Software Process and Measurement Cast

Welcome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 140! SPaMCAST 140 features my interview with Raja Bavani. We talked about his great article "The ten best influences on software product engineering." The article was originally publised in the SDTime This was a wide ranging interview went beyond influences and wrestles with the future! Raja Bavani is Technical Director of MindTree’s Product Engineering Services (PES) group and plays the role of Product Engineering Evangelist and Agile Coach. He has more than 20 years of experience in the IT industry and has published papers at international conferences on topics related to Code Quality, Distributed Agile, Customer Value Management and Software Estimation. His PES experience started during the early 90s, when he was involved in porting a leading ERP product across various UNIX platforms. Later he moved onto products that involved data mining and master data management. During early 2000, he worked with some of the niche independent software vendors in the hospitality and finance domains. At MindTree, he has worked with some of the top vendors of virtualization platforms, business service management solutions and health care products. His areas of interests include Global Delivery Model, Agile Software Development, Requirements Engineering, Software Architecture, Software Reuse, Customer Value Management, Knowledge Management, and IT Outsourcing. He is a member of IEEE and IEEE Computer Society. He regularly interfaces with educational institutions to offer guest lectures and writes for technical conferences. His Product Engineering blog is available at http://www.mindtree.com/blogs/category/software-product-engineeringHis articles and white papers on Agile Software Development are available at: http://mindtree.com/category/tags/agileHe can be reached at raja_bavani@mindtree.comRaja's personal blog - http://se-thoughtograph.blogspot.com Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received great unsolicited reviews and the book has been picked up as a text book for university level work. Have you bought your copy? Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement CastEmail: spamcastinfo@gmail.comVoicemail: +1-206-888-6111Website: www.spamcast.netTwitter: www.twitter.com/tcagleyFacebook: http://bit.ly/16fBWV Next! So you want to go agile . . .in the SPaMCAST 141 I will present a simple checklist of factors you need to deal with as you progress with change.

Welcome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 139! In the SPaMCAST 139 we begin an exploration of financial metrics. The first class of financial metrics is those metrics that are used to decide which projects should be done. I call these return metrics and they ask the questions: Should we do this project? And more broadly, are their better uses for our assets? Generally these are questions are asked at the beginning of a project but can be equally powerful at different times during the project life cycle. Return metrics are focused on the financial aspect of project but less tangible assets can be incorporated. Attributes such as risk and strategy are examples of attributes that are often quantified and incorporated. Examples of this class of metric include Return on Assets (ROA), Return on Investment (ROI), payback period and Internal Rate of Return (IRR). In all cases these metrics account for income, a hurdle rate (interest rate or expected rate of return) and a comparison cost either based on assets, income, or equity. While these ratios are a rich source of decision making information, what they are not are tools to manage a project or programs. We begin with Return on Assets (ROA) is a ratio of the earnings generate from a project compared to the assets used to generate that revenue. ROA is a classic financial metric that when applied to projects, is typically used as a technique for project acceptance or in retrospective as a tool to evaluate overall performance. Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: "This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, neither for you or your team." Have you bought your copy? Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement Cast:Email: spamcastinfo@gmail.comVoicemail: +1-206-888-6111Website: www.spamcast.netTwitter: www.twitter.com/tcagleyFacebook: http://bit.ly/16fBWV Next! SPaMCAST 140 features my interview with Raja Bavani from Mindtree. We discussed his recent article,“The 10 best influences on software product engineering.” THis is a fantastic interview that gives context to the world of software engineering we inhabit.

