1 Let the beauty we love be what we do. Dr. Ralph Young.

1Let the beauty we love be what we do.

Dr. Ralph Young

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Practical Project and Organizational Improvement

Practical Project and Organizational Improvement

Dr. Ralph R. YoungRequirements Evangelist

[email protected]

May 26, 2010

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What to do How to do it Best Practices OvercomeProject Problems

HumanBehavioral

Issues

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Intent of this Webcast

To provide an engaging presentation that is about you To communicate information that will make a difference Summarize industry experience Highlight requirements-related best practices Identify resources

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6A suggestion and request of you

Use this time to consider ideas and suggestions to improve your work

Identify three things you would like to do differently at work (keep a list)

Commit to advocating and sponsoring them Work with your peers and managers to use them Use this experience to change your life

Positive change occurs only when someone commits to it!

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7Some Project Best Practices

Your Project

What are the REAL

Requirements?

Improve your Business Analysis

Control Requirements

Growth

Foster Continuous

Improvement

Create joint Commitment

to Results

8Assertions

The requirements are critical because they provide the basis for all of the work that to be performed.

Requirements rarely evolve well. Poor requirements are a root cause of industry

problems: Lack of project success (< 50% of all projects) Rework (45-50% of total project effort)

Processes are rarely defined, documented, and used.

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9Best Practices

Apply a continuous improvement approach Work toward project and organizational maturity Practice process improvement Improve project start-up Provide an early project requirements briefing Identify the “real requirements” Improve business analysis

10Apply a Continuous Improvement Approach

Clarify goals and objectives

Ensure senior management sponsorship

Define the vision and scope of the effort

Evolve product delivery steps that are doable

Identify and prioritize improvement opportunities

Set expectations continuously (things change)

Achieve buy-in Manage

11Project or Organizational “Maturity”

“The degree of effectiveness”

- Requirements development

- Project planning

- Project monitoring and control

- Risk management

Typical Process Areas

A useful framework for process improvement is The Capability Maturity Model for Software (CMM) (available at www.sei.cmu.edu/library/abstracts/reports/93tr024.cfm)

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Profile of a “Mature Project”

Processes are defined and documented Management plans, monitors progress, and

communicates Roles and responsibilities are clear Product and process are measured Quality, costs, and schedules are

predictable Management is committed to continuous

improvement Technology is used effectively within the

defined process

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An Example of a “Process Framework”that you can apply

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Defined

Level

Process Standardization

Focus

Process ImprovementRisk Management Training Product IntegrationValidationVerification

Productivity& Quality

RiskRework

ImpactProcess Areas (PA)

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ManagedBasic Project Management

Project PlanningRequirements Development and ManagementProject Monitoring & ControlMeasurement & AnalysisProcess & Product Quality AssuranceConfiguration Management

14What is Process Improvement?

Technology Process

People

An ongoing quest to improve the range of expected results achieved from accomplishing a task or achieving an outcome.

15Why Do Process Improvement?

Continuous improvement is a business necessity People are more motivated when contributing

effectively Job satisfaction contributes to retention and

recruitment Performing tasks efficiently contributes to business

results An environment and attitude of continuous

improvement empowers the work force A focus on getting “ever better” helps identify real

and potential risk areas Working toward excellence collaboratively with our

customers fosters customer confidence

Expected Business Benefits16

Reducedwork

Higher quality

Increased probability of project

success

Greater stakeholder support

Improved ability to

meet schedules

Bottom line: Improved customer satisfaction, increased effectiveness, and a more committed and fulfilled staff.

17Typical Requirements-related Project Start-up Issues

Confusion reigns

Unclear requirements

Lack of high-level

requirements

Pressure to get going with the “real work”!

Customer asks the developer to provide the requirements

Lack of effective communication All stakeholders not identified

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How to improve project start-upSuggested Remedies for Typical Requirements-related Project Start-up Issues

- Identify a champion for the project requirements process

- Hire and train experienced requirements analysts

- Write a project vision and scope document

- Form and use a joint team

- Provide an “Initial Project Requirements Briefing”

- Design, document, and use the project’s requirements process

- Evolve the real requirements

- Select, deploy, implement, and use industry-proven best practices

- Engage all project staff in the requirements process

- Create a project Configuration Control Board (CCB)

- Undertake team building among project staff

- Use an automated requirements development tool

Typical

Requirements-related Startup Checklist 19

Done? Action Who?Schedule

Plan/Actual1. Identify a champion (an advocate) for the

project requirements process2. Hire trained and experienced requirements

analysts.3. Write the project vision and scope document.4. Form and use the joint team5. Provide an early project requirements briefing6. Design, document, use, and continuously

improve the project’s requirements process

7. Evolve the real requirements8. Provide training for the requirements

analysts9. Select, deploy, implement, and use

industry-proven effective requirements practices

10. Engage all project staff in the requirements process

11. Create a Project Change Control Board “CCB”12. Undertake team-building among the project staff13. Take deliberate steps to make effective

use of an automated requirements tool.14. Establish appropriate metrics for

requirements activities, e.g., requirements volatility.

15. Provide for QA of requirements activities.

Suggested Topics for Early Project Requirements Briefing20

• Overview of the requirements for the project• The project’s “Requirements Process”• Overview of the methods, techniques, and tools that will be used• The criteria of a good requirement • Types of requirements errors and how these can be reduced• Use of versions, releases, and product updates

Providing an “Early Project Requirements Briefing” facilitatesengaging all members of the project team in the requirements effort.

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How to evolve the “real requirements”(Reference: Chapter 4 of Effective Requirements Practices)

Identify and prioritize the real customer needs

Evolve the real requirements using a variety of elicitation techniquesUtilize “Criteria for a good requirementAsk: Why is each requirement needed?

Ensure joint user and developer responsibility for the requirements“Joint Team”

Prioritize requirements

Drive errors out of requirements

Invest additional time and effort at the beginning of the project

22Use Your Expertise to Reduce Costs

Only 54 percent of the originally defined features of a project are delivered.

Of those features that are delivered - 45 percent are NEVER used.”

[The Standish Group. "What Are Your Requirements?" West Yarmouth, MA: The Standish Group International, Inc., 2003, Standish Group (based on 2002 CHAOS Report)]

So one could argue that more than half of the development cost of most projects is wasted effort. That is powerful information for

customers who are willing to objectively evaluate the real requirements.

Types of Requirements Errors 23

How to Improve Business Analysis(Use the Requirements Engineering Handbook) 24

Perform requirements planning

Understand the roles of the business analyst/requirements engineer

Define and use a requirements process

Refine business analysis skills

Provide a mechanism to control changes to requirements and new requirements

Define what “quality meansUnderstand traceability

Utilize effective methods and tools

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Thanks for your participation today!

I trust that you have identified at least three things to change on your project, and that you are committed to enabling

that change!

PBEV

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inteGREATed Body of Knowledge

Thank you for attending !

Ken BergerVP Business [email protected] x225