Archive for the Agile Category

Dec 29 2007

Web 2.0 On My Car Dash, finally!!!

Posted by: Saurabh Kaushik in Agile, Uncategorized, tags: ,

Taking ref from GigaOm articles, Dash Navigation has got it right and done a great job of bring two fantastic services together, namely GPS and Web 2.0. For me, Dash Express is an Internet enabled GPS (Global Positing System). As in past, we all gone heard from major like Google, Yahoo, etc tried to show us the dream but could not get it in reality. Dash Express is loaded to fascinate us with on the go telling us;

  • Better routes to get destination considering the traffic flow.
  • Better ways to get destination by giving us specific options to shop, eat and drink.
  • Better options to explore locality of route.

Features which I admire most,

  • MyDash: Allows me to create button and upload to Dash device through Internet.
  • Send2Car: Allows me to talk to car from my laptop to updates like addresses.

I am a dreamer and dream of “Total Recall” for features like,

  • Dash Express could interface the Robotic steering wheel and guide car on the road using traffic/motion sensors and live satellite images. Also it could also feel me for all my mood and just take me preferred beer bar or my type of restaurant (spicy Indian) while I am sleeping in backseat of my car.

What do you think?? I am sure, it is not very far fetched dreams and surely an inspiration for Dash and Delphi to come together.

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Sep 29 2007

Good and Bad about Agile PM adaptation:

Posted by: Saurabh Kaushik in Agile, Project Management


Here I am sharing my experience at PMP Conference 2007.

Ms. Sujatha Blakrishnan from Valtech India System has presented her view on Agile Development Management.

I find it fairy interesting as she gave a holistic view of methodology. In consider Agile is shorter release cycles with age-old methodology V shape model software life cycle.

Yes, it is good for both Product and Service companies. I generally know that companies just adopt this model to show customer. But real adaptation requires more work than generally perceived. She mentioned that ValTech has invested almost $ 20 million to establish. I certainly consider it is a heavy investment. I think most of the cost goes into basic setup like Cruise Control, Wiki (Confluence), Video Conference, Skype etc.

After that, it comes culture awareness and customer agreement to participate.

Certainly, it gives tremendous value to customers who can control the flow of development and gets what he wants at the end of project.

But it may not be good enough for a service company like Infosys, Wipro, etc, who wishes to drive it by themselves. Also it is very difficult to define the SLA in these terms. Even if you have come up with one, it will an open-ended SLA which will state to chase a moving target. Because, you have just signed off to changing requirements and adopting customer needs.

Yes, it will good bad new for developers. In this model, developers may have to sit tight all the times without any relaxed day.

But I have to say that this kind of play field give lots of room and flexibility for innovation and creativity amount team and product owner. It is good and bad news for both.

Three main roles in Agile PM:

  1. Product Owner: Defines the Sprint and participate with team to achieve goals.
  2. Scrum Master: Removes the hurdles for execution of project.
  3. Team: Performs the day-to-day and release-to-release tasks.

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Sep 28 2007

Agile Development Process: Maintenance Project

Posted by: Saurabh Kaushik in Agile, Project Management

I have recently changed my project management methodology to Agile. At frist, I have decided to assigned role and then tie each of them together. Here is first shot at Development Process.

Roles:

  • Customer: Product Owner
  • Project Manager: Scrum Master
  • Project Lead: Team lead
  • Quality Manager: Quality assurance
  • Developer: Team
  • Peer Reviewer: Team

Here, blue color indicates the customer involvements.

Initiate

Phase

Player

Action

Objects

PM: Gate Flag

Customer: Gate Flag

Func Spec

Customer

Create Change Request nu with Func Spec attached.
Create Project Plan task.

Func Spec, Change Request, Project Plan

Email to PL with Change Request nu.

Project Manager

Save Spec in SDD QMS CR folder.
Check for Project Plan, Change Request and create Project Tracker.

WR Specs, Project Plan, Change Request, Project Tracker

Project Manager

Analyze Work Request for dependencies and clarifications.

Email to Customer about dependencies and clarifications.

Customer

Reply with answers on clarifications and dependencies.

Project Manager

Review and assign the developer and peer reviewer resource.
Update Project Tracker and Wiki for task.

Email to Customer about acceptance of Work Request.

Planning

Phase

Player

Action

Objects

PM: Gate Flag

Customer: Gate Flag

Analysis and design

Developer

Analyze and complete Work Request Planning using QMS process:

  • Design/approach, Estimation,
  • Dependencies
  • Test Cases.

QMS Docs
(CD Form, ICRF, Checklist, Estimation, Test Plan)

Project Manager

Analyze and state any dependency and clarification from Customer.

Email to Customer for estimation, design, dependencies and clarifications.

Customer

Send email about agreement on design and estimation.
Reply with answers on dependencies and clarifications.

Developer

Input confirmed estimation into Project Tracker.

Project Tracker and Web Tracker.

Email to Project Lead about estimation review and update in Project Tracker and Wiki update.

Project Manager

Get confirmation from Customer estimation.

Email to Customer about final estimation.

Test Case Plan

Peer Reviewer

Review the test case and test plans and notify QMS Manager for Test Case review.

QMS Manager

Review all QMS process and docs.

QMS docs

Email to Project Lead about review completion.

Project Manager

Review all the QMS process and estimation.

Email to Customer about test cases Project Lead an.

Customer

Reply email about acceptance on Test Cases Project Lead an.

Execution

Phase

Project Lead ayer

Action

Objects

PM: Gate Flag

Customer: Gate Flag

Developer

Review Development Environment and Customer dependencies for development readiness.

Dev Setup

Email to Project Lead about readiness for development.

Development

Developer

Start the development

Code, DB

Unit Testing

Developer

Perform Unit Testing according to Project Lead an.

Unit Test case, Delivery objects

Developer

Record in Unit Test case report in QMS Test Case doc.
Notify Peer Reviewer.

Unit Test Case Report

Quality Control

Phase

Project Lead ayer

Action

Objects

PM: Gate Flag

Customer: Gate Flag

Peer Reviewer

Cross verify the Unit case report.

Unit Test Case Report

Email to Project Lead about unit test case verification.

Delivery

Developer

Check-in the code into CC PM Dev Views.
Send Test Case Report to Customer.
Ask Customer to start Integration testing.

Email Customer about Code Delivery along with Test Cases Report.

Customer

Start the Integration test and report the bugs using Change Request.

Change Request

Bug Fix

Developer

If bugs are reported by Customer,

  1. Fix the unit test case
  2. Send the estimation to Customer
  3. Update QMS docs and PT.
  4. Start the code fix.
  5. Repeat ‘Review’ and ‘Delivery’ Phases

Delivery objects, QMS docs and PT

Closure

Phase

Project Lead ayer

Action

Objects

PM: Gate Flag

Customer: Gate Flag

Customer

Complete the Integration testing at Customer.

Email to Project Manager about acceptance of WR delivery.

Developer

Complete the QMS update process and notify Quality Manager for review.

Quality Manager

Review all the QMS, Project Plan and PT sync and notify Project Lead for review.

Project Manager WR Manager

Review all the QMS, Project Plan and PT sync and close WR in Change Request, and Project Tracker.

QMS, Project Plan, Change Request, Project Tracker and PT

Email to Customer on WR closure.

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