Transcript

Table of Contents
| Top of page |
| Learning Objectives |
| 1. ASAP overview |
| 2. High-level business requirements |
| 3. Project charter |
| 4. Project organization |
| 5. Project procedures and standards |
| Summary

The Project Preparation Phase

Learning Objectives
After completing this topic, you should be able to

identify the activities that must be performed to complete the project preparation phase

recognize the nature and structure of information documented during the project
preparation phase

1. ASAP overview
AcceleratedSAP (ASAP) is a complete solution provided by SAP that helps businesses to
quickly and efficiently implement the SAP system.
ASAP is based on SAP's wide usage with implementation projects, and it consists of a proven
SAP implementation methodology called the ASAP roadmap.
According to the ASAP roadmap, a typical SAP R/3 implementation project can be divided into
five important phases.

Project preparation

During the project preparation phase, the project scope, goals, schedules, and plans
are laid out. The project team is also organized during this phase, and the procedures
and standards it needs to follow are documented.

Business blueprint

During the business blueprint phase, the project team conducts a series of interviews
and workshops to create a business blueprint that documents the requirements of the
business. The blueprint also documents how the business's processes and
organizational structure need to be represented in the SAP system.

Realization

During the realization phase, the business and process requirements, as documented
in the business blueprint, are configured in SAP. The integration testing and end-user
documentation are also initiated in this phase.

Final preparation

During the final preparation phase, the project team checks the readiness of the SAP
system to go live in the business. The phase involves final testing, end-user training,
system management activities, and resolution of open issues.

Go live and support

During the go live and support phase, the configured SAP system is moved from the
preproduction environment to the live system. In this phase, the project team resolves
any issues that the end users report and monitors the SAP system for possible
optimization.

You need to use specialized tools to perform the activities in an SAP implementation project.
Here are two such tools provided by SAP:

Implementation Guide (IMG) and

SAP Solution Manager

The IMG helps you implement SAP R/3 according to the needs of your business.
The IMG contains documentation that guides you through various implementation procedures,
such as system configuration. The IMG also allows you to define and manage SAP
implementation projects.

Note
The IMG comes with the SAP R/3 system and does not need to be installed separately.

The SAP Solution Manager is a comprehensive service portal that lets you implement, manage,
and optimize SAP solutions.
The SAP Solution Manager also provides you with the documentation to assist in SAP
implementation and the capability to create and manage implementation projects.

Note
The SAP Solution Manager is not shipped with SAP R/3.

ASAP roadmap or implementation methodology has undergone some significant

enhancements. The enhancements include the integration of Solution Manager, a new fourphase structure, and the evolution of the ASAP methodology that is now covered under the SAP
maintenance license. The new version of SAP also uses the NetWeaver platform and WebAS,
which includes support for the Java stack.

Supplement
Selecting the link title opens the resource in a new browser window.

Job Aid

Access the job aid ASAP Roadmap Enhancements to learn more about these
changes.

Question
Match the ASAP roadmap phases to their associated tasks.
Options:
A. Business blueprint
B. Realization
C. Go live and support
D. Project preparation
E. Final preparation

Targets:
1. Conducting workshops to document business requirements
2. Configuring SAP R/3 according to business requirements
3. Moving the configured SAP R/3 to the live system
4. Defining the project plan
5. Testing the configured SAP R/3

Answer
In the business blueprint phase, the project team conducts a series of interviews and
workshops to document the business requirements.
In the realization phase, the business and process requirements are configured in
SAP R/3.
In the go live and support phase, the SAP R/3 implementation moves from the
preproduction environment to the live system.
In the project preparation phase, the project scope, goals, schedules, and plans are
defined. The project team is also organized during this phase.
The final preparation phase involves final testing, end-user training, system
management activities, and the resolution of open issues.
Correct answer(s):
Target 1 = Option A
Target 2 = Option B
Target 3 = Option C
Target 4 = Option D
Target 5 = Option E

Question
You are a part of a team implementing SAP R/3 in a company. The project
preparation phase is currently on, and the project charter has been defined. What
are the remaining critical activities that you need to perform in the project preparation
phase?
Options:
1. Defining high-level business requirements
2. Defining project implementation standards and procedures
3. Defining the project scope
4. Identifying the project team organization

Answer
Option 1: Incorrect. Defining the project charter includes defining high-level
business requirements.
Option 2: Correct. Once the project charter has been defined, the project
implementation standards and procedures can be defined.
Option 3: Incorrect. Defining the project scope is one of the first steps in the project
preparation phase and takes place before defining the project charter.
Option 4: Correct. Once the project charter has been defined, the project team
organization can be identified.
Correct answer(s):
2. Defining project implementation standards and procedures
4. Identifying the project team organization

2. High-level business requirements

As suggested by the ASAP roadmap, project preparation is the first phase of a typical SAP
implementation project.

