Archive for the ‘Software Engineering’ Category

SDLC, Phases and task ownership – Inception / Initiation Phase (2)

  Continuing from the previous article, we move on to the Inception phase, this phase starts after the Inquiry phase completes. During this phase, the development manager or Project Manager creates the Engineering Requirement Specification (ERS), which describes all technical requirements of the project. This phase ends if the ERS is signed as complete and […]

October 10, 2007 · Rahul Desai · No Comments
Posted in: Project Management, Software Engineering

SDLC, Phases and task ownership – Inquiry / Investigation Phase…(1)

I would want to share the overall software development process which I have successfully followed on many projects in the past, I am not talking about the definition of each phase or what should be done in each phase, but would focus more on the ownership and responsibility matrix for each phase and all the tasks within […]

October 6, 2007 · Rahul Desai · No Comments
Posted in: Project Management, Software Engineering

Fixed cost Quotes…the other side

A fixed cost definition can be broadly termed as below (as any standard IT Person can perceive): Should it bid at modest rates and go over budget, the Vendor / Developer will eat the cost, – thus, stating a risk for Vendor / Developer. On the contrary, in case it is hard to predict in terms of time […]

June 5, 2007 · Rahul Desai · No Comments
Posted in: Project Management, Software Engineering

Software development blunders…..Exposing programmers / developers to clients

This seems to be a common issues when working with small teams, exposing programmers / developers to clients i.e allowing clients to directly access programmers for their development requirements. The common reasons why it happens: Client feel comfortable passing on requirements directly (instead of documenting it and processing it through the development process) Project managers […]

May 28, 2007 · Rahul Desai · No Comments
Posted in: Project Management, Software Engineering

The top 10 dead (or dying) computer skills

Great story ….good to know VFP is nowhere on the list (would not be in TOP 25 dead skills…I presume)…. Link to The top 10 dead (or dying) computer skills Technorati tags: General, Rahul Desai

May 26, 2007 · Rahul Desai · No Comments
Posted in: General, Software Engineering

The final tasks and the final stages ….

On most of the projects (which are overrun), the project team and the project manager realize they are not prepared to complete the project on schedule and then the project manager looks for ways to speed up the process to complete the job on time, which usually means additional hours, nights, and weekends. As a successful […]

May 21, 2007 · Rahul Desai · No Comments
Posted in: Project Management, Software Engineering

Software development blunders…..not re-phasing / re-scheduling project tasks…..

It is a common scenario, where in you are into the development phase and you find you are lagging behind on development schedule or implementation schedule for a phase. And in such cases most common mistake made by project managers is “not revising the project tasks and / or priority of pending tasks”. The outcome […]

May 19, 2007 · Rahul Desai · No Comments
Posted in: Project Management, Software Engineering

Software development blunders…Large development teams…

Myth – Large development team can complete projects quickly… Larger the development team, more efforts required towards the management and the administrative tasks and less focus on key project tasks. Also, in event of project over runs, the cost of the maintaining the team multiplies rapidly…..resulting in huge revenue losses. Even if, developing of software could be […]

April 26, 2007 · Rahul Desai · No Comments
Posted in: Project Management, Software Engineering

Software development blunders…Fixes cost quotes…

Planning software-development projects based on fixed cost quotes or fixed man days basically does not work due to the unique nature of software development and hence wherever possible should be avoided. Client and the developer should always understand this industry fact and should be willing to resolve costing issues upfront (if and when it arises during project […]

April 25, 2007 · Rahul Desai · No Comments
Posted in: Project Management, Software Engineering

Project Scope and Estimate management….

Software development projects should definitely have a separate “Scope” document specially written which : Contains the micro level definitions for the work to be done as part of the project including Object level validations (very difficult to achieve but can be broadly spec’ ed out) Number of times the change cycle be allowed Change of delivery […]

April 4, 2007 · Rahul Desai · No Comments
Posted in: Project Management, Software Engineering, Talman news