Welcome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 138! SPaMCAST 138 features my interview with Jo Ann Sweeney. I think we would all agree that communication is an important tool for taming the clash of organizational perspectives, for creating a platform for collaboration or in other words for making projects work. Our interview covered these points and more and is a must for all of my listeners! Meet Jo Ann Sweeney Some years ago my husband and I were having an argument. We had opposite views and seemed to be going round in circles. I couldn’t understand why. Then the penny dropped. It was all about perspective. He sees things in black and white; I see in shades of grey. Once he realised I understood his point of view he expected me to agree with him. For him my understanding equalled agreement. Since then I’ve come to realise this same clash of perspectives happens in organisations all the time. Leaders and employees have very different outlooks that can undermine the whole organisation. Either they trust each other’s perspectives and are willing to collaborate. Or they use up huge amounts of energy trying to coerce each other – creating frustration, resistance, delays and escalating costs. In my 25+ years with multinationals, SMEs, government departments and charities I’ve come to realise this is all about relationships of trust. And about people listening to and understanding each other; being willing to put themselves in other people’s shoes. Today I lead Sweeney Communications , a consultancy dedicated to helping communicators and project professionals deliver communication activities that build trust and rapport with their audiences both internally and externally. My role invariably is as a catalyst, asking the difficult questions that help clients understand what their leaders expect of them. Then holding their hands while they win the buy-in of key people – executives, team members, government, customers. Much of what I’m learning I share through the CommsAbilities blog and ezine ; and the annual virtual Worth Working Summit Jo Ann Sweeney is a chartered marketer and trained journalist, and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and of the Institute of Internal Communication. Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received great unsolicited reviews and the book has been picked up as a text book for university level work. Have you bought your copy? Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement CastEmail: spamcastinfo@gmail.comVoicemail: +1-206-888-6111Website: www.spamcast.netTwitter: www.twitter.com/tcagleyFacebook: http://bit.ly/16fBWV Next!In the SPaMCAST 139 we will return to the Metrics Minute and tackle one or two of the financial metrics that are important for projects.

Welcome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 137! SPaMCAST 137 features an essay titled Abstractions. The essay begins: The world is complex; it is comprised of a myriad of processes each with their own slice of complexity. We all fear being sucked into whirlpool of complexity as evidenced by the laundry list of best selling books that purport to provide the tools needed to take control of our personal and professional worlds. Also included in this SPaMCAST is a product review by Joseph Hurtado, a long time SPaMCAST listener, for Agile Board which is an IPad app for agile / Kanban tool. Thank you for the review Joseph! Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: "This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, neither for you or your team." Have you bought your copy? Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement CastEmail: spamcastinfo@gmail.comVoicemail: +1-206-888-6111Website: www.spamcast.netTwitter: www.twitter.com/tcagleyFacebook: http://bit.ly/16fBWV Next! SPaMCAST 136 features my first live interview with Paul Brynes. We discussed the changes in the SCAMPI methodology used to appraise the CMMI. Important stuff if you have anything to do with the CMMI.

