1. Why Is Software Difficult to Build?
Lack of control
Lack of monitoring
Lack of traceability
Uncontrolled changes

2. Conflicts in Team Software Development
Simultaneous updates – how to prevent one person from undoing the changes of another
Shared and common code – how to notify everyone who needs to know about a change
Versions – how to make changes to all affected versions when needed

3. Other Software Processes
With a focus on:
Configuration management
Change management
Other Software Processes
Other Processes

4. Other Processes
Development Process is the central process around which others revolve
Methods for other processes often influenced by the dev process
Other Processes

5. Other Processes In the context of Dev Processes

6. Monitoring and control
Aspect of project management process
Lasts for the duration of the project and covers the development process
Monitors all key parameters like cost, schedule, risks
Takes corrective actions when needed
Needs information on the dev process – provided by metrics
Other Processes

7. Communication Facilitation
Realistically no plan covers everything!
Additional decisions are made during development
Documents should be updated and communicated
Typical environment
Multiple teams
Multiple user groups
Multiple disciplines
Multiple locations
In many setting PM is center of communication hub
Planning and content meetings
Other Processes

8. Meeting Types Issues Meetings QA Meetings
Regularly schedule meeting (ie. open in everyone’s schedule)
Issues gathered the day before and distributed
Issue initiator indicates required attendance
QA Meetings
Planning
Discussion with business
Discussion with developers
Regular Review of open tickets
Other Processes

9. Relationship with Dev Process
Other Processes

10. Configuration Management Process
Other Processes

11. Software Configuration Management Basics
Identification – identifying software configuration items in a baseline
Control – controlling the release of a product and changes to it throughout its lifecycle
Status Accounting – recording and reporting of the status of components and changes
Auditing and Reviewing – Validating the completeness of a product and that SCM procedures are being followed

12. SCM Definitions
Baseline – One or more software configuration items that have been formally reviewed and agreed upon and serve as a basis for further development
Software Configuration Item – A collection of software elements treated as a unit for the purposes of SCM
Configuration – A collection of all the elements of a baseline and a description of how they fit together

13. SCM Definitions (cont’d)
Configuration Control Board – Group with the responsibility for reviewing and approving changes to baselines
Software – All of the code, specifications, plans, descriptions, processes, and documents associated with a software development effort
Version – A specific instance of a baseline or configuration item

14. Background
A software project produces many items - programs, documents, data, manuals, …
All of these can be changed easily – need to keep track state of items
Software Configuration Management (SCM)
Systematically control the changes
Focus on changes during normal evolution (req changes will be handled separately)
CM requires discipline as well as tools
Other Processes

15. Background SCM often independent of dev process
Dev process looks at macro picture, but not on changes to individual items/files
As items are produced during dev they are brought under SCM
SCM controls only the products of the development process
Other Processes

16. Examples of Configuration Items
Product concept specification
Software project plans
Software requirements specifications
Software design descriptions
Source code
Database descriptions
SCM procedures
Software release processes
Software test documents
User documentation
Maintenance documentation

17. SCM Process and Dev process
Other Processes

18. Need for CM CM needed to deliver product to the client
What files should comprise the product?
What versions of these files?
How to combine these to make the product?
Just for this, versioning is needed, and state of different items has to be tracked
There are other functions of CM also
Other Processes

19. Functionality Needed Capture current state of programs
Capture latest version of a program
Undo a change and revert back to a specified version
Prevent unauthorized changes
Gather all sources, documents, and other information for the current system
Other Processes

20. CM Mechanisms Configuration identification and baselining
Version control
Access control
These are the main mechanisms, there are others like
naming conventions,
directory structure,…
Other Processes

21. Configuration Items Sw consists of many items/artifacts
In CM some identified items are placed under CM control
Changes to these are then tracked
Periodically, system is built using these items and baselines are established
Baseline – logical state of the system and all its items; is a reference point
Other Processes

22. Version Control
Allows different projects to use the same source files at the same time
Isolates work that is not ready to be shared by the rest of the project
Isolates work that should never be shared
Allows software engineers to continue development along a branch even when a line of development is frozen

23. Version and access control
Key issues in CM
Done primarily on source code through source code control systems, which also provide access control
Allows older versions to be preserved and hence can undo changes
Examples:
CVS – Original open source system (1986)
Subversion – Open source CVS replacement (1999)
Microsoft Visual SourceSafe (VSS) – targeted for smaller dev projects
IBM Rational ClearCase – Industrial strength solution
Other Processes

