Methodology

Jittson Technologies uses a standard web application design methodology called FLiP, Fusebox Lifecycle Process. FLiP is a best practices approach to web application development that focuses on client interaction. The client is involved throughout the process to drive the definition of the web application. Too often, web sites are built without the client understanding what is being delivered. FLiP is a standard process to eliminate the requirement gap so often found in software projects.

In addition to using the FLiP process, Jittson Technologies uses a common software engineering design principle known as Model-View-Controller (MVC). This design principle separates database and business logic (Model), from presentation logic (View), and the interaction between the Model and View (Controller).

Jittson Technologies strives to follow the FLiP process and the MVC design pattern to best meet the business requirements, reduce long term costs, and provide solutions that provide business value to the client. Below is a overview of the FLiP process. More informatoin can be found at the official fusebox site.

1. Personas and Goals

The first question that needs attention when starting to build a web application, is who is going to use the application and to accomplish what goals. This process focuses on defining goals of the software, not the "features". Along with Jittson Technologies, the people involved in this activity should be the business sponsors and end users who will actually use this application.

2. Wireframe

Wireframing is the process of quickly defining the actions of the application. The outcome of this phase is to create a clickable wireframe web site that will allow the client to interact with the flow of the application. This will allow the client to determine if any pages or pieces of the application have been missed.

3. Prototyping

Prototyping is the longest phase of the FLiP model. A FLiP prototype is a clickable interface of the final application with no functionality tied to it. The objective is to define exactly to the client's expectation of how the web application will look from a visual perspective. This is primarily done in HTML.

4. Application Architecting

Once the prototype is finished, the application architect defines the application design. The application architect identifies the pieces need to build each page, while focusing on reusability and maintainability. The objective of this phase is FuseDocs, which are fully documented specification of each piece of the application.

5. Fusecoding

Each development resource assigned to the project recieves small pieces of code to produce. The developer will follow the specification in the FuseDoc to complete the project. Each developer does not need to know all of the details of the application, just the details of each fuse that they are building. It is the architect's responsibility to glue all of the fuses together.

6. Unit and System Testing

As each fuse is developed, a testing resource will perform unit testing to ensure that the correct behavior is achieved.

7. User Acceptance Testing

After Jittson Technologies have performed and completed the unit and system testing, it will be the clients turn to test the application. This process allows the client a final review of the site before it is deployed into production

8. Deployment

Deployment involves setting up the application in a production environment. This process should be a smooth transistion if all previous steps were diligently followed.