Past Meetings
Past Meetings
2001-2002 Season
_________(in reverse chronological order)________
Click here for the Past Meetings Page
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Software Capability Improvement - It Starts with Projects
Presented by
Jorge Boria
Jorge Boria concluded his excellent three part series on Change Management with this presentation. The Software Capability Maturity Model ™ establishes a framework for the improvement of an organization’s ability to perform software development or acquisition. The emphasis on process and shared learning has made many organizations focus on the process group when applying the model to their own internal goals. The traditional approach has been to find volunteers or volunteer employees to develop the ‘Ultimate Process’ and push it out for the organization as a whole to enact it.
Given what we know from the 8-step transition model, this one-size-fits-all, big bang approach is destined to fall on its face. Even when successful, the pain and the cost will be inadequately high. As the 8-step model suggests, the transition has to be demonstrated and enacted by few dedicated teams, then rolled through the organization. At each “gap” between adoption categories, the process improvement has to be recast into the target group’s interest. Learning from the early adopters makes the process easy to use and easy to sell to the early majority. It is only after these have adopted the change that the organization as a whole will complete the transition. Jorge concluded his excellent excellent presentation by showing some example elements to start transitioning our organizations.
You can contact Jorge Boria at jboria@teraquest.com , (512) 219-9152, fax (512) 219-0587 and TeraQuest at http://www.teraquest.com .
Our presenter has graciously granted us permission to place a copy of his slides on our web site. The slides are in Adobe Acrobat format and are available by clicking the file name (Slides are not available at this time) (1266 Kb).
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Presented by
Bill Cottrell
Rational Software Corporation
Bill Cottrell started the presentation by going over what a tool is and what it does. He then raised the question of what tools are most important? He then went over when in the development life cycle that we use tools. Bill ended the presentation with a discussion on whether we need tools to have a mature process.
You can contact Bill Cottrell at bcottrell@rational.com , (512) 608-6817, (512) 608-6868 Fax and at http://www.rational.com .
Our presenter has graciously granted us permission to place a copy of his slides on our web site. The slides are in Adobe Acrobat format and are available by clicking the file name Saspin_May2002_Cottrell.pdf (139 Kb)
| If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 or later you must use Adobe Acrobat 3.01 or later to view and print the slides and if you wish to save the file you must have Internet Explorer 5 or later. |
| With Netscape 3 or later you may view, save or print the slides with Adobe Acrobat 3 or later. |
If you don’t already have the Acrobat Reader click on the image to the left to
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Presented by
Dr. Magdy Hanna
International Institute for Software Testing
Dr. Magdy Hanna started his presentation by reviewing why requirements are so important. He reviewed several studies which showed the distribution of software bugs attributable to requirements. The cost of fixing a bug during the requirements phase is a tenth the cost of bugs found in the coding phase.
The heart of Magdy's presentation was spent showing how requirements can be more clearly understood using models. And that models provide complete, unambiguous, and detailed information for both testability and achievability of requirements. He finished up his presentation by showing a series of models to demonstrate how much easier they were to understand the requirements.
You can contact Dr. Magdy Hanna at mhanna@softdim.com , (763) 546-0072, and at http://www.softdim.com .
Our presenter has graciously granted us permission to place a copy of his slides on our web site. The slides are in Adobe Acrobat format and are available by clicking the file name Saspin_Apr2002_Hanna.pdf (69 Kb)
| If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 or later you must use Adobe Acrobat 3.01 or later to view and print the slides and if you wish to save the file you must have Internet Explorer 5 or later. |
| With Netscape 3 or later you may view, save or print the slides with Adobe Acrobat 3 or later. |
If you don’t already have the Acrobat Reader click on the image to the left to
download the latest version free.
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Capability Improvement - Getting Just Enough Training Involved
Presented by
Jorge Boria and Kathy Sanchez
Using the holistic Capability Improvement model, Jorge Boria and Kathy Sanchez interacted with the SASPIN to consider when and how to deploy different types of training to enable the organization change. Depending on where an individual fits in the adoption curve, strategies must be tailored to meet that individual’s needs. This presentation considered the motivation of individuals at different points on the curve and provides guidance for techniques that fit well to those different points.
Coupled with the 8-step model, this approach will maximize your chances of getting the organization through the transition period of any change with the least loss of effort.
You can contact Jorge Boria at jboria@teraquest.com , (512) 219-9152, fax (512) 219-0587 and TeraQuest at http://www.teraquest.com .
Our presenter has graciously granted us permission to place a copy of his slides on our web site. The slides are in Adobe Acrobat format and are available by clicking the file name (Slides are not available at this time) (527 Kb).
| If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 or later you must use Adobe Acrobat 3.01 or later to view and print the slides and if you wish to save the file you must have Internet Explorer 5 or later. |
| With Netscape 3 or later you may view, save or print the slides with Adobe Acrobat 3 or later. |
If you don’t already have the Acrobat Reader click on the image to the left to
download the latest version free.
