Each month the CM Journal provides original content articles and regular columns from industry thought leaders and software providers on a wide variety of configuration management and application lifecycle management topics.
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Implementing Standards and Frameworks
Volume 7 - Number 9 - September 2009
This month's issue is focused on implementing standards and frameworks. Some standards are created and approved by well respected standards boards including the IEEE, ISO, EIA among others. Frameworks are also created by well-respected organizations, although the process for approving a framework is usually a little different than a standard. Many organizations also implement their own internal standards, which improve productivity and quality. Most standards and frameworks can be described as wisdom shared by industry experts with considerable experience and expertise. However, reading a standard or framework and implementing its practices can be pretty difficult to achieve in a demanding technology organization.
This month, Brad Appleton, Steve Berczuk and Robert Cowan help us tackle the mysteries of implementing a Configuration Management Database (CMDB) using the ITIL framework. Make sure that you also listen to my podcast with CA, Inc on implementing a CMDB. Joe Farah helps us understand the Next Generation in branching standards. Ben Weatherall is determined to make us split our sides laughing with his Rationale for a standard and Leslie A. Sachs give us insight into the personality issues that you need to be aware of when you implement standards. Of course I cover my own experiences with implementing standards in Behaviorally Speaking, but this month's treat is an article from my colleague, Susan A. Land. I have devoured several of Susan's books on the practical implementation of standards including my favorite text on how to use IEEE standards to support the CMMI framework as well another on implementing a Quality Management System. I have admired Susan's writing for a long time and her article on Lean Six Sigma should not be missed.
At CMC Media, we are excited about the 2009 ALM Expo coming up on October 15th. Make sure that you sign up to hear our excellent webcasts on Application Lifecycle Methodologies! The presentations include our own Mario Moreira discussing ALM and the New Economy along with other top ALM trends and best practices. See you there!
Bob Aiello
Editor in Chief
CM Crossroads
raiello@acm.org
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How does software development fit with your ITIL CMDB?
by Brad Appleton, Robert Cowham and Steve Berczuk
How does software development fit with your ITIL CMDB?
As Shirley Lacy (ITIL V3 author) writes in a previous CM Journal article:
ITIL® has long been recognised as the de facto industry standard for IT Service Management and the adoption of ITIL has been growing rapidly across the world. IT Service Management (ITSM) derives enormous benefits from a best practice approach. Change management and configuration management are core practices at the heart of ITIL and ISO/IEC 20000, the auditing standard that is aligned with ITIL. ISO/IEC 20000 requires a service provider to deliver managed services of an acceptable quality for its customers. Many organizations across the world have achieved certification against ISO/IEC 20000.
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CM: THE NEXT GENERATION of Branching Standards
by Joe Farah
When it comes to CM plans, each project has to clearly identify its own strategies for branching, and subsequently for labeling and merging. There are many different practices for branching, and many different philosophies. Each CM group will vigorously defend it's practices and document them in a "Branching Strategy" document for use by the development team.
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Rationale for Standards
by Ben Weatherall
Once, a really long time ago - at least according to the Judaeo-Christian tradition - Adam was charged with naming things. Let's pretend he didn't and the family is talking around the campfire...The father, talking to his son, says, "I am going to snarf an elephant for blurb. Do you want to greep a mouse for me?" "What is a greep?"
"Greep? I said get me a prud. How else can I capture a cat?"
"Is this a prud?" the son asked, holding up a club.
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Personality Matters – Implementing Standards and Frameworks
by Leslie Sachs
Implementing Standards and Frameworks involves organizing complicated information in order to help technology professionals produce work that is consistent and, by definition, complies with the standard or framework. These same technical wizards often thrive on their individual creative process. But there are ways to empower and motivate your colleagues while still implementing industry standards and frameworks. This article discusses some of the personality and teamwork issues that you need to consider in this effort.
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Behaviorally Speaking – Implementing Standards and Frameworks
by Bob Aiello
Implementing Standards and Frameworks can be a lot harder than most people realize. It’s easy to assure your boss that you are using IEEE 828 (for CM Planning), but actually making it happen is usually very difficult. Many people don’t understand the most commonly used industry standards and frameworks, and even fewer know how to apply them in the trenches. Another common mistake is to pick the wrong standard or framework to implement and then suffer defeat as your efforts fail. Here are some important things to keep in mind if you want to successfully implement standards and frameworks.
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Lean Six Sigma for Software Process Excellence
by Susan Land
Can Lean Six Sigma provide adequate software process improvement support?
Lean Six Sigma requirements are showing up more frequently in the form of Department of Defense (DoD) requirements. The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) and all of the Services have embarked on multiyear continuous process improvement initiatives based on Lean Six Sigma. Six Sigma places primary importance on customers, business results and statistical analysis while Lean principles aim to uncover and reduce waste and improve efficiencies. Lean also aims to make discoveries and targeted improvements. The implementation of both methodologies, Six Sigma and Lean, combining their techniques leverage the best in both models.
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