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Chapter – 9 Checkpoints Chapter – 9 Checkpoints of the processof the process

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IntroductionIntroduction

The purpose of checkpoint is to achieve The purpose of checkpoint is to achieve

The followingThe following

Synchronize stakeholder expectations & achieve concurrence on three Synchronize stakeholder expectations & achieve concurrence on three evolving Perspective : evolving Perspective : RequirementsRequirements, , designdesign & & PlanPlan

Synchronize related artifacts into consistent & balance stateSynchronize related artifacts into consistent & balance state Identify the important Identify the important risksrisks, , issuesissues & & out-of-toleranceout-of-tolerance conditions conditions Perform a global assessment for the whole life cycle Perform a global assessment for the whole life cycle

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IntroductionIntroduction

Three sequences of project checkpoints Three sequences of project checkpoints are used to synchronize stakeholders are used to synchronize stakeholders expectations throughout the life cycleexpectations throughout the life cycle

Major milestonesMajor milestones Minor milestonesMinor milestones Status assessmentsStatus assessments

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Major milestones Major milestones

These system wide events are held at the end of each These system wide events are held at the end of each development phasedevelopment phase

They provide visibility of They provide visibility of system wide issuessystem wide issues,, Synchronize the management & engineeringSynchronize the management & engineering perspectivesperspectives & & verify that the aims of the phase have verify that the aims of the phase have

been achievedbeen achieved Note:Note:The most important major milestone is usuallyThe most important major milestone is usually the event that transitions the project from elaboration the event that transitions the project from elaboration

phase into construction phasephase into construction phase

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Minor milestonesMinor milestones These iteration focused events are conducted to review the These iteration focused events are conducted to review the

content of iteration in detail & to authorize continued workcontent of iteration in detail & to authorize continued work The formats & content of minor milestones are highly dependent The formats & content of minor milestones are highly dependent

on the project & the organizational culture.on the project & the organizational culture.

Status AssessmentStatus Assessment The periodic events provides management with frequent & regular The periodic events provides management with frequent & regular

insight into the progress being madeinsight into the progress being made Periodic status assessments are crucial for focusing continuous Periodic status assessments are crucial for focusing continuous

attention on the evolving health of the project & its dynamic attention on the evolving health of the project & its dynamic priorities priorities

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Typical sequence of life cycle Typical sequence of life cycle checkpointscheckpoints

Life cycle Life Cycle initial ProductLife cycle Life Cycle initial Product

objective milestone Architecture milestone operational capability release objective milestone Architecture milestone operational capability release

milestone milestonemilestone milestone

MajorMajor

Milestones Milestones

MinorMinor

MilestonesMilestones

StatusStatus

AssessmentAssessment

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The general status of plan, requirement & product The general status of plan, requirement & product across major milestonesacross major milestones

Milesstone Plans Requirements Product

Life Cycle objectives Milestone

Definition of the stakeholderResponsibilities

Low-fidelity life cycle plan

High-fidelity elaborationPhase plan

Baseline Vision,including Growth vectors, Quality Attributes & priorities

User case model

Demonstration of at leastOne feasible architecture

Make buy/reuse trade-offs

Initial design model

Life Cycle architecturemilestone

High-fidelity constructionPhase plan

Low-fidelity transition plan

Stable vision & use caseModel

Evaluation criteria for Construction release,Initial operational capability

Draft user manual

Stable design set

Make buy/reuse decisions

Critical component prototyoes

Initial operational capability milestone

High-fidelity transitionplan

Acceptance criteria for Product release

Release user manual

Stable implementation setCritical features & core CapabilitiesObjective insight into Product qulaties

Product release milestones Next generation product plan Final user manualStable deployment setFull featuresComplaint quality

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Major milestones(1 of 6 )Major milestones(1 of 6 )The four major milestones occur at the transition points between lifecycle phases which The four major milestones occur at the transition points between lifecycle phases which

are used to achieve concurrence among all stakeholders on the current state of are used to achieve concurrence among all stakeholders on the current state of product.Different stakeholders have different concernsproduct.Different stakeholders have different concerns

Customers Customers schedule & budgetschedule & budget estimates, feasibility , risk assessment, requirement understanding,progress, product estimates, feasibility , risk assessment, requirement understanding,progress, product

line compatibilityline compatibility

UsersUsersConsistency with requirements & usage scenarios, potential for accommodating growth, quality attributesConsistency with requirements & usage scenarios, potential for accommodating growth, quality attributes

Architects & System engineersArchitects & System engineersProduct line compatibility,requirements changes, trade-off analysis, completeness & Product line compatibility,requirements changes, trade-off analysis, completeness &

consistency, balance among risks, quality & usability.consistency, balance among risks, quality & usability.

