CEN th Lecture CEN 4021 Software Engineering II Instructor: Masoud Sadjadi Release Management Council

18 th LectureCEN 4021: Software Engineering II Acknowledgements  Dr. Onyeka Ezenwoye  Dr. Peter Clarke 2

18 th LectureCEN 4021: Software Engineering II Agenda  Release Management Council

18 th LectureCEN 4021: Software Engineering II The team management approach  Software projects are becoming very large and complex  There is very little reason for all aspects of software to be managed by a single person.  Especially when the project is sourced from physically distant areas.

18 th LectureCEN 4021: Software Engineering II The team management approach  Knowledge of many organization members can be utilized in decision making.  All stakeholders need to be included in the definition of the software project team.  The knowledge, opinion and cooperation of subgroup team leaders should be sought by the project team.

18 th LectureCEN 4021: Software Engineering II The team management approach  Release management council is a special team management group.  Members of this group must understand two important complementary principles: –Responsibility and Authority.  Very little chance for success with one and not the other.

18 th LectureCEN 4021: Software Engineering II The team management approach  Responsibility –Relates to members’ accountability for project success or failure. Members must view the success of the project as a team goal.  Authority –Relates to the power to make or participate in the making of decisions so as the achieve team goals.  Responsibility must be accompanied by commensurate authority.

18 th LectureCEN 4021: Software Engineering II Formulating a release management council  Release management council is charged with setting goals, policies and guiding the project.  Members are picked from different parts of the organization representing major activities.  Ensure that decisions are made in a timely manner.  Make appropriate adjustments as necessary.

18 th LectureCEN 4021: Software Engineering II Formulating a release management council  Members are team leaders representing the following activity areas: –Customer requirements –Design and architecture –Implementation –Tools, techniques –Testing –Configuration management –Quality assurance –Customer support

18 th LectureCEN 4021: Software Engineering II Formulating a release management council Release Management Council Education Human resources Project manager Finance Customer support Testing QA Programming requirement s Design Tools and support Config. Mngmt. Marketing / sales Customer

18 th LectureCEN 4021: Software Engineering II Formulating a release management council  Release management council should be introduced at project inception.  Members do not need to be department managers.  Task description should be part of normal member’s performance plans.

18 th LectureCEN 4021: Software Engineering II Release management mode of operation  Mode of operation of a project utilizing the release management approach is that of shared responsibility and shared authority.  Members should be stable and constant attendees of the regular project status meeting.

18 th LectureCEN 4021: Software Engineering II Release management mode of operation  Members participate in the following all of the following activities: –Sharing data and information –Analyzing and evaluating information –Making decisions and resolving problems –Communicating the information –Coordinating their own groups activities with other groups.

18 th LectureCEN 4021: Software Engineering II Release management mode of operation  Release management council meeting should be inclusive and mandatory  Avoid formation of subgroups  Involved in the planning, organizing, solution, and change decisions  Minutes should be compiled and sent to all council members.

18 th LectureCEN 4021: Software Engineering II Release management mode of operation  Meeting agenda should include the following topics: –The status of unresolved items –The status of risk items –Tracking data collected –Short discussion and scheduling of any off-line meetings –The generation of status and follow-up open items

18 th LectureCEN 4021: Software Engineering II Release management mode of operation  Release management council makes decision on state of products conclusion.  This decision becomes difficult if project is not tracking according to plan.  Council may hold product release back if product is not ready.  Delaying release can have implications for revenues, costs or reputation.

18 th LectureCEN 4021: Software Engineering II Release management mode of operation  Release options include the following: –Delay the project with no release to customers –Release parts of the product, delay problem areas until fixed –Release the product to a small controlled group of customers –Release the product to everyone, establish superb customer support

18 th LectureCEN 4021: Software Engineering II Release management mode of operation  There may be some negativity associated with product release delay. –Customer fears about quality, usability, etc  Project managers should be prepared to tackle product problems and reestablishing customer support confidence.  Releasing only a portion of the product can lessen the brunt of the delay.

18 th LectureCEN 4021: Software Engineering II Release management mode of operation  There are situations where customers may be willing to take an imperfect release. –Problem areas may not be needed till later  Consult sales and marketing group, or even the customers directly.  Ensure customer service reps are aware of the condition of the release.

18 th LectureCEN 4021: Software Engineering II Release management mode of operation  Unfinished product may be released to establish market precedence is problems are deemed “non-life threatening”  Steps must be taken to ensure proper support.  This strategy may backfire and create early image of low quality.