Evaluation of Requirements

If the first two phases have been successfully completed, it is now time to roll up your sleeves and make some hard decisions. In this phase you select the tools needed, build a development team if necessary, reassess the algorithm, and communicate the process to the client.

Since this is a book about developing in the Access environment, we’ll assume that it is the tool of choice. Access is easy to use and can be adapted to a large number of situations. However, in many instances (especially with a website or growing company), eventually the project may need to migrate to an enterprise-level database environment such as Microsoft’s SQL Server, DB2, or Oracle Corporation’s Oracle.

Fortunately, Access can easily migrate to SQL Server. This became especially true with the features introduced in Access 2000. As a matter of fact, the environments are so similar that many SQL Server developers do initial modeling in Access. The difference lies in SQL Server’s ability to handle a larger number of tasks at the same time. In an environment such as an Amazon.com, Access would not be able to provide the necessary resources.

In many cases, a team will be needed to do the development. Each member of the team should have his or her responsibilities carefully defined on paper in order to avoid confusion. Also, care should be taken to ensure that there is no redundancy in tasks while other important jobs are left undone.

During this evaluation phase, the first two phases may need to be reexamined. Unexpected scenarios and problems may arise that will require reassessment of the time and resources needed, for example. I have even seen situations, although rarely, where the project had to be abandoned as completely undoable. It is better that any issues are addressed early on, rather than unnecessarily expending further resources. In many cases, only certain aspects of the project may need to be changed or abandoned.

Frank and realistic discussions throughout the process will bring about a solution that will be satisfactory to all involved. Schedules can be adjusted, additional money budgeted, and additional people can sometimes be utilized if needed. Again, I cannot emphasis this enough:

Document everything, and make sure the client knows all the details.

Tell the client what tools you have chosen and why. Make sure the client knows why each member of the team was hired and what, precisely, they will be doing. Let all the parties involved know what, if anything, needs to be changed and why. Finally, if no changes are necessary, let the client know that all is going well and how you are meeting the time and budgetary requirements.

You have now defined the problem, studied the steps, selected the tools and, if necessary, the team. You are ready to start doing the work.