A Little FAT is Good for You!
It’s the first day of site commission, and you’re nervous. The new system will work…really. You’re sure of it, aren’t you? After all that time and money, you’d bet your life on it, wouldn’t you? Well…wouldn’t you? Maybe if you had required a Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) plan at the beginning of the project you would. That’s the best way to get from might work to will work.
Avanceon requires (unless an act of Congress overrules) that your project always includes a FAT, and that the FAT protocol is created prior to the bulk of the software development. By focusing on the FAT document from the start of development, the entire FAT process becomes much more useful. A careful analysis of the creation process can reveal flaws or ambiguities in the design specification. Catching these discrepancies early when the change impact is low, will lead to greater project efficiency. And remember that as thorough as we are in our planning, you’re always going to be the best judge of the new system when you see it in simulated action. Your input is critical for designing the tests.
Creating and reviewing the test steps used to test failure conditions is also an important risk mitigation technique. Placing emphasis on this step early ensures that the software is being developed with both safety and functionality in mind.
The commissioning phase can be tricky and riddled with unforeseen obstacles. But if you eliminate potential issues with a properly executed FAT plan at the start, you’ll have the best chance of success at go-live.
To find out more about Avanceon’s Project Management services, click here. And make sure to add a little FAT to your project planning: the only weight it’ll add is an ounce of prevention. You know what that’s worth.