CT2 Development Process v2

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Revision as of 02:29, 27 July 2009

! This is UNDER CONSTRUCTION (NOT COMPLETED YET). Old version of this article here: CT2 Development Process

Intro

This article defines what methodology, roles, workflow, etc we use in CT2 Web Software Development.

CT2 Supercomponents

CT2 System is large and can be divided into the following supercomponents (supertasks):

Acc
Client App
OpsReps

Ops
OpsPdfs
Admin
Misc

Each supercomponent has its own Development team, project plan, etc.

Some coordination between teams is needed because supercomponents are interrelated to a certain degree.

CT2 Team

CT2 Acceptance Board (The Board)(Committee)(Demo Meeting) Group of people who:

initiated the CT2 project
oversees general progress
demo meeting is conducted for The Board
makes final decision about acceptance, tweaks, course of the project

Chairman of Acceptance Board

person who makes final decision in case there is a conflict

CT2 Systems Architect

Technical leadership of CT2 project

CT2 Project Manager

time/scope leadership of CT2 project

CT2 Supercomponent Team

Each CT2 Supercomponent Team consists of 2 groups of people:

Business Team (Client/Sponsor)
(Software) Development Team (Vendor)

CT2 Supercomponent Business Team

Business Analyst

logistics/transportation expert/manager
invents, initiates features, components, formulates business needs and requirements
communicates/transfers these requirements to Systems Analyst

Systems Analyst

IT expert, core knowledge of logistics/transportation required
interview Business Analyst
creates wiki spec doc that describes detailed business requirements and specifications
this wiki spec is all developer and QA need to fully implement feature/component
transfers specs to development team

Project manager

time/scope management expert
accountable for delivering component on time and on budget
managing/coordinating business phases of CT2 Software Development Worflow (see below)

CT2 Supercomponent Development Team

Development Manager - leader of the development team

coordinates development effort
manages resources
manages dev phase of proj plan: detailed development schedule that includes phases of development, bugfix, QA, graphics (for every sub-component/dev task)
collects updates from developer, QA, graphic designer regarding deadlines
if there is a chance for ETA to be postponed then he must notify Project Manager ASAP and they both decide what to do: move tasks around, add resources or push ETA forward or do something else

QA Engineer

makes sure that specs are complete
creates test plans
runs test plans
forwards bugs to developer
provides ETA for his work to Development Manager
must immediately notify Development Manager if his ETA can slip

Developer

makes sure specs are complete
implements new sub-components, changes, tweaks, bug fixes
deploy, forwards his work to QA
provides ETA for his work to Development Manager
must immediately notify Development Manager if his ETA can slip

Graphic designer

responsible for creating overall Look and Feel concept
creates Style Guide
creates all graphics for application
provides ETA for his work to Development Manager
must immediately notify Development Manager if his ETA can slip

CT2 Task and Bug Management System

We use Mantis software as a main CT2 Tasks and Bugs Management System.

Read this section as a separate article here: Mantis and CT2

CT2 Task Types

All tasks (ativities) we classify into:

major changes:
- request for new components
- request for new version of existing component
minor changes:
- request for tweak (minor change of existing component)
bug
etc

CT2 Workflows

For each task type as defined above there is a special workflow.

Read this section as a separate article here: CT2 Workflows

CT2 Project Method and Plan

Read this section as a separate article here: CT2 Project Method and Plan

Intro to Scrum and Sprints

Scrum is an approach we use to scheduling components/tasks into development.

Planning is based on weekly or bi weekly or any regular time intervals that is called Sprint.

Before the start of the Sprint team is looking at current tasks backlog (new components, bugs, tweaks, changes, etc) and select a number of tasks for next Sprint based on prioity, size of tasks, resources available, etc.

Note that conventional approach is to estimate each task and build a sequence (plan). One of the advantages of Scrum I guess is that it has always same distance between milestones.

So under Scrum if there is an ETA slip for given task then instead of re-scheduling milestone (demo date) we move delayed component to next demo and ideally work on and show something else instead for current milestone (demo).

If Release Date fo supercomponent is fixed then all Sprints must be planned in advance so that they cover entire backlog.

If Release Date for supercomponent is not fixed then planning can be done just for next week.

Release Procedure

All accumulated code in SVN Trunk (on /CyberTrax) released at once.

In the future we will have bugfix releases

Communication

Through Mantis

If there is a question regarding task then:

post question into Mantis notes
set task to feedback
assign to person you are asking
if urgent contact that person in Skype

Through email

If there is a general question - use email. CC to your manager and others as required
Everyone must check email at least 2 times a day: at the beginning and at the end of workday

Comm between Sys Analyst and Dev Manager

They agree on how to reach each other during extended timeframe.

Urgent Communication

we must define what can happen and how to reach someone we need to reach to solve urgency

Weekly Status Meetings

Why: These meetings are group chats in Skype with Agenda to update each other on progress
Who: Dev Team + Sys Analyst

Client App Team (summer 2009 schedule): Tuesd, Thur: 10-10:45am NY time
Reports and Accounting Team (summer 2009 schedule): Tuesd, Thur: 9:15-10am NY time

Communication Hours

Who: Dev Team + Sys An
What: All must be available in Skype
Why: In case somebody needs to discuss not through Mantis, but "live" through chat
When:

For All Super Components: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thur, Fri: 9-11am NY time

If somebody can not attend he must notify Dev Team Lead and give alternative time frame that he is available same day

Vacations and Days Off

Must notify Dev Team Lead as much in advance as possible
Dev Team Lead must post this info into Dev Calendar

@@ Line 125: / Line 125: @@
 == CT2 Project Method and Plan ==
+Read this section as a separate article here: '''[[CT2 Project Method and Plan]]'''
 === Intro to Scrum and Sprints ===