11.1 Our Delivery Philosophy
Alignment of technology, process, and people for compliance success
Compliance projects succeed when technology, process, and people are aligned. Softrust and Bluelight apply a phased, milestone-driven methodology that balances speed with enterprise rigor.
We adapt proven delivery frameworks (agile where integration requires iteration, waterfall where regulatory deadlines demand predictability) to ensure every phase is executed with precision.
Delivery Lifecycle Timeline
Structured project progression from discovery to steady state with clear checkpoints and deliverables
11.2 Project Phases
Detailed breakdown of each delivery phase with clear deliverables
Phase 1 – Discovery and Blueprint
- Requirements gathering across Finance, IT, and Compliance
- Current-state system landscape assessment
- Gap analysis vs FIRS MBS requirements
- Architecture blueprint: integration patterns, security controls, monitoring model
Phase 2 – Solution Design
- Mapping specification (ERP fields to canonical schema)
- Interface Control Document (ICD) with endpoint, payload, and error handling details
- Security design: authentication, encryption, PKI, and certificate lifecycle plan
Phase 3 – Build and System Integration Testing (SIT)
- Configure SmartAPI tenant(s)
- Develop ERP integration (IDoc, API, or BlueBox capture)
- Unit testing of mappings, transformation, and validation rules
- SIT with both client ERP and FIRS sandbox environments
Phase 4 – User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
- Client Finance and Compliance test end-to-end scenarios
- Error handling validated: rejection, correction, resubmission
- Daily reconciliation validated against ERP totals
Phase 5 – Cutover and Go-Live
- Dry-run of cutover steps
- Go/no-go checkpoint with Steering Committee
- Controlled switch to production with rollback readiness
- Initial live invoices submitted and validated with FIRS clearance
Phase 6 – Hypercare
- Intensive support for two weeks post go-live
- Daily operational stand-ups with Finance, IT, and Compliance
- Monitoring and incident response teams on standby 24x7
Phase 7 – Transition to Steady State
- Knowledge transfer to client IT and Finance teams
- Runbook and playbook handover
- Quarterly governance review cadence established
11.3 Implementation Accelerators
Pre-built assets that reduce delivery time and risk
Pre-Built Templates
SAP PI/PO channel templates, CPI iFlows, data mapping libraries ready for deployment.
SmartAPI Sandbox
Allows safe end-to-end testing without FIRS dependency, accelerating development cycles.
Automated Test Packs
Postman collections and reconciliation scripts accelerate SIT/UAT phases.
Predefined Runbooks and Playbooks
Ensure fast operational readiness with comprehensive documentation.
11.4 Governance Model
Hierarchical structure ensuring accountability and decision-making control
Steering Committee
Client executives + Softrust + Bluelight leadership, meets bi-weekly
Project Management Office (PMO)
Tracks milestones, risks, issues, and deliverables
Technical Design Authority
Ensures architectural consistency and security compliance
Change Advisory Board (CAB)
Reviews scope and change requests
Governance Structure
Hierarchical governance with clear escalation paths and decision-making authority
11.5 Benefits of Our Approach
Why our methodology delivers superior outcomes
Predictability
Every phase with clear entry/exit criteria ensures no surprises and controlled progression.
Speed
Accelerated templates and sandbox reduce timeline to 10–12 weeks without compromising quality.
Risk Control
Governance model ensures issues are tracked and escalated early, minimizing project risks.
Future-Readiness
Design accommodates ECC now, S4 tomorrow, and other ERPs as needed for long-term scalability.
Stakeholder Confidence
Finance, IT, and Compliance engaged throughout ensures no surprises at go-live.