24. Version and Access Control
When programmer developing code – is in private area
When code is made available to others, it goes in an access-controlled library
For making changes to an item in library, it has to be checked out
Changes made by checking-in the item – versioning is automatically done
Final system is built from the library
Other Processes

25. Version/Access Control
Generally both version and access control done through CM tools
Tools limit access to specified people - formal check in, check out procedures
Automatic versioning done when a changed file is checked-in
Check-in, check-out control may
be restricted to a few people in a project
Require successful compile/build cycle
Other Processes

26. CM Process Defines the activities for controlling changes Main phases
CM Planning
Executing the CM process
CM audits
Other Processes

27. CM Planning Identify items to be placed under CM
Define library structure for CM
Define change control procedures
Define access control, baselining, reconciliation, procedures
Define release procedure
Other Processes

28. CM Audit
During project execution CM procedures have to be followed (e.g. moving items between directories, naming, following change procedures, …)
Process audit has to be done
CM audit can also check if items are where they should be
Other Processes

29. Summary – CM
CM is about managing the different items in the product, and changes in them
Developing a CM plan at the start is the key to successful to CM
CM procedures have to be followed; audits have to be performed
Requires discipline and tools
Other Processes

30. Requirements Change Management Process
Other Processes

31. Background Requirements change at any time during the development
Changes impact the work products and the various configuration items
Uncontrolled changes can have a huge adverse impact on project in cost/sched
Changes have to be allowed, but in a controlled manner
Other Processes

32. Change Control
Proposed changes to baselines must have some level of review
The impact of proposed changes must be identified and understood.
When appropriate the approval of the CCB, key managers and project members must be obtained
Approved changes must be properly implemented
After changes are made all affected parties must be notified

33. A Change Mgmt Process Log the changes
Perform impact analysis on the work products and items
Estimate impact on effort and schedule
Review impact with stakeholders
Rework the work products/items
Other Processes

34. Changes Change often triggered by change request
Change req log keeps a record of requests
Impact analysis for a change request involves identifying the changes needed to diff items, and the nature of change
The impact of changes on the project is reviewed to decide whether to go ahead
Cumulative changes also often tracked
Other Processes

35. http://www. marinebiodiversity
mapping-application/User%20Acceptance%20Test%20Plan%20and%20Change%20Request%20Process%20-%20Cur....pdf/view

36. Baseline CM
Recall:
A baseline is one or more software configuration items that have been formally reviewed and agreed upon and serve as a basis for further development
Other Processes

37. Baseline Management
What baselines are required to be defined and managed?
Typically aligned with major milestones
Applies to documents as well as code
How is the current software configuration defined?
A snapshot of everything the product has produced at some point in time

38. Baseline Management (cont’d)
Who must approve changes to baselines?
Usually the Change Control Board (CCB)
How and when are baselines created and physically controlled?
Through the use of document control systems, code control tools, and procedures to prevent the making of unapproved changes

39. Baseline Management (cont’d)
How are people informed of changes?
The CCB disseminates change information
How are baselines verified?
By reviews, inspections, and the testing of code
Are baselines tied to project milestones?
Many are, but during coding many may not be

40. Baseline Management (cont’d)
What information is required to process a change to a baseline?
A description of the proposed changes
Reasons for making the changes
List of other items affected by the changes
What tools, resources, and training are required to perform baseline change assessment?
File comparison tools to identify changes
Resources and training depend on size and complexity of project

41. Baseline Management (cont’d)
How are unauthorized changes to source code prevented, detected, and corrected?
No way to prevent unauthorized changes
Provide software engineers with training
A commercial available SCM systems provide adequate protection
Unauthorized changes should be caught during assessment procedures

42. Baseline Management (cont’d)
What tools, resources, and training are required to perform baseline management?
A fully featured SCM tool
On large projects a separate SCM group may be needed
SCM training is required for all involved in the process

43. For your project:
Should have a configuration management process defined
Change management procedures
Any changes to the baseline documents should be documented and include a formal change management request
Other Processes

44. Examples
Collegiate Project Services eliminaryChangeManagementPlan.pdf
Eclipse: equest_faq.php
Other Processes