Quality Built In into Projects

SAP Activate Methodology - Quality Gate Checklist

Speaker’s Name, SAP
Month 00, 2021

PUBLIC
Agenda

• Overview

• Project Quality Gate Process

• Project Quality Gate Details

• Project Quality Gate Checklist

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What Will Change?

The new SAP Activate Methodology requires an adjusted generic Project Quality Gate Checklist

• Covers all project types and is generic for all various implementation scenarios and deployment
types
• Four mandatory Quality Gates (Preparation, Explore, Realize, Deploy)
• Checklist items are identical for all Quality Gates
• Additional checklist items/deliverables need to be added by the different project types along the
implementation lifecycle

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SAP Activate Methodology
Key Characteristics of the Implementation Approach

CLOUD READY
START WITH BEST PRACTICES
Leverage the flexibility and speed
Use ready-to run business processes
of the cloud

VALIDATE SOLUTION PREMIUM ENGAGEMENT READY

Validate to best practices with fit-gap Build and Run fully supported
workshops, capture delta via SAP control centers

MODULAR, SCALABLE AND AGILE QUALITY BUILT-IN

Structure project to deliver the solution Identify risk early with total quality
incrementally approach

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SAP Activate Methodology
One harmonized implementation including Project Quality Gates

• Hold workshops to validate business scenarios (n/a

• Value Management: confirm business drivers, goals, & for Cloud)
success metrics • Document delta requirements and gaps (n/a for
• Confirm project scope & schedule Cloud)
• Establish project team • Document requirements for solution extensions
• Initiate DEV/TST system landscape • Prepare for integration
(n/a for Cloud) • Hold design workshops, if applicable
• Set-up governance and standards • Complete level 1 project team enablement
• Prepare and conduct kickoff • Execute Quality Gate Explore
• Execute Quality Gate Prepare
SAP ACTIVATE • Configure solution (iterative)
• Go-live Build
Build Smart,
Smart, Run
Run Simple
Simple • Execute unit testing (iterative)
• Execute handover to support / operations
• Perform solution walkthrough with users (iterative)
• Closeout project
• Set-up DEV/TST integration
• Use post go-live support
• Develop solution extensions
• Complete level 2 project team enablement
• Execute technical & load testing , if applicable
• Execute cutover to PROD
• Prepare for solution adoption
• Execute Quality Gate Deploy
• Plan cutover • Deploy solution extensions to PROD
• Initiate PROD environment • Setup Value Monitoring framework (n/a for Cloud)
• Set-up PROD integration • Execute Quality Gate Realize

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Quality Built In
SAP Activate Project Quality Gates

SAP places quality at the center of projects that we deliver for our customers.

A Quality Gate provides oversight and early visibility into potential risks and issues. It has
a profound impact on reducing project risk and driving Customer Value.

Project Quality Gate Process supports:

• The Project Quality Gate process is a formal way of specifying and recording the transition
between critical stages in the project lifecycle.
• Each Project Quality Gate verifies that acceptance is met for the deliverables required and
actions to be completed for the associated critical stage.
• The Project Quality Gate Plan is defined in the Project Management Plan.

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Project Quality Gates
Value Proposition

Objectives: Benefits:
• Assure quality at the milestones of the • Enhance project quality
project
• Minimize project risk exposure
• Assure that all key deliverables and actions
have been completed in compliance with • Manage expectations and monitor
best practices customer satisfaction

• Avoid customer dissatisfaction • Improve transparency of the project

• Enable project managers to continuously • Reduce cycle time - get it done right the
communicate and build quality into the first time
project

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Why Project Quality Gates?
Ask yourself!

• Are we following the SAP Activate methodology to provide a guided project approach?
• Are provided tools and methods used in order to avoid unnecessary expenditure of
redevelopment of such things?
• Have we taken into consideration what happens if the customer relationship is no longer
positive?
• Can the project, without serious disturbance, continue if key people are no longer unexpectedly
available?
• Do we have an organizational and operational structure, which allows us to identify risks and
disturbances in the project at an early stage and confront them?

