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Collecting Project Information. How Should We Collect Information ? Formally (on a regular basis): what we have planned to collect what we have set up and prepared ourselves to collect Informally (not regular but often): “walking the hall” and “by the water cooler”
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Collecting Project Information • How Should We Collect Information ? • Formally (on a regular basis): • what we have planned to collect • what we have set up and prepared ourselves to collect • Informally (not regular but often): • “walking the hall” and “by the water cooler” • inviting team members for informal “chat” • visit people’s “offices” - We really need both! - Informal --- is changing with internet, physically distributed resources, and social networking software
Formal Data Gathering & Monitoring • Should be performed on a regular basis: • weekly • semi-monthly • monthly • etc. • How oftendepends on • the size and length of the project • the specific activity • What form depends on earlier plan and preparation: • Standard Format • Numerical/logical/etc.
What Do We Collect?Remember the Goals ? • We collect data and monitor “actual” against “plannedgoals” • Product attribute goals: • quality • completeness of function • reliability • etc. • Project and People attribute goals: • productivity • schedule • morale • etc. See Chapter 8 on Measurements and Goals Most popular one
Monitored Information • Project “Status” is really saying: • Where we stand today “relative” to the target • Show “actual” vs “planned” by areas of interest (“goals”) If you changed the “planned”, show the trace of changes -include the date of change - “approved-by-whom” information - ***additional info such as “impact” of change ***
Several Types of Data Collection • Activity Based: • collecting information on one or more attributes related to a set of activities • completion date • time expended • effort or other resources expended • the activities are most likely those within a process or a method • Attribute Based: • collecting information on one or more sub-attributes related to a specific project attribute of interest: the specific attribute may be an entity • the specific attribute is often schedule, function, etc. In reality ---- mostly a mix of both
Activity Based Example Date : _8/20/2002_ Planned Completion Actual Completion Milestone Activities Delta Req. Solicitation 07/10/2002 07/15/2002 + 5 days Req. Analysis 07/25/2002 07/25/2002 0 days Req. Documentation 08/15/2002 08/17/2002 +2 days Req. Verification 08/25/2002 Req. Approval 07/10/2002 This requirements activities based data allows us to gauge the schedule attribute of that set of activities. Note that this does not talk to resources, productivity, efficiency , etc. (only schedule)
Attribute Based Example Date : 8/20/2002 Functionality Attribute Planned # of Features Completed # of Features Delta Function 1 13 (7/15) 13 (7/15) 0 Function 2 25 (8/15) 22 (8/20) -3 Function 3 9 (8/15) 8 (8/20) -1 May never be completed ? Function 4 7 (8/15) 7 (8/12) 0 Function 5 11 (8/25) 9 (8/20) -2 Note that this is collecting data on product functional completeness attribute. It is collecting data on the product “functionality” attribute and the “# of features completed” attribute on the specific date (mm, dd)for each function.
A More Complex Exampleof Activitiesand a “quality”Attribute based on Severity 1 problems Date : _8/20/2002_ F1 F2 F3 . . . . Activities Delta Should be alarmed if these were from F1 or F2. Why? Req. Review (6,6) (7,7) (4,3) 1 Design Review (5,5) (6,6) (5,2) 3 Functional Test 0 (3,3) (3,3) Component Test 1 (3,2) (2,2) System Test (4,3) (3,2) 2 Note that this is collecting data on product quality attribute : Severity 1 problems (found , resolved)by each defect detection and removal activities. Delta is the number of severity 1 problem still remain unresolved. F’s are functional area(s) *** Note - - this is NOT a planned vs actualcomparison chart !! --- ? ***
A More Financially Oriented Monitoring(in $k) Date: 8/20/2003 Functional Area release 1 expense release 2 expense Accumulative Rev. $ Plan Act. Plan Act. . . . . Plan Act. Plan Act Function X 4.0 3.5 5.0 5.0 9 8.5 54 1.2 Function Y 2.0 2.5 4.0 5.2 6 7.7 60 0 Function Z 16 16.2 89 2.3 7.0 6.2 9.0 10.0 . . . Expenses(people, tools, travel, education, general) by functional areas .vs. Revenue Need to spread out by Release ?
Formal Status Meetings • Should be planned with and “agenda” • run this efficiently because for everyone else this is NOT their “main” responsibility • The meeting should not last more than 2-3 hours • consider the expense side of the meetings & meeting prep • (e.g.) 3hrs/40hrs per week = 7.5 % in meeting per week • Do not reschedule or postpone meeting too many times • it will lose its legitimacy and relevancy • * Do not jump too deeply into “surprise” items • schedule a separate meeting involving only the relevant people • Do not turn meeting into “rubber” stamping
Informal Status Gathering • Informal Data Gathering is based on • goodwill • trust • “listening” well and patiently • If Physically Co-located • proactively “walk the halls” often • invite people into your “open” office • stop in people’s office and “chat”; do not stay too aloof • If Remote Location • make some “physical- contacts” visits • utilize phone, e-mail, video-conferencing “regularly” • Need to Develop even more “TRUST” when remote Trust
