COTS selection and adoption in a small business environment: How do you downsize the process?

Abstract

This presentation describes the experiences of the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) under the auspices of the Technology Insertion Demonstration and Evaluation (TIDE) program in collaborating with two small businesses as they selected, inserted, and evaluated an Integrated Manufacturing Execution System (IMES). IMES is the manufacturing sector's enterprise wide business management software suite, integrating business quotation to execution, billing, and financial reconciliation. The comprehensive nature of the application makes it critical to the ongoing operation of the business and touches virtually every aspect of the enterprise. This presentation summarizes the approach and lessons learned as the SEI ‘right-sized’ large-enterprise COTS processes to better suit the dynamics of these small enterprises.