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A Project Quality Gate…

is … proves whether we are able checks the conformity and

• a formal way to check that the key deliverables to… reasonability according to…
of a project apply to global and local
• Be on track. • Defined methodology
standards.
• Complete our deliverables according to plan. • Legal requirements
• a structured and easy to use approach to have
an insight look in a project at any time • Fit for purpose. • Project contract
• another opportunity for the Project Manager to • Get the Partner/Customer agreement. • Project specifics
discuss serious project matters with the
Delivery Manager & Quality Manager lead • Systematically manage the risks.
• an assessment that reduces the risks of a • Start the next phase without delay.
project by making sure that SAP standard
methods and tools are used to the best effect
• another opportunity for the Delivery Manager
to check the capability of the Project Manager
to bring the project to a success
• an important step forwards to continuously
improve our projects in the field and increase
our PM maturity

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A Project Quality Gate …

is not…
• A guarantee that the project will carry out no more risks and will never escalate.
• A comprehensive project management review that prioritizes and reports all project risks and
recommendations in a balanced way.
• A detailed content review of all key deliverables of the project.
• A complete view on the project, because the customer is not involved in these sessions (as of now).

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Agenda

• Overview

• Project Quality Gate Process

• Project Quality Gate Details

• Project Quality Gate Checklist

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Four Mandatory Project Quality Gates
Along SAP Activate Project Phases

Prepare Explore Realize Deploy Run

Discover
Go Live Support

preview review preview review preview review preview review

Recommended / NEW
Realize Mandatory
Prepare Explore Final Prep.
Q-Gate Q-Gate Q-Gate Q-Gate Optional / NEW

A minimum of four Quality Gates will be mandated to perform for SAP implementation projects
• Within complex projects or projects with open risks that are critical, additional Q-Gates may be executed
• Within agile projects G-Gate reviews for each release / sprint may be sufficient

Preview at begin of Preparation Phase recommended

• Quality Gates carried out at an early time can influence the phase and project results positively
• Coach and advise PM on upcoming project phase (PM standards, deliverables, customer duties, etc.)

Review
• Check that necessary standards and project approach have been established

Review of Phase can be combined with preview of upcoming phase

No additional effort expected – time split between preview and review
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Agenda

• Overview

• Project Quality Gate Process

• Project Quality Gate Details

• Project Quality Gate Checklist

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Project Quality Gates (Q-Gate)
Process
Project Quality Gates
Executed at end of each Project Phase , it is a formal way of specifying
and recording the transition between critical stages in the project lifecycle
 Evaluate quality of each deliverable in the phase based on questionnaire and actual
deliverable
Scope  Formal approval of the Quality Gate
 Focus on Project Management + limited coverage of Functional/Technical topics

 Prior to the end of each stage in the project lifecycle, before moving into the next
Delivery events phase

Review efforts  Preparation – 0,5 Hours

 Assessment Meeting– 1-3 Hours

Result
 Pass/No Pass Status (based on Approval from QA Manager and Delivery/ Demand
Manager)

Follow-Up
 QA manager dispatch all follow-up activities and ensure that they have been
executed

QA Manager (Role) Mandatory - Moderator

R QA Subject Matter Expert Optional (On demand) - Questioner
O Project Manager Mandatory - Presenter
L
E SME (Project team) Optional (On demand) - Supporter
S Delivery Manager Mandatory - Approver
Other Optional Participants Optional
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Project Quality Gate Review Meeting
Agenda Template/Guideline
Estimated Time Topic Responsible

15 Min 1 Kick-off Project Manager

1 -3 hours 2 Assessment
 Presentation of status of project Project Manager
 Review of status of stage deliverables Quality Mgr, Proj. Mgr
 Maintenance of scorecard ratings Quality Mgr.
 Identification of action items and satisfaction Quality Mgr., Proj. Mgr.

15 Min 3 Other Project Matters Discussion all

4 Sign-off checklist, summary of action item Quality Mgr., Proj. Mgr.

15 Min
Meeting close
Additional attendees:
Delivery Manager, Customer Project Manager, other experts…
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Project Quality Gate in Detail
Preparation

Q-Gate preparation
• Call or short meeting to plan the assessment
• Present: QM/DM/PM, others on invitation by PM/QM

PM prepares the checklist for the appropriate Q-Gate by indicating the deliverables of the project:
• Project Management key deliverables
• Key deliverables
• Other deliverables added on demand

Deliverables should be provided to the QM team one week in advance of the Q-Gate assessment
meeting.
PM prepares to present overall project status and status of each indicated deliverable.
QM studies the provided documentation.

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Project Quality Gate in Detail
Assessment (Q-Gate Meeting)

Q-Gate assessment meeting

• PM presents summary of overall project status
• PM presents all the defined deliveries according to the Q-Gate checklist in the Q-Gate Excel checklist
• The quality of each deliverable has to be evaluated and the result has to be recorded.

Assess the need for further project support

• PM has the opportunity to request for support on specific project matters.

