At Integral Thought & Memory we have an integral focus on process: it is part of everything we do. Even more importantly, we realize that there is no “one size fits all” process, and focus on the right process for each project.

Why process? Using a tested software engineering process allows us to do things right the first time. By using the best practices that the software engineering community has developed and documented we can lower your costs, accelerate your schedule and help ensure that what we build is what you actually need.

Many smaller “programming” and “web development” companies believe that any time spent writing code must be time well spent, and often do not pause to ensure that the task that their code performs solves the problem at hand. Many larger consulting companies believe that the number of documents created for a project is the best way to measure success, and their clients often pay for more process than they actually need. At Integral Thought & Memory we understand that every project is unique, and that any successful process must be tailored to the project at hand: somewhere between “Code Like Hell” and “Analysis Paralysis” lies another successful project.

Integral Thought & Memory uses the Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) to find the right process balance for each project. MSF uses industry best practices to provide guidelines for Information Services projects, but does not attempt to define a strict project methodology. A few core features of MSF are:

• Phased Development: MSF defines five phases for each project: Envisioning, Planning, Developing, Stabilizing and Deploying. In essence, when using MSF’s process model for a project, you define the problem you are trying to solve, decide how to solve it, perform the actual work necessary to solve the problem, test it to ensure that the work completed actually solves the problem, and deploy the finished solution to the people who need it. Each phase has its own milestones and deliverables to ensure that you, the client, are always in control and never in the dark.
• Incremental Deliverables: These five phases can apply not only to the project as a whole, but to individual portions of the project. Because most businesses cannot wait for many months or years for a project to be complete, MSF also provides guidelines for delivering the most important features of a solution first, and then adding and refining features once the core functionality is deployed. When we break a large project down into smaller increments, your business can benefit immediately from the solution, and can provide more meaningful feedback and guidance for the rest of the project.
• Risk Management: Every Information Services project is in danger from factors such as poor communication, changing regulations and ill-defined expectations. By bringing these risks to the front of each project and addressing them proactively, Integral Thought & Memory helps eliminate the possibility of last-minute surprises at the end of the project.

To learn more about Microsoft Solutions Framework, visit the MSF web site at www.microsoft.com/msf .