Types of Integration (problems)

Integration can mean a lot of different things. But for our know-how we will stick to the scenarios below (for now).

 

Projects can be of many flavors; I have come across a few like the ones described below, let us dwell on the details of the advantages and Risks involved in each of these scenarios separately.

 

Project Management Related

 

Multi – location Development

 

The Multiple modules that form part of the Product may be developed by team members who are working from different geographical locations.

The main challenges faced are related to Time differences and Cultural differences. Good Clarity on expectations of Quality of the deliverables from each of the teams, having realistic timelines considering the local culture and calendar are key to satisfaction here

 

Procurement of Components

 

The Project may involve using a third party component as part of your product or service, You will usually base this decision on the fact that it is cheaper to buy then build it yourself, or you do not have either the competency or the time required to build.

The main challenges here are related to licensing the product, rights to re-distribute, future support availability, maximizing the utilization, in lieu of the price paid. Etc. There are cases where the vendor is asked to make a few changes or customize the components to your needs.  The Key here is to ensure that the vendor will continue to exist in the future, will be capable of providing timely support, and the procured components meet your quality expectations.

 

Joint Development

 

Two or more organizations may want to leverage each others strengths to capitalize on a market opportunity that requires them to work together to create a solution. This is the most tedious for the PM to manage, This includes the challenges in the above two scenarios, and also the added responsibility of qualifying each of the Individuals deliverables and the solution as a whole. Other bottlenecks may include revenue sharing, and agreements on providing technical support to customers. If not handled proactively, problems arising at installed locations can be tossed around as not my problem, or it’s on his side of the fence.

 

 

Technical Issues      

 

Data Mapping

 

When sharing information between two products, The data representation and Semantics of one product will not be the same as the other product. Identifying these dis-similarities and resolving them in mutually acceptable terms is always going to be a pain. A lot of Integration related problems arise from this mis-match if not captured during Requirements and Design stages.

 

Module or Component Interfaces

 

When the parts of a solution are developed separately, either in-house or procured, as and when these parts need to gel or work with each other. Interface mis-match issues crop-up resulting in a lot of re-work and schedule slippage to get the pieces to work in unison. Clarity in communicating the problems to the concerned teams, and getting it resolved will take multiple interactions. Geographically dispersed teams and working with teams outside the organization can further strain to the developers

 

 

This is not an exhaustive list of categories; just a few that I have come across in the last couple of years.  I will explain further details of problems and solutions related to working with external organizations and joint development in a separate article.