A method for software quality planning, control, and evaluation

Squid is a method and a tool for quality assurance and a control that allows a software development organization to plan and control product quality during development. The Telescience software development project used it to build a remote monitoring and control system based in Antarctica     

The Synchronizer, a model for feasibility analysis and financial planning

This paper presents The Synchronizer, a powerful integrated management tool that is designed to help when evaluating the feasibility of industrial projects and preparing an optimal plan for their implementation. The Synchronizer uses as input, the forecasted demand data of the different prospective products. The Synchronizer then performs an analysis and an evaluation of the project and provides reports showing its performance over the planning horizon. These reports include the fixed assets and the startup expenses that are needed for starting the project as well as the optimum resources allocation. It also gives the optimum production plan to meet the forecasted demand. Also given by The Synchronizer are the inventory levels over the production planning period, the accounts receivable and accounts payable, the production costs and overheads, the Bill of Materials, for both imported and local materials, etc. The paper also includes an example case study to demonstrate the use of this powerful tool in the analysis of a project with alternative development plans.     

版本管理与代码走查系统设计与实现

为优化软件项目管理,解决软件版本管理混乱、人工代码走查过程负责和结果难于控制的问题,研究了软件版本管理工具和代码走查工具,介绍了版本管理工具和代码走查工具在软件项目管理中应用。根据实践中软件项目管理的需求,提供了一种版本管理工具Subversion与代码走查工具Reviewboard相结合的系统的实现方法,介绍了版本管理工具和代码走查工具的安装部署,给出了一种基于该系统的软件开发应用流程。     

Dynamic project performance estimation by combining static estimation models with system dynamics

Changes in user requirements or project personnel occur frequently during project execution particularly in long-term and large-size projects. We need a tool which can estimate the effects of changing conditions to effectively manage the project.This paper proposes a simulation method for dynamic project performance in terms of effort, schedule, and defect density changes in a dynamic project environment by combining COCOMO II with system dynamics. We apply expert judgment technique to overcome the lack of empirical data on the effects of dynamic project environment. We develop a simulation tool (available on the authors’ website) which has model adjustment parameters to reflect experts’ estimation on project characteristics. The simulation experiment on a military application development project demonstrates that the developed model can show the behavioral characteristics of a project suffering unanticipated and uncontrolled requirements creep. This helps project managers understand interactions between project factors and proactively evaluate and control the effects of dynamic project environment.     

MINIMIZING RESISTANCE TO TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE A Power and Politics Approach

To minimize organizational resistance to implementation of an automated project management tool, a technology team at Apollo Computer used a power and politics approach emphasizing the role of coalitions in decision making. The team built a coalition favorable toward the new tool by involving key project managers in all phases of the implementation process.     

A model-based DSS for integrating the impact of learning in project control

Earned Value Method (EVM) is a popular project control technique. In this paper, we discuss the extended version of EVM (EVM/LC) that addresses the effect of learning on the performance of project teams. These effects have so far been ignored in most EVM applications. We present a spreadsheet-based decision support tool that automates the calculations and analyses in EVM/LC. Using this tool would save the project manager from having to perform complicated calculations while still taking advantage of the relatively accurate estimates generated by EVM/LC. Consequently, this paper contributes to both research and practice in project management.     

MINIMIZING RESISTANCE TO TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE A Power and Politics Approach

Abstract

To minimize organizational resistance to implementation of an automated project management tool, a technology team at Apollo Computer used a power and politics approach emphasizing the role of coalitions in decision making. The team built a coalition favorable toward the new tool by involving key project managers in all phases of the implementation process.     

The Project Management Maturity Model

This article describes a five-level model of project management maturity that can be used as a structured assessment tool for a company's project management capability.     

The educational impact of metacognitive group coordination in computer-supported collaborative learning

Group coordination is a crucial component for successful collaborative learning, but is hard to achieve in an online learning environment. A web-based group coordination tool was developed based on metacognitive scaffolding principles for the study. The tool was implemented in an online course for a group project and its effects were investigated. A total of 59 students formed into 20 groups participated in and completed a project while being guided with the tool. Based on response rate to metacognitive prompts of the tool, groups were categorized as Active Metacognitive Team (AMT, n = 30) or Passive Metacognitive Team (PMT, n = 29). AMT showed higher positive interdependence than PMT at the end of the project. AMT perceived reciprocal help among group members while PMT did not. AMT also evaluated its group process higher than PMT did. These results show that groups who more actively used the coordination support tool established positive interdependence, engaged in positive interactions, and had enhanced group productivity.     