Here are the critical activities that happen in the project preparation phase:

defining the high-level business requirements

defining the project charter

identifying the project team organization, and

defining the project implementation standards and procedures

The first key activity in the project preparation phase is defining the requirements of the
company where SAP R/3 is being implemented.
Defining the requirements of a company requires you to study its existing processes and
management practices. The requirements that are critical from the SAP implementation
perspective are summarized in the high-level business requirements document.
Here are the components of a typical high-level business requirements document:

business drivers

The business drivers are the objectives for which the company is implementing SAP
R/3. For example, a company can implement SAP R/3 to increase its efficiency in
accessing and analyzing business data.

high-level business processes, and

The high-level business processes are the internal processes currently functioning in
the company. For example, these include manufacturing and distribution.

supporting business organization

The supporting business organization is the existing business structure in the

company that is required to carry out its business processes. For example, the
supporting business organization can include the departments in the company.

The high-level business requirements help the implementation team set the goals for the
implementation project and identify the processes and organizational structure that need to be
configured in SAP R/3.

Question
Which component of the high-level business requirements document provides
information about the business structure required to carry out the processes in a
company?
Options:
1. Business drivers
2. High-level business processes
3. Supporting business organization

Answer
Option 1: Incorrect. The business drivers are the objectives a company wants to
meet by implementing SAP R/3.
Option 2: Incorrect. The high-level business processes are the internal processes
currently functioning in a company.
Option 3: Correct. The supporting business organization is the component of the
existing business structure required to carry out the business processes. For
example, the supporting business organization can reflect how the departments in a
company are organized.
Correct answer(s):
3. Supporting business organization

3. Project charter
After the business requirements for an SAP implementation project are clarified, the project
charter can be defined.
The project charter defines the goals, scope, and plans for the SAP implementation project.

Here are the components of a typical charter document:

mission statement

The mission statement is a brief summary of the purpose and goals of the project. A
mission statement should identify the customer, state the expectations of the
customer, and outline the project team's plan to meet these expectations.

project scope

The project scope defines exactly what the project will produce. It lists the SAP
functions and solutions that would be implemented; the geographical and
organizational scope of the implementation; the extent of additional development; and
the extent of integration with legacy systems and third-party software.

critical success factors

The critical success factors are the most important project-related assumptions and
expectations held by the customer, the end users, and the project team.

high-level project plan, and

The high-level project plan details the criteria for controlling and executing the project.
It clearly defines the project deliverables, work plan, and budget.

detailed project plan

The detailed project plan details the tasks in the project, the team members
performing the tasks, and the time available for the tasks. It also defines the staffing
requirements, management responsibility, and resource allocation plans for the
project.

The information in the project charter is critical for managing and completing the project.
Therefore, the creation of the project charter requires a joint effort from all the major
stakeholders in the project.

Question
Match the project charter components with the information they document.
Options:
A. Critical success factors
B. High-level project plan
C. Mission statement
D. Project scope
E. Detailed project plan
Targets:
1. Project-related assumptions and expectations of the customer
2. Details of project deliverables, work plan, and budget
3. Brief summary of the goals of the project
4. Defines exactly what the project will produce
5. Details the project tasks, responsible team members, and time available for
tasks

Answer
The critical success factors document the project-related assumptions and
expectations of the customer, the end users, and the project team.
The high-level project plan documents the criteria for controlling and executing the
project, such as the project deliverables, work plan, and budget.

The mission statement is a brief summary of the purpose and goals of the project.
The project scope lists the SAP functions and solutions that would be implemented,
the geographical and organizational scope of the implementation, the extent of
additional development, and the extent of integration with legacy systems and thirdparty software.
The detailed project plan defines project tasks, responsible team members, and time
available for tasks. It also defines staffing requirements, management responsibility,
and project resource allocation plans.
Correct answer(s):
Target 1 = Option A
Target 2 = Option B
Target 3 = Option C
Target 4 = Option D
Target 5 = Option E

4. Project organization
After the project plans are laid out, the organization of the project team needs to be defined. To
do this, you need to structure the project team according to roles and responsibilities.
The kind of roles required for the project team depends on the scope, complexity, and budget of
the project. A typical SAP implementation project has a variety of roles ranging from managers
and SAP consultants to developers.
Here are some of the important roles required in an SAP implementation project:

project sponsor

The project sponsor is the decision-making authority from the customer side. The
project sponsor is responsible for approving the scope and budget for the project.

project manager

The project manager is responsible for the day-to-day management of the project.
The project manager takes ownership of the project deliverables and coordinates with
the entire project team.

technical project lead

The technical project lead is responsible for the technical deliverables and manages
the overall technical architecture of the SAP system.

ABAP/4 developer

The ABAP/4 developer performs the tasks involved in the design, development, and
testing of conversion programs, interface programs, SAPScript forms, and ABAP/4
custom reports. The ABAP/4 developer is also involved in data mapping.

basis consultant, and

The basis consultant specializes in providing expertise in technical areas such as

operating system administration, client server architecture, relational database
management, and backup and disaster recovery.

functional consultant

The functional consultant provides SAP R/3 expertise, and assists the project team
throughout the project. The functional consultant is a key member of the team
defining the business blueprint, and analyzes the business processes from the
perspective of SAP R/3.

With changes to SAP ERP 6.0, you will need to consider additional roles on your project team,
namely a Java developer and a WebAS expert.

