Our clients typically have access to our project management and issue tracking databases; if they choose to do so, they can be involved in the implementation and feedback process. A typical Paradigm project implementation consists of the following steps:
Budget and Proposal: In our first step to all projects, we listen to the Client's needs, examine any available documentation, and understand the budgetary requirements. We then prepare a proposal, outlining the tailored approach to the project, and defining the time-line, milestones and a budget.
Requirements Assessment and Evaluation: Once a proposal is accepted, we start gathering user requirements, prepare or manage the preparation of use cases, translate the user requirements into technical specifications, and prepare user interface and work process models to facilitate client understanding and the implementation process.
Architectural Design: Next, we prepare the scalable, expandable, and appropriate project architecture. If applicable, the database architecture is designed, and we then implement the design as well as data access components.
Development and Feedback Process: Paradigm assumes the management of the entire development and coding process. We actively engage the Client in the feedback loop and make arrangements for test and quality assurance deployments. Our development is based on clearly defined, short-term milestones and constant iteration. This approach allows us to always have a build of the application during development, and is critical to the final testing process. It also allows the client to provide feedback during development to ensure the application is on target to meet their needs.
Testing and Deployment: In the final steps, we manage the Quality Assurance (QA) process before and during deployment. At this stage, all functionality will have been tested during development; the feature-set is now frozen and final testing is conducted. This ensures that the installation processes and deployment work as designed.
Support and updates: After the initial deployment and the customer sign-off, Paradigm typically has a support agreement in place to cover additional feature requests and bug fixes. The nature of this agreement depends on the customer requirements and the complexity of the finished application.
Paradigm's team is well versed in a multitude of software products and languages. Our main expertise is in using Microsoft technologies in our development, specifically:
- VB.NET / C#, using .NET Framework versions 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 3.0, 3.5;
- SQL Server versions 7.0, 2000, 2005, and 2008;
- ASP.NET and Classic ASP;
- Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) in Office applications;
- Javascript and AJAX-based applications;
- HTML / CSS;
- XML / XSLT Transformations;
- Ruby on Rails and MySQL for rapid development;
- Delphi version 7;
- SPSS (for analytical consulting).
During our development effort, we utilize the following as appropriate:
- Object-oriented application design and implementation;
- .NET Framework and Visual Studio Development Environment;
- Statistical methods and models;
- Database replication and synchronization for disconnected use.
Paradigm's analytical consulting expertise lies in analyzing market and socio-economic research data for large-scale infrastructure projects in developing countries. We utilize sophisticated statistical methods to examine quantitative and qualitative socio-economic research in various sectors and countries through our agreements with local research teams. Our work ranges from complex statistical analysis of socio-economic data to formulating policy recommendations.
Paradigm has conducted extensive analytical consulting on the following subject matters:
- Poverty assessments and impact monitoring issues;
- Social and environmental impact assessments;
- Financial and economic modeling of infrastructure investments;
- Land acquisition and Resettlement Action Plan preparation for oil and gas pipelines, and hydro-electric dams.
Paradigm has extensive experience in the following sectors: water supply and sanitation, coal, urban transport, agricultural restructuring and finance, hydroelectric power generation, and oil and gas pipeline construction. Our clients include private energy companies such as British Petroleum and EnerjiSA (Turkey); as well as international financing institutions such as the World Bank, International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Asian Development Bank.
We have designed and implemented our own software applications relevant for poverty analysis and impact monitoring. Utilizing these programs, we are able to perform sophisticated analysis of data on demand and priorities, willingness-to-pay and affordability issues for infrastructure investments, and large-scale urban and rural infrastructure investments. In addition we utilize these programs for research and analysis of poverty issues.
Paradigm has also provided sophisticated multi-media products to the World Bank Institute for training purposes. These include a CD-ROM and web site on Sustainable Development, and multiple multi-media products on agricultural issues.
For a full list of our clients, please click here.