How Nexign Transformed BSS Implementation Processes

Alexander Shibalovskiy, Nexign Implementations & Consulting Director, as well as his colleagues, Group Manager Egor Marushko and Domain Manager Roman Ganus tell about the BaseMap 2.0 tool and how Nexign has managed to transform its approach to the implementation of BSS systems at telecom operators.

The initial approach implied strictly adhering to the customer’s requirements. And, as a rule, the client asked for familiar tools. The essence and key disadvantage of this approach is perfectly illustrated by a quote attributed to Henry Ford: ‘If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said “faster horses”.’ I am just going to remind you that Henry Ford solved the task of increasing speed in a different way and suggested that people ride cars instead of horses.

Speed was important to Nexign as well. As the number of the company’s projects was increasing, there was a growing need to speed up and simplify the BSS implementation process, and that is how we came up with the idea to offer ready-to-use solutions. That is how BaseMap, a map of benchmark business process models, was developed.

Even its first version significantly sped up the process of gathering requirements and helped reduce the project implementation terms. Nexign managed not only to fulfill the client’s requirements, but, proceeding from their needs and objectives, offered a solution based on the best practices within the telecom industry. And if those benchmark business process models did not cover all the operator’s needs then follow-up revision requirements were developed.

When BaseMap proved its efficiency in standalone projects, it became clear that this solution needed to be expanded and replicated.

The new BaseMap 2.0 version not only describes business processes, but actually combines and structures all Nexign’s accumulated expertise.

The BaseMap 2.0 structure:

The new version has a business process register implemented, this register is based on TM Forum reference models as well as the best practices obtained from Nexign Converged BSS and Nexign Digital BSS implementation experience.

Currently this register contains about 500 processes and continues to be actively developed; experts update the processes already included in BaseMap and create new ones.

The Nexign team adds not only the business process register to BaseMap but also other requirement registers: products, functional and nonfunctional requirements, integrations, reports and printed forms, referenced information. Thus, the tool systemises all the project components, and makes it possible to develop a solution for the client in a quicker and more efficient way.

Now BaseMap is already used during communication with a potential client, in other words, before implementation. This tool helps give a clear picture to an operator of what our out-of-the-box solution can do. It also simplifies the RFP analysis. In this way we can provide required materials to the client much faster and save their time on the tendering process.

The typical process register reduces the analysts’ work time at the implementation stage. BaseMap 2.0 is a reference point for GAP analysis, and it also synchronises the initial processes and GAP requirements from the client in the configuration, testing and training tasks.

BaseMap continues to be actively developed, filled with artifacts and enhanced with the experience that the Nexign team gains in new projects. This tool helps us implement the best solution for the client based on their needs and objectives.