quality characteristics.

At Infosys, Measures are also called Basic Metrics, which include effort, defects, size, and schedule. Metrics are referred to as Derived Metrics, which include Process Metrics, Product Metrics, and Service Metrics.

Metrics are used for setting quantifiable goals, measuring and tracking progress, taking decisions, and planning improvements. For metrics, accurate data is important!

Estimation

Estimation is based on history data. Using RFP and requirement SPEC can estimate Size. Basing size, using Productivity, Skill Requirements, Execution Complexity, Risks/Uncertainties can estimate Effort. Basing Effort, using Resource availability, Dependencies/Constraints can estimate Time and Schedule. With Time and Schedule, Unit Costs, Costs can be estimated.

Quality Assurance & Quality Control

Quality Assurance focuses on process. It ensures that Project Management Plan is followed. It also defines the project process through the project plan. Besides, it does Technology and Business domain training, and does audits.

Quality Control focuses on Product. It measures a product against the existence of a required attribute. Major QC activity is identifying defects (Reviews, Testing) and correcting them (Rework).

Risk Mitigation

At Infosys, a detailed plan for risk identification, monitoring and mitigation is a part of project planning. It covers risk identification, prioritization and mitigation options. Our business continuity plans are focused on Infrastructure, Security, Confidentiality and Privacy, People.

Process Infrastructure

Process Infrastructure includes the introduction of the implementation support of project management. These Process Infrastructures are PRIDE, Quality System Documentation (QSD), Body of Knowledge (BOK), Process Assets, Process Database (PDB), Process Capability Baseline (PCB), and Tools Repository.

PRIDE

PRIDE encapsulates the best practices from all parts of Infosys (over 20+ years of experience) and all over the world, such as CMMIï¼ŒISO..., and is continuously updated to keep it current.

Quality System Documentation (QSD)

Quality System Documentation (QSD) is a collection of Infosys best practices in the form of processes. The QSD provides a vast repository of detailed procedures, templates, standards, guidelines and checklists. The QSD is updated every four months.

Body of Knowledge (BOK)

Infosys' Body of Knowledge (BOK) is a forum to share knowledge gained from experience. It is a central repository of experiential knowledge that can be tapped by peers at Infosys.

Process Assets

Process assets form the repository to facilitate dissemination of "engagement learning" across Infosys. A process asset can be any information from an engagement, which can be re-used by future engagements.

Process Database (PDB)

The Process Database is a software engineering database to study the processes at Infosys with respect to productivity and quality. The process database captures all project performance related metrics at Infosys. This data forms the basis to construct Infosys' process-capability baseline, which is used by project leaders to estimate effort, schedule tasks, and predict defect levels during the engagement-planning phase.

Process Capability Baseline (PCB)

Process Capability Baseline specifies what the performance of the process is. For example, what a project can expect when following the process. In PCB, performance factors of the process relate to quality and productivity.

Tools Repository

The Tools Repository is a centralized repository containing a list of tools that have been evaluated.

Integrated Project Management (IPM):

IPM is Infosys’ web-based tool for engagement management. It facilitates efficient and effective project management and addresses the functionality of a typical professional services automation framework. IPM supports Infosys' global delivery model and SEI CMM level 5 processes.

InFlux:

InFlux is Infosys’ methodology for defining effective IT solutions for enterprise initiatives.
It provides a business-process view for any IT initiative to understand the impact of IT on specific processes. Its framework is based on the digital concept of an extended organization that includes suppliers, customers, and partners - to study the roles of different entities, various systems and their working.

PRISM:

Project Reviews by Infosys Senior Management (PRISM) is a web-based Intranet tool to automate the workflow for reviews, in line with engagement schedules and plans. This review mechanism with the help of the PRISM tool offers better visibility into engagement risks for the client as well as for Infosys, and drives process improvement and sharing of best practices.

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