The customization of the Andersen Consulting methodology to install, convert, and customize has realized significant time savings. It was clearly the right thing to do given the high degree of commonality among clients and the high degree of reuse employed in the construction of custom systems. This sort of customization needs to be carried further. Within the customization process, what modules are always customized? What are the issues that drive the customization? What are the key decision points? etcetera. A failure to capture the answers to these questions creates a very high dependence on the small number of people who first developed the system or have extensive knowledge in customizing it. This knowledge needs to be harvested and made more accessible. Depending on the nature of this knowledge and how it needs to be used, an appropriate packaging approach needs to be selected based on a balance between rules (i.e., ╥best practices╙), schools (i.e., training), and tools (i.e., systemization within tools) as a means of packaging and dissemination.
Additionally, processes that are repeated in multiple engagements should be identified. These processes are candidates for both capture and reuse, and eventually, tool support. In general, this sort of self analysis is necessary for a more systematic, continuous improvement process.