Supplement

Selecting the link title opens the resource in a new browser window.

Job Aid

Access the job aid ASAP Roadmap Enhancements again to learn more about these
roles.
After the project team is organized, basic SAP training should be conducted to familiarize all the
team members with SAP navigation and major SAP integration points.
In addition, the work plan for developing the required end-user training and documentation
needs to be defined at this stage.

Question
Match each role title with the description of its responsibilities.
Options:
A. ABAP/4 developer
B. Basis consultant
C. Project manager
D. Project sponsor
E. Functional consultant
F. Technical project lead
Targets:
1. Performing the tasks involved in data mapping and design
2. Providing expertise in technical areas like operating system administration and
client server architecture
3. Coordinating the project team and owning the deliverables
4. Approving the scope and budget for the project

5. Defining the business blueprint and analyzing the business processes from the
perspective of SAP R/3
6. Responsible for the technical deliverables and the overall technical architecture

Answer
The ABAP/4 developer performs the tasks involved in the design, development, and
testing of conversion programs, interface programs, SAPScript forms, and ABAP/4
custom reports. The ABAP/4 developer is also involved in data mapping.
The basis consultant specializes in providing expertise in technical areas like
operating system administration, client server architecture, and relational database
management.
The project manager is responsible for the day-to-day management of the project.
The project manager takes ownership of the project deliverables and coordinates the
entire project team.
The project sponsor is the decision-making authority from the customer side and
approves the project scope and budget.
The functional consultant provides SAP R/3 expertise, assists the project team
throughout the project, defines the business blueprint, and analyzes the business
processes from the perspective of SAP R/3.
The technical project lead provides structure for the technical aspects of a project
within the SAP system.
Correct answer(s):
Target 1 = Option A
Target 2 = Option B
Target 3 = Option C
Target 4 = Option D
Target 5 = Option E

Target 6 = Option F

5. Project procedures and standards

The standards and procedures for an SAP implementation project should be documented at its
onset. These can be of two types: project management standards and procedures, and
implementation standards and procedures.
The project team refers to these standards and procedures at various stages in the project.
The project management standards and procedures provide clear guidelines for consistently
and efficiently managing the SAP implementation project.
These are some of the important documents that define the project management standards and
procedures:

scope management plan

The scope management plan defines the process for managing the project scope.
For example, a scope management plan can define the approval process and the
documentation process for making a change in the project scope.

communication plan

The communication plan defines the guidelines and strategies for project-related
communication. For example, a communication plan can identify the project
stakeholders and list the channels they should use for communication.

quality standards

The quality standards define the standards and processes for ensuring the quality of
the project at various phases of implementation.

The implementation standards and procedures are defined to provide clear guidelines to the
project team for carrying out various SAP implementation activities, such as system
configuration.

Here are some of the important implementation standards and procedures:

system configuration standards

The system configuration standards provide the guidelines for making updates or
changes to the SAP system configuration.

system authorization standards, and

The system authorization standards define the policies for creating user accounts for
project team members in the SAP system and providing them with authorizations for
performing activities in the system.

testing strategies

The testing strategies define the strategies for testing the SAP R/3 system at all the
stages of the project. For example, the testing strategies for a project can include the
strategies for baseline testing and integration testing.

Question
Which of these are related to the definition of the project management standards and
procedures?
Options:
1. System configuration standards
2. System authorization standards
3. Scope management plan
4. Communication plan
5. Quality standards
6. Testing strategies

Answer
Option 1: Incorrect. System configurations standards are important implementation
standards and procedures because they provide guidelines for updating or changing
the SAP system configuration. They are not related to the definition of project
management standards and procedures.
Option 2: Incorrect. System authorization standards are important implementation
standards and procedures because they define the policies for creating user
accounts in the SAP system and for providing them with authorizations to perform
activities in the system. They are not related to the definition of project management
standards and procedures.
Option 3: Correct. The scope management plan is one of the documents that define
the project management standards and procedures. It defines the process for
managing the project scope.
Option 4: Correct. The communication plan is one of the documents that define the
project management standards and procedures. It defines the guidelines and
strategies for project-related communication.
Option 5: Correct. Quality standards define the standards and processes for
ensuring the quality of the project at various phases of implementation.
Option 6: Incorrect. Testing strategies are important implementation standards and
procedures because they define how the SAP R/3 system is tested at all the stages
of the project. They are not related to the definition of project management standards
and procedures.
Correct answer(s):
3. Scope management plan
4. Communication plan
5. Quality standards

Summary
The ASAP roadmap helps businesses to quickly and efficiently implement the SAP R/3 system.
This roadmap divides an SAP implementation project into five stages.

Project preparation is the first phase of SAP implementation. The first key step in this phase is
defining the requirements of the company where SAP R/3 is being implemented.
After the business requirements are defined, the project charter is created. The project charter
defines the goals, scope, and plans for the SAP implementation project.
Based on the project scope and plans, the organization of roles in the project team is decided.
The standards and procedures that the project team needs to follow are also defined in the
project preparation phase.