DevelopersDevelopersSufficiencySufficiency of requirements detail & usage scenario descriptions, frameworks for of requirements detail & usage scenario descriptions, frameworks for

component selection or development, resolution of development risk, product line compatibility, sufficiency of component selection or development, resolution of development risk, product line compatibility, sufficiency of the development environment the development environment

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Major milestones ( 2 of 6 )Major milestones ( 2 of 6 )

MaintainersMaintainers

Sufficiency of product & documentation artifacts,understandability, Sufficiency of product & documentation artifacts,understandability, interoperability with existing systems, sufficiency of maintenance environment.interoperability with existing systems, sufficiency of maintenance environment.

OthersOthers

possibly many other perspectives by stakeholders such as regulator agencies, possibly many other perspectives by stakeholders such as regulator agencies, independent verification & validation contractors, venture capital investors, independent verification & validation contractors, venture capital investors, subcontractors, associate contractors, & sales & marketing teamssubcontractors, associate contractors, & sales & marketing teams

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Major milestones ( 3 of 6 )Major milestones ( 3 of 6 )

The four major milestones areThe four major milestones are

Life cycle objectives milestonesLife cycle objectives milestones Life cycle architecture milestonesLife cycle architecture milestones Initial operational capability milestoneInitial operational capability milestone Product release milestoneProduct release milestone

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Major milestonesMajor milestones( 4 of 6 )( 4 of 6 )

Life Cycle objectives milestoneLife Cycle objectives milestone

The life cycle objective milestone occur at the end of inception The life cycle objective milestone occur at the end of inception phase.This will result in authorization from all stakeholders to proceed with phase.This will result in authorization from all stakeholders to proceed with elaboration phaseelaboration phase

The goal is to present all stakeholders a Recommendation on how to The goal is to present all stakeholders a Recommendation on how to proceed with development including a proceed with development including a plan,plan, estimated cost & schedule, estimated cost & schedule, expected benefits & cost savingsexpected benefits & cost savings

The vision & critical issues related to The vision & critical issues related to requirements & operational conceptsrequirements & operational concepts are addressedare addressed

A A draft architecture & a prototype architecture demonstrationdraft architecture & a prototype architecture demonstration provide evidence provide evidence of the completeness of the vision & the development planof the completeness of the vision & the development plan

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Major milestonesMajor milestones( 5 of 6 )( 5 of 6 )

Life cycle Architecture milestoneLife cycle Architecture milestone

The Life cycle architecture milestone occurs at the end of elaboration phaseThe Life cycle architecture milestone occurs at the end of elaboration phase

The primary goal is to The primary goal is to demonstrate an executable architecturedemonstrate an executable architecture to all stakeholders. A to all stakeholders. A more more detail plan for construction phasedetail plan for construction phase is presented for approval is presented for approval

Critical issues relative to requirement & operational concept are addressedCritical issues relative to requirement & operational concept are addressed

The software development project ready for this transition exhibits the The software development project ready for this transition exhibits the following characteristicsfollowing characteristics

The critical use case have been definedThe critical use case have been defined A stable architecture is baselinedA stable architecture is baselined The risk profile is well understoodThe risk profile is well understood The development plan for the construction & transition phase is definedThe development plan for the construction & transition phase is defined

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Majormilestone (6 of 6 )Majormilestone (6 of 6 )

Initial operational capability milestone The Initial operational capability milestone occurs late in the construction phase. The goals are

To assess the readiness of the software to begin the transition into customer / user sites & to authorize the start of acceptance testing

Issues are addresses concerned to installation instructions, Software version description & user manuals & the ability of the development organization to support user sites.

