Application Development Life Cycle (back to top)
Avion utilizes ISO 9001:2000 standard-based life cycle development processes and adheres to government regulations for configuration control.  Avion’s methodology in application development focuses on aligning customer needs and goals while incorporating customer SOPs, business rules and requirements.  Avion’s software development model includes customer collaboration throughout the process:  from the requirements analysis phase through database, software application and business intelligence design, review and improvement.
Application Development Process (back to top)
Avion uses an agile development methodology, an iterative software application development process.  This approach values face-to-face customer collaboration during the incremental stages and is adaptive to evolving requirements while keeping the project on-track.  Software developers and customer representatives comprise the development group with emphasis placed on the relationship and cooperation between developers and users during the development life cycle.  Avion’s expertise and proven track record with this adaptive approach has produced high-quality software that is robust, efficient and user-friendly. 
Tools Used (back to top)
Avion Software Engineers and Programming personnel have expertise in multiple programming languages, databases, and platforms.  Utilizing expertise of software developers, Avion is able to develop the best application suited for the customer based on their requirements.  Avion has expertise using the following tool sets:

• Development Languages:  Avion employs ADO.Net, ASP, ASP.Net, C#, C++, Java, JavaScript, jQuery, SAS, VB.Net, VBScript, Visual Basic, COBOL, and XML languages and including the Oracle Development Suite for application development.
• Databases:  Avion uses Oracle versions 7-11g, SQL Server versions 6.5-2008,  MySQL, MS-Access, DB2, and Sybase in our data management applications.
• Database Management:  Avion uses data modeling, relational database development, object mapping, legacy data migration, data normalization, and data warehouse for database management.
• Platforms:  Avion has expertise on multiple platforms which include MS Windows, Unix, Linux, Pick, AS/400, and Mainframes.

Requirement Analysis and Documentation (back to top)
During the requirements analysis and documentation phase of system development, Avion works with the customer to determine and clarify business rules, objectives, vision, scope, system inputs and concepts.  Our skilled software engineers and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) clarify customer needs and desired results at management and user levels.
Application Design (back to top)
Normalized databases, process flows, interfaces, roles, components, features, reporting (standard and customized), query functions and necessary hardware are designed and documented for applications developed by Avion.  We maintain consistent, determined focus; providing immediate feedback to stakeholders ensuring design to requirements.
Status Reporting During Development (back to top)
Status meetings will be scheduled with the stakeholders of the application during the development phase for the purpose of updating all stakeholders on the status and progress of the development cycle.  These will facilitate stakeholder input and offer the opportunity for preliminary system test and review during the development cycle.  This provides progress updates and opens the door for customer input and discussion, ensuring understanding by all parties of application processes and functionality. 
Quality Control and Testing (back to top)
Quality control is managed through verification, validation, functionality and regression testing along with tracking of fixes and updates during the application development process.  This software is provided to the customer ensuring optimum performance and minimum post-delivery support issues.
Configuration Management (back to top)
Avion adheres to government regulations for configuration control and uses Visual Source Safe and Team Foundation Server to manage software development changes and version builds for customer releases.
Security (back to top)
Avion develops applications with security managed by users using a roles based security system, i.e., users are assigned to groups and permissions are managed at the group or user level.  Permissions can be managed by trained users to the field level or down to values within a field using permission filter features in the security system.  Government supported smart cards are used for identifying system users for application which are used on government networks.
Reporting (back to top)
Custom reports are built by Avion’s development team to satisfy the customer’s reporting needs from the application.  Avion also provides third party solutions for adhoc reporting on the database for specialized custom reporting needs that are not standard application output.
Exports (back to top)
Avion provides a wide range of report export capabilities.  i.e. MS office suite, pdf, text, and others
Email Notifications (back to top)
Email information notifications may be managed by the trained users in the notifications section of the application.  Notifications of information can be scheduled to recur for a date range or continuously on a daily to quarterly basis determined by the user.
Interfacing with Other Systems (back to top)
Avion has experience interfacing with multiple systems in the past, providing hooks into these systems where information was passed to and from applications developed by Avion.  The following is a partial list of systems Avion has provided interfaces in the past:

• Accounting Systems
• Acquisition Systems
• Contract Management Systems
• Flight Log Book Systems
• Maintenance Records Systems
• Maintenance Work Orders Systems
• Supply (Parts Ordering) Systems
• Technical Manuals Systems
• Technical Bulletin Systems
• Technical Data Packages Systems

Training (back to top)
Avion trainers have years of experience training users on multiple application systems.  Our trainers are involved in the development process from requirements to testing and are used as 1st phase user testers for applications as development occurs.  Avion instructors have relevant hands on experience with each application and provide users with practical tips for managing their business functions.  Training is conducted as hands-on with ”over the shoulder” assistance until the application is implemented.  Complete training package documentation is provided as a “leave behind” manual for refresher or new user training.
System and User Documentation (back to top)
Avion documents all aspects of the development process including requirements, design, development, and testing. .  Avion also provides user guides for reference to application functionality along with how each action is accomplished by the user. 
Sustainment/Support (back to top)
Avion’s extensive sustainment and support experience are derived from database management applications delivered to the U.S. Army, both stateside and overseas in theatre.  Our array of support is initiated either telephonically, through the web, or via email.  Avion help desk staff are highly trained experts in the supported software applications.  Issues are assessed to determine if the issue is training/user or software related.  Training/user issues are resolved by the help desk personnel immediately and entered into our tracking system to determine deficiencies which can be mitigated through training. 
Software issues are submitted via a subject matter expert (SME), and then recommended fixes/enhancements are elevated to the software development team.  Depending on severity, the issue is entered into the development queue.  Critical functional failures are tagged as such and addressed immediately. Other issues/enhancements are placed into the development process queue for evaluation by the development team and approved issues/enhancements are then released via normal application updates.