Otto VinterSoftware Engineering Mentor

Otto VinterSoftware Engineering Mentor

Tel/Fax: +45 4399 2662, Mobile: +45 4045 0771vinter@ottovinter.dkwww.ottovinter.dk

Otto VinterSoftware Engineering Mentor

Software configuration management is the Software configuration management is the unsung hero of software developmentunsung hero of software development• SCM solutions, when operating efficiently, are scarcely seen

or heard • they are transparent to its users • they free developers to code without unwieldy processes • they ensure efficient and secure handling of project artifacts

— for project managers, testers and quality assurance• they guarantee that agreed products are shipped to the end users

• However, SCM solutions are not always operating efficiently • there are a number of constraints to be met• and opposition to be countered

— Milligan (2003), Improving Business Value with Software Configuration Management, IBM

© 2009 www.ottovinter.dk

Otto VinterSoftware Engineering Mentor

Panel Idea Panel Idea • What if SCM was a service to be purchased by its

users? • What would they be asking for? • Which services would we most want to sell them? • What would be most important to each of them?

developers, testers, QA, project managers, higher level management, and product end-users?

• What is the impact of lean and agile development?

• Can we make a business case for SCM solutions?• What SCM issues could be argued to be the most important

– from a business point of view?• How can you make SCM a core business process

– in your organisation?

 © 2010 www.ottovinter.dk

Otto VinterSoftware Engineering Mentor

Panel ParticipantsPanel ParticipantsPanelists• Claus Jepsen: Senior Project Manager (PMI),

KMD – Projekt og Konsulentforretningen, Denmark

• Henrik Andersson: Test Coach, House of Test Consulting, Sweden

• Mikael Piotrowski: SCM-aware Software Engineer, Tailor Store, Sweden

• Ulf Asklund: CM strategist, Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, Sweden

Moderator• Otto Vinter, Software Engineering Mentor, Denmark

And YOU – the audience !© 2010 www.ottovinter.dk

Otto VinterSoftware Engineering Mentor

Panel procedurePanel procedure• Each participant will present and argue his position

– the time allotted to him will be 5 minutes

• Then the floor will be opened for discussion – first between the panelists, and later the

full audience • The discussions will be moderated

– don’t make it too difficult for me

• The time allotted for the discussions will be 35 minutes

© 2010 www.ottovinter.dk

Otto VinterSoftware Engineering Mentor

Claus Jepsen, Senior Project Manager (PMI)Claus Jepsen, Senior Project Manager (PMI)• SCM is typically seen as a technical term, but the requirement is actually much

more that Software CM. Unfortunately very few IT-professionals have realized that.

• I see a need to position SCM as more than Software Configuration Management to something like Project Configuration Management or Integrity Management.

• The challenge is this: Project Management and Software Development operates in two different worlds from a SCM perspective. They often use different tools and the different configuration items, e.g. requirement specification, task list, plans, risk log, use cases, code and test documentation often lives in different systems out of sync and rarely base-lined together.

• I call for a wide understanding of configuration management as a integrated set of CI’s from both worlds. And I miss information, education material and competence training for consultants, developers and project managers. Maybe we talk too much about how to refine SCM from a developers perspective and too little of how to combine the two worlds into integrity management.

• Finally, I would like to stress that SCM and Integrity Management should never be implemented using a “One tool to solve all problems”-approach. Most companies already have chosen tools for document management, software configuration and defect tracking. The real challenge is to combine those environmental decisions into a simple manageable integrity control tool.

© 2010 www.ottovinter.dk

Otto VinterSoftware Engineering Mentor

Henrik Andersson, Test CoachHenrik Andersson, Test CoachWhen I think of "SCM as a service" I relate this to concept “software as a

service”.• Is SCM so complicated that a development team would benefit from having

this as a service instead of taking care of it themselves? I would say yes, many cases I been in contact with have had quite complicated SCM solutions. However my suspicion is that SCM often is done in in an overly protected way because we put little trust in our developers. The SCM is trying to cover for bad or sloppy development discipline and practices. Today with a strong Agile wave coming over us do we then really want to buy SCM as a service? I´m not sure of this, I think if I was on a development team I would rather have that competence within the team and to have as clean and straight forward SCM practice as possible. I base this on a general principal for agile development to always have working software and that all new code will be “checked in” on one track.

• SCM is also strongly connected with continuous integration (CI) and I believe it will be hard to get efficient SCM and CI if we where to separate them into independent services. I want to be open and flexible to be able to react on change and my fear is that I as a user of the SCM service would be lured into a complex SCM solution that will trap me and make me dependent on the service provider.

© 2010 www.ottovinter.dk

Otto VinterSoftware Engineering Mentor

Mikael Piotrowski: SCM-aware Software EngineerMikael Piotrowski: SCM-aware Software EngineerYou can't sell SCM service as a whole. You need to sell it in powerful bite-size

chunks. There are several reasons why:• SCM is large and vast. The users won't be able to learn it “all” with short

sessions and don't have much time to do so in their own time.• Users will resist; and how! It's natural for some people. Why do it this new

way when their old way "works"? You really need to get your hands dirty, working with the users, in order to understand what problems that needs to be solved with SCM.

• There are some processes in SCM, depending on the organization, which can be done in low fidelity. Examples can be enforcing everyone to keep a to-do list and have shorter stand-up meetings. Once they start doing that and there is a need to automate it, installing a tool to help with the process will be much easier.

• In order to implement an SCM process effectively, you not only need management buy-in but also end-user buy-in. Most effectively you'll do that with users who've seen it work elsewhere and really want to reap the benefits of said tool or process.

© 2010 www.ottovinter.dk

Ulf Asklund: CM strategist (1/2)Ulf Asklund: CM strategist (1/2)The customers want more

structure and control…… than they first realize and ask for…… and it is a process to get there

Customers ask for - simplify their workMost important for customers – efficient data mgmtMost important for the company – no sub

optimizationsWant to “sell” from CM org. – well integrated CM

expertise

System A System B

Integration

A

B

C

D

E

F

A

G

D

A

C

D

E

F

?

!

CM StandardTo provide:• Common business language • Cross process and system semantics• Education and Information for personnel• Holistic view input to business/IT improvements

Ulf Asklund: CM strategist (2/2) Ulf Asklund: CM strategist (2/2) Integrated CM expertiseIntegrated CM expertise

Processes:• Defined deliverables• Maturity and approvals

People:• Common business language• Easy to find data and understand what it can be used for.• Support all product and project phases

Tools:• One information model• Implementation of business CM rules• Master data and integrations

Otto VinterSoftware Engineering Mentor

Now the discussion among panelists – and you, the audience

© 2010 www.ottovinter.dk