The Crippled Team The Story of CONFIRM CS 524 – Software Engineering Dr. Sheldon X. Liang 18 Sept 2007 Darryl Nakata

Why “The Crippled Team” Team -> Sports “Crippled Team” –Lakers Current Job Situation Development vs. Sustainment

Who Was Involved? AMR Corp. –Subsidiary of American Airlines Corp. –Created successful SABRE system –Formed AMRIS Information System arm of corporation Marriott Hotels Hilton Hotels Budget Rent-A-Car Intrico Consortium –Formed by AMRIS, Marriott, Hilton, Budget

The CONFIRM Project Background –SABRE AMR’s Reservation Control System –80% Airline reservations thru similar systems –Only 20% hotel reservations –CONFIRM (Mar 1987) Comprehensive travel industry reservation program Combine airline, hotel, car rental Marriott, Hilton, Budget Intrico Consortium (Oct 1987) AMRIS – “Managing Partner – Development”

What Eventually Happened July 1992 –3½ years after starting –Intrico disbanded –$125 Million –AMR sued Marriott, Hilton, Budget –Marriott, Hilton, Budget sued AMR –AMR agreed to pay est. $160 million

What Happened In Between Initial Agreement (Sept 1988) –Two phases: Design & Development –Completed by June 1992 (45 months) –$55.7M initial estimate –$1.05/reservation operating cost est.

What Happened In Between, II Dec 1988 –“Base Design” presented by AMRIS –Marriott claimed “inadequate” specs –Later audit described specs as too general (1992) Mar 1989 –AMRIS declared specs complete –Unacceptable to partners –Reworked for next six months

What Happened In Between, III Sept 1989 –Design Phase completed –Price estimate increased to $72.6M –Cost of reservation increased to $1.30 –Partners accepted plan –Deadline revised to July 1992 Feb 1990 –Missed deadline for terminal screen design and BAA phase –AMRIS admitted being behind schedule (13 wks)

What Happened In Between, III Summer/Fall 1990 –Partners concerned with progress –AMRIS assures being on schedule, but eventually admits to being over 1 year behind Feb 1991 –AMRIS presents “re-plan” –Functionality – Hilton only by June 1992 –New price: $92M

What Happened In Between, IV SummerFall 1991 –About ½ people were looking for new positions –AMRIS President resigned 1992 –8 AMRIS Executives fired (April) –Intrico disbanded (July) –AMRIS files countersuit (Sept)

What Went Wrong Schedule slips “Traveled Work” “Spin” – not dealing with reality Lack of Ethics Dishonesty Failed Tests

Lessons Team: Provider & Client Client responsibilities: –Clear requirements –Accountability –Awareness (vigilance) Provider responsibilities: –Right people –Right product

Crippled Team? Not seeing the signs (blind) Not hearing what was really being said (deaf) Not saying what was wrong (mute) More…?

Questions?