Despite all of our best efforts, some projects end up in trouble and they need to be ‘saved’ or ‘shut down’! Making the ‘shut down’ decision is very difficult but must be considered once a project that is in trouble is identified. Some of the questions I have used in the past to determine whetherContinue reading “Project in Trouble?”
Tag Archives: process
What do seven Y’s spell??
REQUIREMENTS! When someone tells you they have a need, you should be able to investigate that original statement with about seven (7) Why’s before they get bored or frustrated with your interest. I need a daily spending report! Why Daily? Why only spending? Why only ONE day? Why not a Rolling Daily Report of 5Continue reading “What do seven Y’s spell??”
What Users Say Translated to Software Engineering!
I need a report that shows me how much I spent yesterday! Not an atypical ‘requirement’ from a business users’ point of view, huh? What do you as a Software Engineer DO with this and similar statements? Let’s start with a couple of questions that we can use to expand and clarify on a statementContinue reading “What Users Say Translated to Software Engineering!”
Software Engineering: How do you start?
There are interesting challenges in applying the art and science of Engineering Disciplines to Software Analysis and Design. If we accept the notion that we need as complete a collection of Requirements as possible either for a full blown application solution (change or new) or a SPRINT to add functionality to either an existing applicationContinue reading “Software Engineering: How do you start?”
The First 90 Days
When I have been asked what I would do in the first 90 days of a new project as the Project Manager, my responses have typically included some or all of the following as a “Self-Orientation Start Up Plan”: 1) Gather the latest project documentation available from the following sources: a) Portfolio Management files forContinue reading “The First 90 Days”
Orthogonal Views…
A current definition provides us this: or·thog·o·nal [awr-thog-uh-nl] adjective 1. Mathematics . a. Also, orthographic. pertaining to or involving right angles or perpendiculars: an orthogonal projection. b. (of a system of real functions) defined so that the integral of the product of any Continue reading “Orthogonal Views…”
Ever Present Project Management Risks
Every project has Risks associated with the delivery of the Business Solution. These need to be discovered as part of the Project Submission process and continue to be anticipated and discovered during the ultimate execution and delivery of the requested business solution. However, I also believe there are Project Management Risks that are inherent inContinue reading “Ever Present Project Management Risks”
Input – Process – Output
What exactly should a computer program do? How will you know if the program you have written or requested to be written for you does what you need it to do? It’s really a whole lot simpler than you might think. If you, as a business user, can define what information is available to accomplishContinue reading “Input – Process – Output”
Syntax of an ERD – Entity Relationship Diagram
Syntax Rules for an Entity Relationship Diagram: An Entity Relationship Diagram Sample: Use this link: https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1keA4BzVCJXcUoNWDw7-0pIrQ7AsB5CgavjWR7P5Wyrg/edit?hl=en_US (may have to paste into a browser) Business Rules derived from this sample are: It is also interesting to note that since there is no relationship between Customer and Product there are no Business Rules that can be derived betweenContinue reading “Syntax of an ERD – Entity Relationship Diagram”
The Software Engineering Handbook
Information Technology (IT) has been moving towards a “Popcorn Culture” for many years where our Practitioners are regularly looking for a quick POP of a little progress in technology. When I was growing up in the world of computer programming, we were taught that this work took planning, design, testing, and re-work before a productContinue reading “The Software Engineering Handbook”
The Path To Inkc 