Scenarios

Introduction

Various projects are carried out within an organization. Projects can vary significantly in terms of content and complexity.

HERMES provides various scenarios to satisfy the diversity of projects. A scenario is oriented towards the implementation of projects with a specific characteristic, e.g. for the procurement and integration of a standard IT application, the development of IT infrastructure and the development of a service or product.

The scenario portrays the entire life cycle of a project. As standard, it contains those HERMES method components that are usually of importance for projects with the respective characteristics. Consequently, HERMES is quick and easy to use.

Scenarios consist of modules that group together thematically related tasks and outcomes. Several modules together form a scenario.

HERMES provides a series of standard scenarios. HERMES users can adapt standard scenarios to the needs of their organization and the project at hand, and create further, individual scenarios (see Figure 9).

Figure 9:  Application of standard and user-defined scenarios
Figure 9: Application of standard and user-defined scenarios

The scenario supports the project manager during project planning. He selects the suitable scenario for his project in HERMES online and adapts it to his specific project. He then generates his project structure plan as well as the relevant document templates and the checklist. The project management plan is drawn up based on the project structure plan.

The procedure for planning based on scenarios is described in more detail in section "7 User information".

Scenario overview

Standard scenarios

HERMES offers eight standard scenarios for projects with different characteristics:

  1. Service/product
  2. Customized IT application
  3. Standard IT application
  4. Further development of IT application
  5. IT infrastructure
  6. Organizational adjustment
  7. Service/product (agile)
  8. Customized IT application (agile)

The table shows the modules used in each scenario according to their context.

Individual scenarios

It is possible to adapt an existing scenario or to create your own individual scenario. To do so, there are four basic options that can be used in combination:

  1. Remove modules from an existing scenario:
    Unnecessary modules are removed.
    • Example:
      In a scenario with the procurement module, deactivate the procurement module.
  2. Remove tasks and outcomes:
    The content of a module can be reduced. Outcomes, with the exception of minimum outcomes, and associated tasks can be optionally removed.
  3. Integrate an additional subject-specific module into the existing scenario:
    A separate module with subject-specific content is created and integrated into the scenario.
  4. Add tasks and outcomes:
    The content of a module can be extended. New tasks and outcomes can be created.

These options enable users to simply model additional, individual, project- or organization-specific scenarios.

Section "7.3.9.3 Adapting the method" (page 191), describes the options for adjusting the method in more detail.

Individual scenarios can be officially made available to other HERMES users by being proposed to the eCH association for validation. Further information can be found on the HERMES website.

Scenario descriptions

Explanation regarding the scenario description

Both this reference manual and HERMES online contain a rudimentary scenario description for each scenario regarding its usefulness:

  1. Applicability
    Description of projects with concrete characteristics for which the scenario is suitable

For each of the following two standard scenarios detailed as examples

  1. Service/product and
  2. Customized IT application
  3. there is an extended scenario description structured as follows in addition to the applicability already described above:
  4. Phases and milestones
    Graphical representation of the project phases with all milestones
  5. Modules
    Graphical compilation of all modules along the project phases
  6. Tasks
    Tabular division of tasks according to project phases, with the decision tasks highlighted in pink
  7. Outcomes
    Project flow chart according to project phases with outcomes

Scenario directory

  1. Service/product
  2. Customized IT application
  3. Standard IT application
  4. Further development of IT application
  5. IT infrastructure
  6. Organizational adjustment
  7. Service/product (agile)
  8. Customized IT application (agile)
  9. All modules