How Elkera Works

Elkera helps small and medium enterprises to analyse their business processes, develop a business case, elicit and define requirements, and manage solution procurement for new software projects.

Elkera is completely independent and has no conflicting relationships with any solution providers. We never promote products or vendors. Clients always receive completely independent, objective advice.

Each project is different. No one can estimate up-front the work required to complete all planning tasks for a software project. Elkera understands that you want certainty about cost and time to carry out the work.

To address that problem, Elkera follows an agile approach to all its projects. Elkera plans the project in stages to minimise risk to both parties and to complete the work in the most efficient way.

At each stage uses the information that is then known to produce materials that will enable reliable estimation of the work for the next stage and assess the benefits so far. If the benefits of proceeding are clear, take the next step. If not, terminate the project or adjust course.

Elkera’s process for medium to large projects is described in the diagram:

Elkera’s process for medium to large projects is described in the diagram below

Elkera’s software planning process, with Introduction and 4 main stages, each describing purpose, duration and deliverables.

Elkera uses an agile Scrum way of working on each stage of its projects. The work defined for each stage is set out in a backlog of tasks. Selected backlog tasks are completed and delivered in fixed increments of 1-2 weeks, depending on project scale. Unless the project is very short, clients never wait for a big body of new work at the end of a project stage.

Elkera adopts a minimalist approach to documentation. Each project has its own documentation requirements.

We produce only the documentation that is really necessary to achieve the project objectives.

How Elkera’s Consultants Understand Client Needs

The key elements in understanding client needs are:

– Experience and skills, particularly relating to business and communication; and

– Analytical process.

Elkera’s consultants have the experience and skills to efficiently understand a client’s business context and to engage with SMEs and other stakeholders to dig down to fully understand how the business works, its problems and its opportunities.

Elkera’s consultants will listen, question and always try to place themselves in the other person’s shoes. These qualities are essential to understanding the client’s real needs.

Elkera adopts a rigorous analytical process that is designed to reveal the details of business processes and stakeholder needs, and to then record that information in a practical and accessible way.

The Benefits of Elkera’s Services

Elkera ensures that you receive value from the first contact. You will gain valuable insights from the very first free consultation. You are never locked into a commitment that does not have a clearly defined and valuable outcome.

With Elkera’s assistance:

  • Identify Improvement

    You will be able to identify improvements to business processes that will reduce costs and improve customer service. Improving business process may be the quickest and lowest cost changes, often not requiring any new software.

  • Understand Business Needs

    You will be able to clearly understand your real business needs for new software systems and the expected benefits that the system should deliver.

  • Written Specification

    You will have a written specification for a new system that will:

    • Seek solution proposals from the widest range of potential suppliers.
    • Enable prospective solution providers to understand what you need.
    • Enable you to reliably assesses and filter solution offers.
    • Enable you to assess if the expected benefits are actually delivered.

  • Change Management Plan

    You will have a clear change management plan covering personnel motivation, deployment, training and ongoing support.

  • Avoid Wasting Money

    You will avoid wasting money on system features that do not deliver business value.

  • Return on Investment

    You will maximise your return on investment.

  • Satisfied System Users

    You will have more satisfied system users.