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Capability Improvement - A Holistic View of Change Management
Presented by
Jorge Boria and Kathy Sanchez
Jorge Boria and Kathy Sanchez through this interactive presentation asked the audience to think through what it takes to effectively improve an organization’s capability in some important area. Many of us face doing this to demonstrate our organization’s level of process maturity, to take on a new business focus, to establish a new set of methods, to take on a new set of tools… the opportunities are endless.
Each of these requires more than just the technical change. Jorge and Kathy did an excellent job in making the topic very easy for the audience to understand. In the presentation they discussed an 8-step model, with supporting concepts from several change management gurus and experience stories from real-life organization change.
You can contact Jorge Boria at jboria@teraquest.com , (512) 219-9152, fax (512) 219-0587 and TeraQuest at http://www.teraquest.com .
Our presenter has graciously granted us permission to place a copy of his slides on our web site. The slides are in Adobe Acrobat format and are available by clicking the file name (Slides are not available at this time) (469 Kb).
| If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 or later you must use Adobe Acrobat 3.01 or later to view and print the slides and if you wish to save the file you must have Internet Explorer 5 or later. |
| With Netscape 3 or later you may view, save or print the slides with Adobe Acrobat 3 or later. |
If you don’t already have the Acrobat Reader click on the image to the left to
download the latest version free.
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Writing Requirements for a Requirement Management Tool
Presented by
Ivy Hooks
Our presenter, Ivy Hooks, Stepped through the process of determining what you need in a Requirement Management tool -- the part played by the people, the affect of and on your process, and what technology you may need.
The audience was broken into four groups and actually worked different aspects of the requirements, with Ivy's assistance, as she presented the different aspects of the process.
The process employed can be applied to any and all projects quite easily and make you team much more agile at acquiring and writing requirements. The process will help you whether you are buying COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) products or developing your own.
You can contact Ivy Hooks or get detailed information on the products and services her company, Compliance Automation, Inc., provides at (830) 249-0308, CAI@complianceautomation.com .
Our presenter has graciously granted us permission to place a copy of her slides on our web site. The slides are in Adobe Acrobat format and are available by clicking the file name Saspin_Jan2002_Hooks.pdf (1035 Kb). The requirements reference card (2 double sided cards per page when printed) may be downloaded by clicking the file name reference card update4.pdf (216 Kb).
| If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 or later you must use Adobe Acrobat 3.01 or later to view and print the slides and if you wish to save the file you must have Internet Explorer 5 or later. |
| With Netscape 3 or later you may view, save or print the slides with Adobe Acrobat 3 or later. |
If you don’t already have the Acrobat Reader click on the image to the left to
download the latest version free.
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IT Investment: Object Prioritization and Selection
Presented by
Vic Helbling
Vic presented an excellent overview of an IT investment management process that is an integrated approach that provides continuous identification, selection, control, life-cycle management, and evaluation of IT investments. An IT investment management process has three essential phases:
1. Selection
2. Control
3. Evaluation
Each phase should be conducted as part of a continual, interdependent management effort. In the selection phase, the organization determines the priorities and makes decisions about which projects will be. The costs, benefits, and risks of all IT projects are compared objectively and prioritized funded based on a uniform set of screening criteria. This information is then provided to a senior Steering Committee that makes the decisions on which projects to select for funding.
This presentation focused on the selection recommendation process and will demonstrate how to prepare objective, calibratable information to the Steering Committee to facilitate with the selection of IT projects.
You can contact Vic Helbling at vhelbling@satx.rr.com .
Our presenter has graciously granted us permission to place a copy of his slides on our web site. The slides are in Adobe Acrobat format and are available by clicking the file name Saspin_Nov01_Helbling.pdf .
| If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 or later you must use Adobe Acrobat 3.01 or later to view and print the slides and if you wish to save the file you must have Internet Explorer 5 or later. |
| With Netscape 3 or later you may view, save or print the slides with Adobe Acrobat 3 or later. |
If you don’t already have the Acrobat Reader click on the image to the left to
download the latest version free.
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The "M" in "CM" Configuration Management
Managing Requirements
To Eliminate "Casual Accuracy" And The Cost Of "Intervention Resources"
Presented by
The topic covered software standards and process management that combine with configuration management.
In the context of a technical discipline, the dialogue between those who maintain the practice of configuration management methods and logistics and the executive managers of commercial enterprise is non-existent. In 1995 American companies and government agencies spent $81 billion for canceled software projects. These same organizations paid an additional $59 billion for software projects that were completed, but which exceeded their original time estimates. Further results indicate 52.7% of projects will cost 189% of their original estimates. The cost of these failures and overruns are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. The lost opportunity costs are not measurable, but could easily be in the trillions of dollars.
