Chapter 12 Implementation

1. Chapter 12Implementation

2. Learning outcomes • Produce a plan to minimize the risks involved with the launch phase of an e-business application • Define a process for the effective maintenance of an e-business system • Produce a simple web page with links to other pages • Create a plan to measure the effectiveness of an e-business application.

3. Management issues • What actions can we take to minimize the risks of implementation? • How do we achieve transition from previous systems to a new e-business system? • What techniques are available to measure the success of our implementation?

4. System implementation issues • Acquisition techniques • Site implementation tools • Content management and updating • System changeover • Localization • Evaluation and monitoring.

5. Figure 12.1Sequencing of implementation and maintenance for the dynamice-business application

6. Systems acquisition options • Bespoke development. The e-commerce system is developed from scratch. • Off-the-shelf (packaged). An existing system is purchased from a solution vendor. In the e-business context this approach is often achieved by external hosting via an applications service provider. • Tailored off-the shelf development. The off-the-shelf system is tailored according to an organization’s needs.

7. Activity – see case 12.1 CMS • For purchase: • Wide range of choice • Wide range of features built-in with continuous development of new features • Quicker to deploy in basic form e.g. Diageo implemented 5 portal sites in six weeks • Range of hosting options – internal or third party • Cost lower than external for initial purchase and upgrading as Internet technology changes • Generally scale better for large numbers of users.

8. Activity – see case 12.1 CMS • Against purchase: • May not meet requirements for creation and updating process or display exactly • Initial and ongoing costs. However modification of a open source CMS such as Zope (www.zope.org) may give the best balance between cost and flexibility. Such systems have been used by large organizations such as NATO.

9. Figure 12.2An example online customer service form

10. Figure 12.3Possible web page layout options

11. Figure 12.5Using scripting to produce dynamic web content for form processing

12. Testing

13. Figure 12.6A content update review process

14. Changeover options

15. Figure 12.7Typical structures of an e-commerce site steering group

16. Management issues with maintenance • Deciding on the frequency and scope of content updating • Process for managing maintenance of the site and responsibilities for updating • Selection of content management system • Testing and communicating changes made • Integration with monitoring and measurement systems • Managing content in the global organization.

17. Figure 12.8A summary of the performance measurement process

18. Figure 12.9The five diagnostic categories for e-marketing measurement from the framework presented by Chaffey (2000)

19. Figure 12.10Attrition through e-commerce site activities

20. Figure 12.11Examples of different measures of visitor volume to a web site

21. Figure 12.12Different types of data within a performance management system for Internet marketing

22. Figure 12.13 Web analytics tool IndexTools used to assess page popularity in Dave Chaffey’s site (www.davechaffey.com)