Product release milestone

The product release milestone occurs at the end of the transition phase.The goal is to assess the completion of the software 7 its transition to the support organization

The results of acceptance testing are reviewed & all open issues are addressed which includes installation instructions,software version descriptions,user & operator manuals, software support manuals & installation of the development environment at the support sites

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Minor milestones ( 1 of 3 )Minor milestones ( 1 of 3 )

The number of iteration specific, informal milestones The number of iteration specific, informal milestones needed depends on the content & the length of the iterationneeded depends on the content & the length of the iteration

For most iterations only two minor milestones are For most iterations only two minor milestones are neededneeded

Iteration readiness reviewIteration readiness review

Iteration assessment reviewIteration assessment review

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Minor milestone ( 2 of 3 )Minor milestone ( 2 of 3 )

Iteration readiness review

This informal milestone is conduct at the start of each iteration to review the detailed iteration plan & evaluation criteria that have been allocated to this iteration

Iteration assessment reviewThis informal milestone is conducted at the end of each iteration

to assess the degree to which the iteration achieved its objectives & satisfied its evaluation criteria

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Minor milestone ( 3 of 3 )Minor milestone ( 3 of 3 )Typical Minor milestones in the life cycle of an iterationTypical Minor milestones in the life cycle of an iteration

ManagementRequirement

DesignImplementation

AssessmentDeployment

IIteration N

Iteration N-1

Iteration N+1

Iteration N Initiation

IterationReadinessReview

Iteration DesignWalkthrough

IterationAssessmentReview

Iteration NCloseout

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Periodic Status AssessmentsPeriodic Status Assessments( 1 of 5 )( 1 of 5 )

Managing risks requires continuous Managing risks requires continuous attention to all the interacting activities of a attention to all the interacting activities of a software development effort.software development effort.

Periodic status assessment arePeriodic status assessment are

Management reviews conducted at regular Management reviews conducted at regular intervals to address progress & quality indicatorsintervals to address progress & quality indicators

Ensure continuous attention to project dynamicsEnsure continuous attention to project dynamics

Maintain open communications among all Maintain open communications among all stakeholdersstakeholders

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Periodic Status Assessment Periodic Status Assessment ( 2 of 5 )( 2 of 5 )

Objective of periodic Status AssessmentObjective of periodic Status Assessment

The main objective of status assessment is to The main objective of status assessment is to ensure that the ensure that the expectations of all stakeholders are synchronized & consistentexpectations of all stakeholders are synchronized & consistent..

Periodic status assessment serve as project snapshots.it provide the Periodic status assessment serve as project snapshots.it provide the followingfollowing

A mechanism for openly A mechanism for openly addressing,communicating & resolving addressing,communicating & resolving management issues,Technical issues & project risks.management issues,Technical issues & project risks.

Derived directly from on-going activities & evolving product configuration.Derived directly from on-going activities & evolving product configuration.

A mechanism for disseminating A mechanism for disseminating process, progress,quality,trends,practices process, progress,quality,trends,practices & experiences information to & from all stakeholders in an open forum& experiences information to & from all stakeholders in an open forum

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Periodic Status Assessment Periodic Status Assessment ( 3 of 5 )( 3 of 5 )

Recurring themes from Recurring themes from unsuccessful projectsunsuccessful projects include status assessments that areinclude status assessments that are

High-overhead activitiesHigh-overhead activities because the work associated with because the work associated with generating the status is separate from the everyday work.generating the status is separate from the everyday work.

Frequently canceled Frequently canceled because of higher priority issues that because of higher priority issues that require resolution.require resolution.

Recurring themes from Recurring themes from successful projectssuccessful projects include status assessments that areinclude status assessments that are

Low-overhead activitiesLow-overhead activities because the material already because the material already exists as everyday management data.exists as everyday management data.

Rarely canceledRarely canceled because they are considered too important. because they are considered too important.

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Periodic Status AssessmentPeriodic Status Assessment( 4 of 5 )( 4 of 5 )

Default content of status assessment reviewsDefault content of status assessment reviewsTopic Content

Personnel Staffing Vs actuals,Attritions,Additions

Financial Trends Expenditure plan Vs Actuals for the previous,current & next major milestone

Revenue forecasts

Top 10 Risks Issues & criticality, resolution Plan

Quantification of exposure

Technical progressConfiguration baseline schedule for major milestoneSoftware management metrics & indicatorsCurrent change trendsTest & quality assessment

Cont.

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Periodic Status AssessmentPeriodic Status Assessment( 5 of 5 )( 5 of 5 )

Default content of status assessment reviewsDefault content of status assessment reviews

Topic Content

Major milestone plans & results Plan,Schedule & risks for the next major milestone

Pass/fail results for all acceptance criteria

Total product scope Total size,growth & acceptance criteria perturbations