(a) Software acquisition

TechEasy ought to have ascertained its exact software needs before taking the steps to acquire the package.

Having identified the package, TechEasy should have carried out a thorough user acceptance test to ensure the software needs were met.

TechEasy staff ought to have been sufficiently trained in the use of the software. This would have been done by the agent, a normal component of software acquisition.

Clearing software bugs

An elaborate software maintenance contract should have been entered into between TechEasy and the agents.

TechEasy staff should have been fully involved in the software amendment process.

Thorough tests (regression tests) should have been carried out by the agents with the participation of user staff to ensure the amendments were properly carried out and that the resulting programs would work flawlessly.

(b) Future handling of software defects and problems

Any software maintenance contract in existence should be reviewed to ensure it doesn’t favour only one party.

In future all software issues should be properly documented and forwarded to the information systems (IS) manager if there is one, or to a manager nominated for the purpose.

The documented issues should then be discussed with an IS steering committee.

The approved documentation should then be passed on to the Chief Systems Analyst for discussion with his/her team of Analysts.

Competent Programmers and other user staff should then be trained to work on the issues in conjunction with the agents.

Regression tests should be carried out on any amended programs to ensure that the amendment exercises have not created new problems.

The amended programs should be fully documented. This documentation should replace any existing ones.