Release Management

Conference Presentations

Release Criteria: Defining the Rules of the Product Release Game

How do you know when you're finished testing? How do you know when the product is ready to ship? Sometimes the decision to stop testing and release a product seems as if someone's making deals in a smoke-filled room, or that there are rules of the game of which we are unaware. At times, these rules seem completely arbitrary. Instead of arbitrary decisions, it is possible to come to an agreement about when the product is ready to release, and even when it's time to stop testing. In this presentation, learn how to define release criteria, and then use those criteria to decide when to release the product.

Johanna Rothman
When Test Drives the Development Bus

Once development reaches "code complete," the testing team takes over and drives the project to an acceptable quality level and stability. This is accomplished by weekly build cycles or dress rehearsals. The software is graded based on found, fixed, and outstanding errors. Development strives to increase the grades in each build--improving the quality and stability of the software. Learn how to use this "dress rehearsal" process to build team morale, develop ownership by the entire development team, and ensure success on opening night.

Cindy Necaise, MICROS Systems, Inc.
Communicate and Define the Value of Performance in Dollars and Cents

What is the real value of computing performance improvement? What is the real cost of computing performance degradation? This paper describes an approach used at The Boeing Company to answer these questions. The challenges of presenting technical analyses in "dollars and cents, bottom line" terminology, and sample visual formats for communicating computing performance information
clearly, completely and concisely will be discussed.

Nancy Acree, CAD/CAM Products and Services
Thinking About People, Process, and Product: A Principle that Works at Work

All projects involve the three P's: people, process, and product. People includes everyone who influences the project. Process is the steps taken to produce and maintain software. Product is the final outcome of the project. To keep these three in harmony, you must observe who is trying to do what to deliver what. Usually, two of the three P's are mandated, and the third one is chosen appropriately. Although this is common sense, it is not common practice. Dwayne Phillips discusses the issues and challenges that affect us all on every project. Learn about the ideas and questions to consider to help you work through these issues.

Dwayne Phillips, U.S. Department of Defense
Predictive Metrics to Estimate Post Project Costs

How much will it cost to support your software project based on current estimations? Discover the answer to this question by using statistical estimation methods-including the S-curve and the Rayleigh curve-to help you determine where your projects are in relation to required quality and trendings to meet your post-project cost goals. Learn how to use metrics to predict post-project costs and make better release decisions based on these predictions.

Geoffrey Facer, Intel Corporation
Three Numbers to Measure Project Performance

We present a method which produces at any time during the execution of a big software
development project a reliable prediction of the total duration and of the total cost to expect
at project completion. The basic idea presented in our paper is to correlate cumulative cost consumed to current
completion reached, and to learn out of this about the future of the project. Prerequisites
are a cost consumption plan and a deliverables completion plan. The approach is
presented both theoretically and on hand of a real life case. Special attention is paid to
project management techniques related to the method.

Thomas Liedtke and Peter Paetzold, Alcatel
From Zero to 100: Project Metrics in an Investment Bank

Metrics collection, interpretation, and data quality always present a challenge to organizations. In the midst of an ever-increasing organization such as Goldman Sachs, the need for comprehensive metrics has become a top priority. Learn how one company successfully implemented a measurement initiative from ground zero using project management discipline, completion dates, scope definition, and a lifecycle approach-resulting in expanded coverage, more sophisticated usage of data, and support of the management and quality teams.

Barry Young and Arun Banerjee, Goldman Sachs and Co.
B2B and B2C Software Project Management—So What's Different?

Learn how to understand and address the unique and not so unique aspects of Internet-based business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) project development. Based on three case studies used to illustrate the important aspects of Internet project development, you will cover the full project lifecycle--from inception to launch--highlighting key principles and practices along the way. The case studies will include an information-centric Internet Web site (corporate brochure site), and electronic commerce site (consumer), and a business-to-business exchange.

Rick Smith, ObjectSpace, Inc.
Predicting Software Errors and Defects

This paper introduces a fault model that predicts the number of errors and defects throughout the development cycle. Project managers can use this information to quantitatively determine if the development process is in control, may be going out of control, or is clearly out of control. This model is able to adjust estimates based on the most current data available.

Mark Criscione, Motorola
Success Factors and Measures in Outsourced Application Development

Today's e-conomy is creating higher time pressures than ever in application development. Many organizations are responding to the deadline pressures and backlogs through partnering. Whenever new partnering relationships are created, however, conflict can result. Learn the four key critical success factors to help you manage this type of strategic relationship, including how to deal with "shotgun weddings" and creating better dispute resolution frameworks.

Michael Mah, QSM Associates, Inc.

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