Abstract
In this article, the writer offers both a business requirements analysis for Long Beach Mortgage, using cases regarding the broker front office tool (BFOT). The writer explains that the BFOT system provides FlashQuotes that include loan modeling and pricing data in real-time from the loan origination system (LOS). In addition, this project discusses the real-time integration between FlashQuotes and the LOS, which permits loan quotes to be uploaded electronically and tracked as they are funded. The writer points out that inherent in these requirements is the need for tailoring quotes to the specific requirements of customers and their unique financing and loan needs on the one hand, and the need to deliver a quoting system easy enough to learn, use, and quickly traverse to capture loan prospect's needs on the other.

Outline:
Executive Summary
FlashQuote Business Requirements Analysis
Figure 1: Measuring FlashQuote Performance
Multi-System Integration Business Requirements Analysis
FlashQuote Use Case Analysis
Multi-System Integration Use Case Analysis
References

From the Paper
"Creating an automated quoting system is one of the most effective online selling strategies any company can pursue, and this is especially true in financial services, Long Beach Mortgage's core business. The business development team has found in their initial research that existing approaches to completing quotes, generating pricing, and then tracking specific opportunities are for the most part manual. Like many financial services and manufacturing teams, they are also finding that every sales representative has a slightly different approach to creating quotes, pricing, and tracking them. The result is that often tracking the overall sales pipeline, or value of potential prospects in total across the entire company, is difficult to achieve."

Tags:BFOT, system, FlashQuotes, financing, prospects

Abstract
In this article the writer defines the technology project plan for the development of the Long Beach Mortgage Broker Front Office Tool (LBM-BFOT). Included in this plan are definitions of hardware, software, and integration requirements for completing the BFOT development as defined in the business requirements analysis. The writer focuses on the critical functionality of support in FlashQuotes for loan modeling and pricing data in real-time from the loan origination systems (LOS), with a secondary requirement of uploading loan quotes from FlashQuotes to the LOS so they can be tracked electronically.

Outline:
Introduction
Technology Project Plans
Programming
Databases
Networks
Internal and External Stakeholders
Business and Security Risks
Financial Planning
Measures of Performance

From the Paper
"The primary design goal of both of these projects is to create thin client-based applications that can easily be delivered through a browser to any Long Beach Mortgage sales representative at any time. The reliance on J2EE programming standards for integrating application logic to the graphical interface is undergoing a significant change today with the widespread use of AJAX programming as well. While this emerging programming standard is admittedly complex, the essence of it is that only the changed parts of a web page or web application are propagated to the user interface via the browser. For both systems to be truly thin-client and deliver the level of performance necessary even in dial-up and slow DSL connections, the use of AJAX is a requirement for this project.
Additional programming standards include the use of XML for the integration of loan status and specifics regarding the loan applicant, loan modeling parameter, loan pricing and terms, and loan status applications that Long Beach Mortgage loan representatives can use in the context of the FlashQuote portal. In the context of the relationship between quoting and pricing, loan modeling, loan terms and rates analysis, and the loan close rates of business development, FlashQuote acts as a platform for unifying applications into a single strategy."

Tags:FlashQuotes, loans, performance, programming

Abstract
This paper evaluates the magnitude of changes required to design, install, maintain and increase the use of the Long Beach Broker Front Office Tool (BFOT). The paper also recommends change management strategies, defines metrics to measure how change is being adopted and internalized by the organization and defines contingency strategies for managing change. The paper explains that change management refers to changing how people work with the systems in place, as a result of planned processes. The paper concludes that when one considers how many IT projects never become business strategies, the role of change management becomes central to any development effort.

Outline:
Magnitude of Change Inherent In These Strategies
Change Management Model Selection
Change Management Plan
Measure, Monitor and Modify Change Management Strategies
Contingency Strategies
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Change management refers to changing how people work with the systems in place as a result of re-architected processes. The fact that change management is often 70% of the cost of an enterprise application implementation shows how difficult this transition in behavior can be, Dyche (2002), who writes extensively on change management as it relates to Customer Relationship Management systems. Daryl R. Conner (2003) in his book Managing at the Speed of Change defines the Speed of Change Model which states that each of us is designed by nature to move through life most effectively and efficiently at a unique pace that will allow us to face changes. The author refers to this speed as the speed of change."

Tags:contingency, development, processes, pace