Rational Unified Process or RUP is a software development process from IBM that supports a wide range of project types, ranging from custom business applications, to commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) product implementations, to civil and military government applications, and many others. Organizations implement a customized version of RUP for either one of two purposes, to execute a single software development project or to establish RUP as the standard software development process within the organization. RUP is based on the Unified Process. OpenUP is another process from the Eclipse organization that is based on the Unified Process. We offer services for implementation of RUP or OpenUP, within a single project or within an organization.

Benefits
The major benefits of choosing RUP or OpenUP are:

• Mitigate Risks Early and Often
• Show Results Early and Often

When the processes are implemented at the level of a single project or within an organization, the organization builds operational excellence which ensues out of cultural and operational advantages including achieving a common language amongst the business and developer community, achieving a repeatable and predictable process, and instituting a scalable framework derived out of standard process products available in the market.

Approach
Our approach to Software Development Process Implementation is based on our collaborative work experience with other implementers, our customers, our contributions to RUP, and our involvement in building OpenUP. The key steps are:

• Understand your project, team culture and organization.
• Identify the best practices where process implementation will provide highest returns.
• Customize the process appropriately. Make it visible and accessible including all of its guidance, templates, and tools etc.
• Train and mentor the team in relevant areas through hands-on coaching.
• Throughout, catalyze the cultural shift towards the new process.
• Make sure that the knowledge is transferred to your staff.

Engagement Model
We will work with you to determine how we could engage with your organization in the best interest of your initiative. Typical engagement models are:

• Turnkey Contract - You assign us full responsibility for the engagement for a fixed fee. We bring in a team of experts who work with you and implement the process.
• Time and Material Contract - You contract our experts on an hourly basis who work with you and implement the process. The experts either assume only mentoring responsibility and work with your delivery personnel, or additionally assume delivery responsibility.

Our Tools Division will be pleased to offer you the services for selection, installation, and implementation of appropriate supporting tools. Our Training Division will be pleased to offer you the services for identification, customization, and delivery of appropriate staff training.