Configuration Management is an operational state in which the savvy enterprise operates.
This CM state is not mandated by policies and procedures – they enable it.
The CM state is not a set of isolated management activities (i.e., the management of issues, issue escalation, content, data, version, release, requirements, test, etc.) – rather it is a collaboration of “best practices” (confirmed by experience), which are relevant to the particular industry in which the enterprise operates.
The CM state is not a dictatorship – rather it is an environment in which all line and staff within the enterprise understand the basic business mission of the company and how their respective contributions contribute to the success of that mission.
It has only been within the last decade that software applications and information technology (IT) have become inexorably entwined within corporate business infrastructures. As the trend has continued to grow this strain on enterprise transformation and responsible and dynamic requirements management has forced a bridge to be built between IT CIOs and CTOs (chief information & technology officers) and their role in realizing shareholder equity for the CFO and CEO.
You can contact Reginald Harvey at reginald.harvey@merant.com , (972) 774-4471 and Keith Evans at keith.evans@merant.com , (281) 345-8931.
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A Process Asset Library Implementation or Where the Heck Do We Put All of this Stuff?!?!
Presented by
Andrew Boyd
&
TSgt Michael Bandor
Headquarters Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC)
Software Quality Assurance Engineer
As we’re sure you’re aware, a large part of Software Process Improvement (SPI) seems to be the generation of those “Big Honkin’ Binders” of software process documentation. In general, these standards, processes, procedures, guides, tools, etc are called process assets and the most common place to put them is in some sort of library or repository with easy access by the software practitioners.
Several issues surface when dealing with a large volume of assets. In this presentation, Andrew Boyd and TSgt Michael Bandor showed how the Software Engineering Process Group (SEPG) at the Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC) dealt with their growing number of software process assets. Andrew and Mike discussed when and how the need arose and how they developed a web/Microsoft Access based Process Asset Library (PAL). After explaining the PAL Implementation they provided a demonstration of that PAL.
Andrew and Mike showed a variety of ways the Process Asset Library information could be retrieved easily by a requestor and quickly present that information on their display.
You can contact Andrew Boyd at AndrewBoyd@satx.rr.com , and TSgt Michael Bandor at michael.bandor@afpc.randolph.af.mil , DSN 665-2503/2121 Commercial (210) 565-2503/2121.
Our presenters have graciously granted us permission to place a copy of their slides on our web site. The slides are in Adobe Acrobat format and are available by clicking the file name Saspin_Sep01_Boyd_Bandor.pdf .
| If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 or later you must use Adobe Acrobat 3.01 or later to view and print the slides and if you wish to save the file you must have Internet Explorer 5 or later. |
| With Netscape 3 or later you may view, save or print the slides with Adobe Acrobat 3 or later. |
If you don’t already have the Acrobat Reader click on the image to the left to
download the latest version free.
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Special Daytime Meeting
Implementing the Rational Unified Process in your organization –
a Managerial and Executive Perspective
Presented by
Murray Cantor
Rational Software
This was a free, facilitated discussion seminar about successfully overcoming organizational challenges, concerns and considerations when adopting and implementing the industry’s de facto standard software development process – the Rational Unified Process.
“We need to increase the efficiency and profitability of our software development organization! We need to adopt the Rational Unified Process! But where do we start? How do we finish? What is my role in leading this software development process adoption?” Drawing from Rational’s breadth of experience engaging with customers across all industries and domains, Murray Cantor presented and discussed strategies for successful project and organizational adoption and implementation of the software industry’s de facto standard software development process – the Rational Unified Process (RUP). In the course of the discussion he reviewed RUP implementation issues from the viewpoint of those who are leading and ultimately responsible for this initiative in their organization – the managers and executives. In addition, he presented the implications of RUP adoption for project and organization management. The guidance provided in this seminar was pragmatic and real world.
Our goal in sharing this information with you is to help you understand how you can successfully implement this industry-standard process within your organization and improve your efficiency and productivity. One of the key points of this seminar was that the members got to meet Murray, who is in high demand across industries all around the world, and who is uniquely suited to address concerns and the issues confronting your organization when implementing the RUP software development process framework. His guidance in this capacity was pragmatic and real world.
For more information on the RUP or other Rational Software products you can contact Bill Cottrell at bcottrell@rational.com , direct & fax (512) 608-6817, Cell (512) 789-0300 or Irene Bond ibond@rational.com , direct (512) 335-5461, fax (512) 335-5463 and Rational Software at http://www.rational.com .
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Click here for the Past Meetings Page
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