Sign-Off Quality Gate

• Set the overall Q-Gate status

Yellow and Red acceptance scores should be actioned. The action, the due date as well as the action
owner are recorded.
By the end of the session the minutes and action items are revisited, including the needs for
additional project support and final sign-off decision of the Quality Gate
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Project Quality Gate in Detail
Example on Evaluating Individual Deliverables

The Project Manager has to demonstrate to the Q-Gate team the sufficient quality of each individual applicable deliverable in Q-Gate
Checklist (or Excel Scorecard). With regard to his / her project scope. However a full deep content review is not possible due to time
constraints. This is also not in the scope of a Quality Gate.

How can you check the quality anyhow?

Acceptance Criteria:
• Deliverable is physically available (printed-off or shown on screen)
and in the right format/using an appropriate template
Example: final version of Solution Validation is shown on screen
• Deliverable has followed the appropriate sign-off procedure
Example: Solution Validation has been physically signed off by Customer and Project Manager or
e-mail is shown where Customer and PM approved the document.
• Deliverable is actively used for the purpose it’s meant for
Example: will the Solution Validation be used to accept the configured solution at the acceptance test? Example: how will the project deal
with change requests to the solution validation?
• Stated acceptance criteria have been met

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Project Quality Gate in Detail
Example on Evaluating Individual Deliverables

• Content as defined in Standard procedure could be shown

• Usage of standard templates or similar customer provided documents
• Planning documents are reviewed, taken out and up to date
Accepted
• Tools are used as defined (standard or customer provided standard)
• Document is used for the purpose its meant for (example: risk log and appropriate risk
management process is in place)
• Most of the expected content as defined in Standard procedure could be shown
• Usage of not standardized templates, divided up in several documents
Conditionally Accepted • No defined storage for that type of documents
• Planning documents are not reviewed, taken out or up to date
• Not standardized tools, partly usage of standard tools
• Document not available or could not been shown within a reasonable time (10 Minutes)
Not Accepted
• Expected content in several mails available
• Topic is out of scope (contract)
Not relevant • Topic is out of scope (entire project)
• Topic is not relevant for that type of project

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Project Quality Gate in Detail
Management Summary

Summarize the Q-Gate Assessment

QM creates a management summary based on the minutes which contains:

• Q-Gate execution date
• Final Q-Gate Status (Accepted, Conditionally Accepted, Not Accepted)
• Participants
• Major Findings
• Agreed action items
• Date of the next Q-Gate or Review

The Q-Gate summary is to be provided to the agreed recipients/ stakeholder.

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Project Quality Gate in Detail
Criteria for Overall Q-Gate Status

Accepted: Indicates that the project quality gate is passed.

Conditionally Accepted: There are some action items in place in order to complete or
improve certain deliverables. No direct risk for project success.

Not Accepted: Indicates that this quality gate is not passed. There are serious action
items in place. Direct risk for project success is given.

Overall status cannot set to a better level as the single checklist item status of:

 Risk Management
 WBS (deliverables list, resources, scope)
 Project Management Plan
 Budget Management
 Time Management (schedule)

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Agenda

• Overview

• Project Quality Gate Process

• Project Quality Gate Details

• Project Quality Gate Checklist

© 2021 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. ǀ PUBLIC 22

What Have We Done? …
Approach/Findings

• More generic checklist items

• Adjusted to the SAP Activate work streams
• Require a project type related skill of the Project Quality Gate reviewer

Easier to understand, maintain and analyze

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SAP Activate – Quality Gate Checklist
Workstreams/Topics/Questions

Question 1
Workstream Deliverable 1 Question 2
Supporting Questions covering
individual project types
Setup

Question n
Workstream as
individual Deliverable 2
Topics as checklist. On this level status to be assigned.
knowledge area Deliverable 3

Project
Are all roles in the project defined?
Roles and responsibilities Is a description of participated Roles and their Responsibilities available (RACI)?

Management Has the process workshop been prepared by the product owner and the team?

Steering Committee
Sample

Customer duties to collaborate

…..

……

……..

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SAP Activate – Quality Gate Checklist for General, S/4HANA and BW/4HANA
Roadmaps Final Q-Gate Status, Date, Summary
How to understand the current Excel Matrix

WORKSTREAM

WORK STREAM
description Acceptance Criteria on Deliverable

Q-Gate specific QUESTIONS

DELIVERABLES

Sample templates for deliverables

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SAP Activate – Quality Gate Checklist for SAP S/4HANA Cloud
How to understand the current Excel Matrix
Final Q-Gate Status, Date, Summary

Phase
Acceptance Criteria on Deliverable

Linked templates for deliverables

S/4HANA specific QUESTIONS

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Thank you.
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