Oracle Applications :Oracle Unified Methodology (OUM)

What is the difference between OUM and AIM?

The majority of task and deliverable remain same, but they reclassified under different Process.

Benefits of OUM

» More Focused Effort – OUM enables projects to clearly define business scope as well as the need to create architectural models of the enterprise. This planning results in tighter scope control, more accurate business understanding, and a firm foundation to align with client expectations.

» Built-in Flexibility – By combining activities and tasks in different ways, OUM can be applied to many types of information technology software development and implementation projects.

» Saves Time – Seasoned information technology practitioners representing years of experience have contributed their knowledge to OUM. Project teams to take advantage of this experience by leveraging these leading practices along with industry standards.

» Higher Quality – OUM subscribes to an iterative approach that incorporates testing and validation throughout the lifecycle, rather than testing for quality only at the end of the project.

» More Cost Effective – OUM facilitates improved control of project expenses by using a flexible work breakdown structure that allows you to perform only necessary tasks.

» Reduced Project Risk – Implementing an iterative, broadly applicable method mitigates requirements mismatch.
A key focus of each iteration in OUM is to identify and reduce the most significant project risks. This allows for the most critical risks to be addressed as early as possible in the project lifecycle, which results in a measurable reduction of schedule and budget risks.

Key Features of OUM
OUM was developed with the following key features:
» Flexible
» Scalable
» Views
Flexible

OUM is flexible because it allows your organization to select the strategy, techniques, and tasks appropriate for your project. OUM provides specific guidelines for tailoring your project plan to fit your situation - from the most basic development to changes in the underlying technical architecture. By combining activities and tasks in different ways, OUM can be applied to many types of information technology software development and implementation projects.

Scalable

OUM was designed with scalability in mind. From the largest, multinational, multi-site, multi-entity projects, through to the smallest, limited size, constrained scope projects—OUM provides the scalability required by each unique project. Guidelines aid in determining which tasks to include in the project plan. This greatly reduces the complexity for the project management team in planning the work effort required.

Views
The method material is organized into views. Views provide an initial tailoring of the work plan. Each view page provides access to guidance and a tailored work breakdown structure.

OUM Core Components

• Task: Lowest unit of work. Smallest traceable item on project work plan and forms basis of work breakdown structure. Results in a new or revised work product.
• Work Product: Output of a task. Required to meet project objectives. Need not be a document. May or may not be a deliverable.
• Dependency: Define relationships between tasks or activities.
• Process: Usually a subproject and can span more than one phase
• Phase: Temporary grouping of tasks. Natural point for milestones and checkpoints.
• Lifecycle Milestone: Occurs at phase boundaries. Assure objectives of phase are met. Assure readiness of project to move to next phase.
• Activity: Next Level below a phase. Groups related tasks. Results in milestone or deliverable. Maybe from different processes. Begin and end in the same phase.

There are 4 types of dependencies:

• Predecessors
• Successors
• Overlap
• Gap

There are 5 Lifecycle Milestones defined in OUM. Their acronym is LO, LA, IOC, SP and SO.

• LO = Lifecycle Objective
• LA = Lifecycle Architecture
• IOC = Initial Operating Capability
• SP = System Production
• SO = Sign-off