OAGi Development Methodology Page is on Website

We have recently put up a webpage on the OAGi website that summarizes our OAGi Development Methodology and I am taking this occasion to re-introduce it to our many members and users.

The Open Applications Group has had a development Methodology since I was hired in 1996.  This was one of the first things I built as the new CTO of OAGi.

As we have been using this for the development of our standards for many years, it has been refined and updated many times in the spirit of continuous improvement.

The purpose of the OAGi Development Methodology is to provide a documented step-by-step, repeatable, and open process for building OAGi open standards.

The OAGi standards development methodology includes four major phases each consisting of multiple activities and deliverables. This is an executive summary of those activities and deliverables. 

Please refer to the full documentation on the OAGi website Full Document.

The methodology is based on a commitment to timely delivery, quality and incorporation of all the available best practices and is subject to change and adjustments as newer and more relevant methods and process become available.

The four major phases of the Methodology consist of:

·         Definition – establish and approve a Working Group

·         Construction – creation of the deliverables

·         Review and Approval – internal approvals and incorporation of public input

·         Publication – packaging, deliver general available release and announce

OAGIS 9.5 Release Candidate 1 is now available for Public Review

I am very pleased to announce that OAGIS 9.5 Release Candidate One is now available for Public Review!

This Public Review will be available through Friday, April 1, 2011.  After that time we will take the Release Candidate off the web site, review all feedback, and make the changes deemed necessary by our member driven quality assurance team.

We expect the final updates and preparations will be completed on or around the end of April and we plan to release the final version of OAGIS Release 9.5 the first week of May, 2011.

This release contains the logistics work from the High Tech Council, the Order to Cash, Procure to Pay work from the Metals Council, the Warranty Claim from the Partner Council, and enhancements to the Production Order to enable it to also serve as a Work Order.

The New Nouns include:

1.    Warranty Claim

2.    Commercial Invoice

3.    Shippers Letter of Instruction

4.    Hazardous Material Shipment Document

5.    Shippers Export Declaration

In addition, we have revised all of the Scenarios and added many new ones to support the new functionality added. 

We would like to say a special thank you to the community for working so hard to help get this release of OAGIS ready to ship.

We are encouraging everyone to download and review this Release Candidate and to give us your feedback. You can learn more and download this Public Review on our website here.

One last thing, please support the work - Give back to the community.  If you are not a member of OAGi, but you use OAGIS, please consider giving back by joining the Open Applications Group. 

You can learn more about membership by writing to us at membership@oagi.org or visit our website and learn our value proposition.  

Updating our Scenarios

We had a terrific meeting yesterday concerning our implementation of Context Processing for OAGIS Release 10.  We are updating the Scenarios with the intention of using them as one of our major context drivers in OAGIS Release 10.  As a result we are adding a good bit more polish and rigor to them.

We are hoping to get them to a point that we can include them in the upcoming OAGIS Release 9.5 before we include them in OAGIS Release 10.