Welcome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 136! SPaMCAST 136 features my interview with Dr Ginger Levin and J. LeRoy Ward discussing their new book, Program Management Complexity: A Competency Model (ESI International Project Management Series). We discussed program management, the impact of agile techniques and why competency is critical. A wonderful information packed interview! Dr. Ginger Levin is a senior consultant and educator in project management. Her specialty areas are portfolio management, program management, the Project Management Office, knowledge management, metrics, and maturity assessments. She is certified as a PMP®, PgMP®, and as an OPM3 Assessor and Consultant. She was the second person in the world to receive the PgMP. In addition, Dr. Levin is an Adjunct Professor for the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, where she teaches in its M.S. in Project Management Program and for SKEMA (Esc Lille) University, France, in its project management program at the master’s and doctoral level. Also, she is a Visiting Professor for RMIT in Melbourne, Australia. In consulting, she has served as Project Manager in numerous efforts for Fortune 500 and public-sector clients, including UPS, Citibank, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, General Electric, SAP, EADS, John Deere, Schreiber Foods, TRW, the New York City Transit Authority, the U.S. Joint Forces Command, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Prior to her work in consulting, she held positions of increasing responsibility with the U.S. Government, including the Federal Aviation Administration, Office of Personnel Management, and the General Accounting Office. She is the co-author of Implementing Program Management: Forms and Templates Aligned with the Standard for Program Management, Second Edition (2008); Project Portfolio Management: Tools & Techniques; Metrics for Project Management; Achieving Project Management Success Using Virtual Teams; The Advanced Project Management Office: A Comprehensive Look at Function and Implementation; People Skills for Project Managers; Essential People Skills for Project Managers; The Business Development Capability Maturity Model; and ESI’s PMP Challenge! PMP Study Guide and the PgMP Study Guide (along with J. LeRoy Ward). Her book entitled Interpersonal Skills for Portfolio, Program, and Project Managers also was published in 2010. Dr. Levin received her doctorate in Information Systems Technology and Public Administration from The George Washington University, and received the Outstanding Dissertation Award for her research on large organizations. She also was inducted into Phi Alpha Alpha, the National Honorary Society for Public Affairs and Administration. J. LeRoy Ward, Executive Vice President, is responsible for ESI’s worldwide product offerings and international partnerships. Complementing a 17-year career with four U.S. federal agencies, Ward has delivered project management programs to clients around the world.A noted author and speaker, Ward has served on the adjunct faculties of The George Washington University and The American University, presenting courses in remote sensing, cartography, computer systems management, and information systems. He has authored numerous articles and publications, including the Dictionary of Project Management Terms (3rd ed.); the PMP® Exam Practice Test and Study Guide, PMP® Challenge!, and the PgMP® Exam Practice Test and Study Guide (with Ginger Levin); a set of audio CDs entitled Conversations on Passing the PMP® Exam (with Carl Pritchard); and, ProjectFRAMEWORK, a Project Management Maturity Model (with multiple authors). His articles have appeared in PMNetwork, Chief Learning Officer, and Project Manager Today (U.K.). A popular and dynamic presenter, he speaks frequently on project management and related topics at professional association meetings and conferences around the world. Ward holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from Southern Connecticut State University in geography and an MSTM degree, with distinction, in Computer Systems Management from The American University, where he was inducted into Phi Alpha Alpha, the National Honorary Society for Public Affairs and Administration. He is an alumnus of the General Services Administration’s Trail Boss Program (for major systems acquisitions) and the Federal Executive Institute. Ward is a member of several technical societies, including the American Society of Training and Development, the International Project Management Association, and the Project Management Institute where he is certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP - Number 431) and a Program Management Professional (PgMP), one of the first to earn the credential. Contact Information:Leroy's email: LWard@esi-intl.comGinger's emai: GINLEVIN@AOL.COM (Listen to Ginger's comments on the topic on the podcast!) Both Ginger and Leroy can found on LinkedIn also! Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received great unsolicited reviews and the book has been picked up as a text book for university level work. Have you bought your copy? Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement CastEmail: spamcastinfo@gmail.comVoicemail: +1-206-888-6111Website: www.spamcast.netTwitter: www.twitter.com/tcagleyFacebook: http://bit.ly/16fBWV Next! In the SPaMCAST 137 I will tackle the topic of the "One" Number or as I call it fear of uncertainty.

Welcome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 133! SPaMCAST 135 features an entry in the Metrics Minute. We are covering a Value at Risk. WValue at Risk represents the potential impact of risk on the value of a project or portfolio of projects. Risk is monitored at specific points (a topic of further discussion in the near future) of the project life cycle. Monitoring includes an evaluation of the potential cost impact of remediating the risks that have not been fully remediated weighted by the probability of occurrence. Where the cost impact of risk is above program risk tolerance specific remediation plans will be established to reduce the estimated risk impact. The value at risk metric provides the team with a tool for prioritizing risks and risk management activities. Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: "This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, neither for you or your team." Have you bought your copy? Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement Cast Email: spamcastinfo@gmail.comVoicemail: +1-206-888-6111Website: www.spamcast.netTwitter: www.twitter.com/tcagleyFacebook: http://bit.ly/16fBWV Next! SPaMCAST 136 features my first live interview with Paul Brynes. We discussed the changes in the SCAMPI methodology used to appraise the CMMI. Important stuff if you have anything to do with the CMMI.

