Collecting Project Information

• How Should We Collect Information ?

– Formally (on a regular basis):• what we have planned to collect

• what we have set up and prepared ourselves to collect

– Informally (not regular but often):• “walking the hall” and “by the water cooler”

• inviting team members for informal “chat”

• visit people’s “offices”

- We really need both! - Informal --- is changing with internet, physically distributed resources, and social networking software

Formal Data Gathering & Monitoring

• Should be performed on a regular basis:– weekly

– semi-monthly

– monthly

– etc.

• How often depends on– the size and length of the project

– the specific activity

• What form depends on earlier plan and preparation:– Standard Format

– Numerical/logical/etc.

What Do We Collect?Remember the Goals ?

• We collect data and monitor “actual” against “planned goals”

– Product attribute goals:• quality• completeness of function• reliability• etc.

– Project and People attribute goals:• productivity• schedule • morale• etc.

See Chapter 8 onMeasurements and Goals

Most popular one

Monitored Information

• Project “Status” is really saying:

– Where we stand today “relative” to the target – Show “actual” vs “planned” by areas of interest

(“goals”)

If you changed the “planned”, show the trace of changes - include the date of change - “approved-by-whom” information - *** additional info such as “impact” of change ***

Several Types of Data Collection

• Activity Based:– collecting information on one or more attributes

related to a set of activities• completion date• time expended• effort or other resources expended

– the activities are most likely those within a process or a method

• Attribute Based:– collecting information on one or more sub-attributes

related to a specific project attribute of interest: the specific attribute may be an entity

• the specific attribute is often schedule, function, etc.

In reality ---- mostly a mix of both

Activity Based Example

Milestone ActivitiesPlanned Completion

Actual Completion Delta

Req. Solicitation

Req. Analysis

Req. Documentation

Req. Verification

Req. Approval

07/10/2002

07/25/2002

08/15/2002

08/25/2002

07/10/2002

07/15/2002

07/25/2002

08/17/2002

+ 5 days

0 days

+2 days

This requirements activities based data allows us to gauge the schedule attribute of that set of activities. Note that this does not talk to resources, productivity, efficiency , etc. (only schedule)

Date : _8/20/2002_

Attribute Based Example

Functionality Attribute

Planned # of Features

Completed # of Features Delta

Function 1

Function 2

Function 3

Function 4

Function 5

13 (7/15)

25 (8/15)

9 (8/15)

7 (8/15)

11 (8/25)

13 (7/15)

22 (8/20)

8 (8/20)

0

-3

-1

Note that this is collecting data on product functional completeness attribute.It is collecting data on the product “functionality” attribute and the “# of features completed” attribute on the specific date (mm, dd) for each function.

7 (8/12)

9 (8/20)

0

-2

Date : 8/20/2002

May neverbe completed ?

A More Complex Exampleof Activities and a “quality” Attribute

based on Severity 1 problems

ActivitiesF1

Delta

Req. Review

Design Review

Functional Test

Component Test

System Test

(5,5)

1

3

0

Note that this is collecting data on product quality attribute : Severity 1 problems(found , resolved) by each defect detection and removal activities. Delta is the number of severity 1 problem still remain unresolved. F’s are functional area(s)

1

2

F2 F3

(6,6)

(3,3)

(3,2)

(4,3)

(7,7)

(6,6)

(3,3)

(2,2)

(3,2)

(4,3)

(5,2)

. . . . Should bealarmed ifthese werefrom F1 orF2. Why?

Date : _8/20/2002_

*** Note - - this is NOT a planned vs actual comparison chart !! --- ? ***

A More Financially Oriented Monitoring(in $k)

Act. Plan

Function X

Function Y

Function Z

2.5

6

16

8.59

Plan Act.

3.5

6.2

4.0 5.0

4.0

9.0 10.0

2.0

5.0

5.2

. . . .

FunctionalArea

release 1expense

release 2expense

Plan

7.0

Act.Rev. $

Accumulative

7.7

16.2

54

60

89

1.2

0

2.3

.

.

.

Expenses (people, tools, travel, education, general) by functional areas .vs. Revenue

Date: 8/20/2003

Plan Act

Need tospreadout byRelease ?

Formal Status Meetings

1. Should be planned with and “agenda”– run this efficiently because for everyone else this is

NOT their “main” responsibility

– The meeting should not last more than 2-3 hours• consider the expense side of the meetings & meeting prep

– (e.g.) 3hrs/40hrs per week = 7.5 % in meeting per week

2. Do not reschedule or postpone meeting too many times

– it will lose its legitimacy and relevancy

3. * Do not jump too deeply into “surprise” items– schedule a separate meeting involving only the

relevant people

4. Do not turn meeting into “rubber” stamping

Informal Status Gathering

• Informal Data Gathering is based on – goodwill

– trust

– “listening” well and patiently

• If Physically Co-located– proactively “walk the halls” often

– invite people into your “open” office

– stop in people’s office and “chat”; do not stay too aloof

• If Remote Location – make some “physical- contacts” visits

– utilize phone, e-mail, video-conferencing “regularly”

– Need to Develop even more “TRUST” when remote

Trust