ASL FAQ
01. How do I start with ASL?
Knowledge acquisition
We suggest that you first read some Publications about ASL, after which you could read the ASL book (Remko van der Pols, ASL, a framework for Application Management, ISBN 90-77212-05-1, Van Haren Publishing) or take an ASL training. To test your knowledge you can take the EXIN examination; if completed succesfully, you will receive a certificate. For more in-depth knowledge you can get in touch with a consultant, many of which work at our Managing partners and Knowledge partners.
ASL Self Assessment
After the knowledge acquisition you can form a group of application management people of one team or as a representative group of the total AM organization. This group of people should have already acquired knowledge of ASL knowledge. With this knowledge of ASL and knowledge of your own processes, the group should individually fill in the checklist of the ASL Self Assessment (ISBN 90-440-0751-3, publisher Sdu-Ten Hagen Stam). All answers should be bundled and analysed by a consultant (internal or external).
Solving bottlenecks
Probably some bottlenecks will come forward from the analysis, which disturb some processes. These bottlenecks should be prioritized and categorized in order to take measures to solve them.
Next
Depending on your ambition you can work on continuous improvement of the application management processes in order to get better and better and reach a higher maturity level. That level can be determined by an external party to show your professionality to your clients and to the external world. And that is also good news for your EDP auditors! Ask our certification partner BSI (The Netherlands) for more information about this certificate: mail to
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.
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02. What is relation between application management and ASL?
Application management is a term that refers to control and maintenance (including further development) of applications. ASL is a method/model that offers guidance as to the kind of activities that should be deployed. ASL focuses on what should be done, not who should do it: this will vary from organization to organization.
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03. What is the relation between CMM and ASL?
Applications are developed, and then managed and supported. Originally, with information systems, the attention was mostly directed to the development of applications/information systems. Because of that, development methods and methodologies like ISAC, Yourdan, JSP, SDM have developed during the last decades, and CMM (Capability Maturity Model) a few years ago.
CMM is maturity model for system development organizations. It concentrates on the way applications are being developed. It recognises different processes, of which the existence or non-existence determines the maturity of the organization.
ASL concentrates on existing (as opposed to new) applications, keeping them up and running and up to date. This means that other things are important. Several elements in CMM can be traced back to ASL, like the renewal cycle. ASL also has other elements, because for control and maintenance of applications, other aspects also play a role (e.g. the synchronization of the versions of objects in production with the versions in maintenance; e.g. the continual necessary attention to control).
ASL has a maturity model that is similar to CMM. You can use the Self Assessment to gain insight into your own level while an external audit will formally establish the level. For more information, see the last point of FAQ-01 How do I start with ASL?
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04 What is relation between business inform. mngt. and ASL?
Business information management is the term that is used for the activities that ensure an adequate information provisioning for the user organization and that are the responsibility of the user organization. Business information management acts as customer of application management and infrastructure management. Whereas ASL provides guidance for application management, another model, BiSL (the Business Information Services Library) offers guidance for business information management.
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05. What is the relation between ITIL and ASL?
Although the current version of ITIL (v3) has a much broader scope than previous versions, and addresses many aspects of application management and business information management, ITIL has traditionally been an approach that has been adopted by organisations that are responsible for infrastructure management (often referred to as IT Operations). Infrastructure management refers to the activities that ensure that keep the IT infrastructure up and running.
ASL is based on ITIL concepts, which can be seen in the the names of the several ASL processes. ASL has extended these concepts, focussing on how these apply to application management aspects.
A detailed analysis of ITIL and ASL is available in a white paper, which you can download at OGC.
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06. What is the relation between PRINCE2 and ASL?
PRINCE2 is a project management method. It can be used within ASL as a more project oriented and more detailed method for managing projects. Organizations that use ASL often have has the characteristic of a line organization. It is preferable to use PRINCE2 for larger renewal assignments with a higher risk profile.
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07. What is the relation between SDM and ASL?
SDM is a method for systems development, developed by Pandata (now CapGemini) and was commonly used in the Netherlands.
SDM describes system development in various phases, with underlying activities and possible documents and reports. Phases of SDM are definition study, basic design, detail design, realization, testing, etc. There is also a phase operations and maintenance offering some guidance but it this usually wasn’t adopted.
The SDM phases do not conflict with the ASL framework so SDM can be used to complement the enhancement and renewal processes. One of the additional aspects is the forms of documentation that SDM suggests, in particular in the chapter operations and maintenance.
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08. What is relation between infrastructure mngt. and ASL?
For the answer to this question, see FAQ-05 'What is the relation between ITIL and ASL?'
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