Welcome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 134! SPaMCAST 134 features my interview with Cynthia Kurtz on narratives and stories and how stories can be a VERY powereful tool for gathering requirements and for knowledge management. I am already planning to listen to this one again because of the huge amount of value Cynthia provided! Cynthia Kurtz is an independent researcher, writer and software designer who consults in the field of organizational and community narrative for decision support, conflict resolution and collective sense–making. Her free online book,(http://www.workingwithstories.org) Working with Stories helps people use narrative techniques to benefit their own communities and organizations. She is building open source software called (http://www.rakontu.org) Rakontu to help small groups share and work with stories for collective sense–making, decision support and conflict resolution. Her blog is at (http://www.storycoloredglasses.com) storycoloredglasses.com. Cynthia’s original background is in ethology and evolutionary biology. Cynthia published information about the podcast and added addtional context to the questions I asked at http://www.storycoloredglasses.com/2011/05/podcast-on-stories-in-software.html Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received great unsolicited reviews and the book has been picked up as a text book for university level work. Have you bought your copy? Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement CastEmail: spamcastinfo@gmail.comVoicemail: +1-206-888-6111Website: www.spamcast.netTwitter: www.twitter.com/tcagleyFacebook: http://bit.ly/16fBWV Next! In the SPaMCAST 135 we will dip back into the Metrics Minute with an article on Value At Risk or my essay on the messages we send.

Welcome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 133! SPaMCAST 133 features an entry in the Metrics Minute. We tackle burn-up charts. The burn-up chart can be thought of as the mirror image of the burn-down chart but is generally extended over multiple sprints to show the strategy being followed as the project builds toward release and product delivery. Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: "This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, neither for you or your team." Have you bought your copy? Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement Cast Email: spamcastinfo@gmail.comVoicemail: +1-206-888-6111Website: www.spamcast.netTwitter: www.twitter.com/tcagleyFacebook: http://bit.ly/16fBWV Next! SPaMCAST 134 features my interview with Cynthia Kurtz on stories and how stories can be a VERY powereful tool for gathering requirements and for knowledge management. I am already planning to listen to this one again because of the huge amount of value Cynthia provided!

Welcome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 132! SPaMCAST 132 features my interview with Bill Bentley discussing the book he co-authored "Lean Six Sigma Secrets for the CIO". We covered the gamut of process improvement with emphasis on six sigma, lean and the combination of the two techniques. Bill Bentley is the owner and president of www.value-train.com, a training and consulting business. His Atlanta area company was started in 2002 and provides quantitative process improvement training to the public via open enrollment courses, and to corporations via in-house courses. The company also provides consulting services. Primary topics include Six Sigma, Lean and applied quantitative methods. Bill has an MSEE from Rensselaer, substantial further education and training, and has nearly completed his MBA in Finance and Management. Bill is a pro at solving tough real-world business and technical problems, first as a control systems engineer with Procter & Gamble out of school, later in increasingly responsible management roles with P&G, Frito-Lay, Nabisco and Rockwell. His employers have been manufacturers of food, pharmaceuticals, consumer products, electronic instrumentation and software and his corporate assignments included engineering, operations management, sales and business turnarounds. Bill’s executive positions have included Director of Technology of an instrument manufacturing company, General Manager of an engineering company and President and CEO of a software company. Starting from nothing, Bill has built his company into a respectable business with a national reputation with thousand of graduates and hundreds of corporations served. Value-Train is an authorized State training provider in Georgia, Massachusetts and Texas. Bill is a sailor and also enjoys riding the Georgia Mountains on his motorcycle. Contact Information:Email: valuetrain@gmail.comWeb: www.value-train.com Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: "This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, neither for you or your team." Have you bought your copy? Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement CastEmail: spamcastinfo@gmail.comVoicemail: +1-206-888-6111Website: www.spamcast.netTwitter: www.twitter.com/tcagleyFacebook: http://bit.ly/16fBWV Next!SPaMCAST 133 will dip back into the Metrics Minute with an article on burnup charts. We will be burning up the pobsphere on this one!

Welcome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 131! SPaMCAST 131 features the second part of my essay "Agile is from Venus, PMOs from Mars". Part One was a controversial, Part Two will not lower the bar. If you are struggling to understand how position a PMOs in your agile organization you need to listen. Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: "This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, neither for you or your team." Have you bought your copy? Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement CastEmail: spamcastinfo@gmail.comVoicemail: +1-206-888-6111Website: www.spamcast.netTwitter: www.twitter.com/tcagleyFacebook: http://bit.ly/16fBWV Next!SPaMCAST 132 features my interview with Bill Bentley discussing the book he co-authored "Lean Six Sigma Secrets for the CIO". We covered the gamut of process improvement with emphasis on six sigma, lean and the combination of the two techniques.