Enhancing Open Source Software in Alignment with CMMI-DEV

To provide comprehensive, low-cost tool support for project monitoring and control for small organizations in particular, the authors compare the most popular free/open source Web-based project management applications against their compliance to CMMI-DEV. Based on this analysis, they implement a set of enhancements to dotProject, including Earned Value Management, and evaluate the resulting application with respect to its CMMI-compliance. Their initial experiences applying the tool in an R&D organization indicate that it helps establish a systematic project monitoring and control process by supporting or automating tasks. In this way, it presents an open, flexible, and free tool-integration solution for project management, illustrating that open-source tools might be appealing, especially for small organizations.     

Early Lifecycle Work: Influence of Individual Characteristics, Methodological Constraints, and Interface Constraints

Thispaper reports the results of an experiment undertaken for theCADPRO (Constraints And the Decision PROject) project. Subjectswith varied experience produced data flow diagrams (DFDs) usinga DFD tool generated by CASEMaker, a meta-CASE tool. Half thesubjects received routine notice of instances of internal (asopposed to hierarchical) methodological constraint violationsvia an unobtrusive window whilst the other half did not. TheDFD tool automatically recorded subjects' delivery and constraintprofiles. Video records, observer notes, and subject debriefingswere also used to yield other performance data. While evidencewas found in support of the research model underpinning the CADPROproject, the model needs to be revised to take into account theaffects of human-computer interface constraints and the differentspeeds with which people work. We learnt an important lessonabout subject randomisation, which is not to assume that allsubjects can be treated alike if they share the minimum necessaryexperience thought required of the problem. We believe it isimportant for every subject-based experiment to consider andunderstand the performance of individuals. Because of the complexityof constraint environments in CASE tools we also conclude thatstudies comparing extreme programming approaches with conventionalCASE tool approaches are needed to help determine if the struggleto understand the constraint environment at a high level of abstractionis worthwhile or not. Further experiments, possibly replicationvariants of this one, are needed to help validate our interpretations.     

Establishment and application of Enterprise management maturity model based on multimedia data information systems

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Project management maturity model is a method and tool to help the project management organizations evaluate and improve their own project management level, and...     

A streamlined, cost-effective database approach to manage requirements traceability

Requirements traceability offers many benefits to software projects, and it has been identified as critical for successful development. However, numerous challenges exist in the implementation of traceability in the software engineering industry. Some of these challenges can be overcome through organizational policy and procedure changes, but the lack of cost-effective traceability models and tools remains an open problem. A novel, cost-effective solution for the traceability tool problem is proposed, prototyped, and tested in a case study using an actual software project. Metrics from the case study are presented to demonstrate the viability of the proposed solution for the traceability tool problem. The results show that the proposed method offers significant advantages over implementing traceability manually or using existing commercial traceability approaches.     

蒙特卡洛模拟的网络图项目多目标可靠性研究

选取工序工时、工序成本、工序质量作为基本变量,利用蒙特卡洛模拟和网络不交化方法构建了一种网络图项目多目标（工期、成本、质量）可靠性优化模型。从数理统计的角度,计算工期可靠性、成本可靠性、质量可靠性、项目施工可靠性及定义工序影响度,对优化其目标可靠性指明方向。通过对某工程项目进行实证研究,验证了该可靠性模型的可行性与实用性,为评价网络图项目提供了一种有力的工具。     

Experience from using information technology in the training of managers

In this paper the problem of training project managers in Greece is tackled, together with the training practices and methods currently used. A solution is proposed in the form of METHODMAN I, an intelligent courseware tool for basic methodology training. Some functional and pedagogical aspects of the tool are presented, together with experience gained from its usage to date. The need for such a training tool is established from the results of a survey among project managers in the Greek information technology sector showing the difficulties of training managers quickly and efficiently. METHODMAN I requires a number of adaptations for the Greek market for it to be useful as a training program for Greek managers. Several expected adaptation problems are noted and, finally, the next version of the tool is briefly described.     

Ranking projects for an electricity utility using ELECTRE III

Ranking and selecting projects is a common yet often difficult task with typically more than one dimension for measuring project impacts and more than one decision maker. We describe a project selection methodology developed and used since 1998 for Mighty River Power, a New Zealand electricity generator, which incorporates the ELECTRE III decision support tool. Although several other multiple criteria approaches could have been used, features of ELECTRE III such as outranking, and indifference and preference thresholds were well received by our decision makers. More than the use of a specific decision support tool, we focus particularly on the successful implementation of a simple, structured multicriteria methodology for a yearly project selection exercise and document this over 8 years in a changing managerial context.     

基于工作流的高校科研项目管理Petri网建模

科研项目管理是高校科研信息系统的核心部分之一,利用Petri网,对复杂的科研项目管理工作流程建模,解决高校信息化中较为复杂的科研项目管理工作流问题。以高校科研项目申请流程为例,给出了相关定义,分析和解决建模中遇到的几个问题。