Oracle AIM and ABF Methodology

Traditional AIM methodology is known as Ask and Do as it is requirements driven and solution is derived based on the requirements during the project. It is more or less based on the traditional Waterfall Approach, prescribes a way to do the fit gap analysis and assists you to define customizations where standard Oracle functionality does not meet the business requirements. The approach is taken on a modular basis.

AIM For Business Flows (ABF) also called as Show and Tell is solution driven and Solution Flow is defined before the start of project. It is based on iterative approach based where multiple runs of CRPs are done. In the essence it aims at avoiding customizations and prioritizes all changes. There is a strong emphasis on integrated view and focus is on cross module process flows. Some of the advantages of ABF are:

1. ABF is most recommended approach for green-field projects where there are no legacy systems in place and the customer is willing adopt to the standard processes prescribed by the Oracle ERP.
2. More rigor to use the standard business processes defined by Oracle
3. Minimize numbers of Customizations (extensions)
4. Reduced cycle time

 

CRP’s in ABF

 

CRP in terms of ABF is a series of workshops where “Flow Teams” assigned to the implementation project go through the business flows iteratively during the project. The flows in a Flow Family are grouped into logical “Flow Batches” that can be refined and tested in a series of workshops conducted during a given CRP cycle. The Flow Families being implemented are also tested in parallel by separate Flow Teams during the CRP. Composition of a Flow Team will generally include at-least one consultant, Business Process Owner, and some super or key users or SME’s. The main objectives of the CRP are Familiarization, Initial mapping, Refine Mapping, Validate COA, Multi-Org and TCA, Scope Freezing, and Business System Test.

Key Deliverables in ABF 

 

BT.070                         Project Management Framework

BF.015                         Future Process Model

BF.040                         Change Catalog

BF.045                         High Level Solution document

BF.016                         Application Setup Documents

BF.080                         Reporting Requirements Listing

BF.170                         Security Profiles

BF.100                         Phase end review

BF.035                         CRP1 Strategy Plan

TE.065                         CRP2 Strategy Plan

MD.050                        Application Extensions Functional Design

MD.070                        Application Extension Technical Design

TE.040                         System Test Script

DO.070                        User Guide

CV.040                         Conversion Data Mapping

MD.120                        Installation Instructions

TA.030                         Preliminary Conceptual Architecture

TA.150                         System Management Procedures

Oracle has announced retirement dates for AIM and ABF of January 2011 and all of Oracle’s existing methods are being replaced by the Oracle Unified Method (OUM) aligning to their long term strategy post- acquisition of PeopleSoft, Siebel, BEA and other solutions.