B11

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Current revision as of 19:20, 2 May 2011

[edit] jan01 - jan31

[edit] march1

1 New Strategic decision about "Holistic approach to IT and Web systems" approved by Simon - see notes11#itn1
2 Airstatus / EUAN team (I am completely out, Tira is a lead to deliver)
3 Rates module and SA team development - my focus for the next several months

More:

...

[edit] march2

Added these wikis: itn 1,2,3,4; cs 1,2

[edit] march3

added bp1, bp2
new process for Support
new proccess for BAs - self assign tasks/projects one at a time
new approach to components - create more of them and smaller (Log, Help are new components)

[edit] march4

[edit] march6

[edit] Overview of current projects for Simon

Below is an overview of what everyone was involved in for the last 2-3 weeks. Some of these tasks will require more time to complete.

[edit] Denise

number of changes to fix design errors for EA portal/TMS solution
bug investigations
entering/editing trucking tariffs in TMS

[edit] Tira

number of changes to fix design errors for EA portal/TMS solution
bug investigations
proposals for EA
0002782: [Air Status EDI] Version 2.0

[edit] Tracie

0002690: Rates Database (tariff and contract management system with additional functionalities)
- Description

Main Features:
* management of tariffs and contracts (client and vendor sides)	
* "Quotations" web portal	
* Automated population of charge table in "sales invoices"
* Automated calculation of "estimated P&L"
* Etc	
http://ct.jaguarfreight.com/wiki/2690_rfsa

- Size: XXL
- Impact: XXL
- Phase: BA

0002648: [EU Advanced Notice] Implement this
- Description: Add component to support a new regulation enforced by EU (European Union) Customs. It will require information to be sent via EDI to some airlines prior to departure.
- Size: L
- Impact: L
- Phase: SA

0002782: [Air Status EDI] Version 2.0
- Description: Implement a service to automate air status updates.
- Size: L
- Impact: L
- Phase: SA

[SA] 0002653: (Acc Report: Misc) add feature to show total VAT charges separately
- Description: Accounting report should breakout the VAT charges from the total of the invoice. The report should show the total VAT, Total invoiced amount without VAT, and then grand total.
- Size: M
- Impact: S
- Phase: SA

0002766: (Acc Report: Misc) Add a special view to accounting report to show estimation
- Description: Adding to acc>reports>profit/loss for multiple CT's. Add columns to the output to show estimation totals in comparison to the actual totals.
- Size: M
- Impact: M
- Phase: SA

[SA] 0002761: (Acc: SI&II) add payment instructions to be printed onto the Sales Invoices
- Description: If the Sales invoice is from the London office, the sales instructions need to be specific as to the final currency of the billing and printed on the invoice the attached instructions.
- Size: M
- Impact: M
- Phase: SA

[SA] 0002762: (Acc: SI&II) add a small letter “v” next to the items that have been charged with a VAT (on the invoice)
- Description -- see summary
- Size: S
- Impact: S
- Phase: SA

[edit] Alex

heavily involved in every project of size M+; strategy; management; IT support coordination
IT projects such as:
- dev servers consolidation
- squid migration

[edit] March 7

Last 6+ months experience demonstrated limits of BAs and need for SA to interface with MOs directly at early stages of task development and then drive all tasks except those with small architectural impact.

BAs could be used for many other important activities:
- support
- user guides
- BR docs
- coordination
- etc

NY BASA team must engage in massive verbal discussions at early stages of M/XL/L tasks development (writing RFSA here and emailing it will not work!)

Kiev Dev team must submit proposal of a solution verbally or in writing and after implementation explain again how they implemented

Architect must review ALL tasks at early stages (with MOs) and then again after spec before development. Must initiate / participate in joint design meetings

MOs plans in Word docs!

[edit] March 21

[edit] OLD Allocation per module

NOTE: Roma is again dedicated QA

(Module / BA / SA(QA)):

Product And Support Team leadership&coordination / Tira
Category:Client / Tira / Tira (Roma)
Category:ClientEtc / Tira / Tira (Roma)

Category:OpsAdmin / ? / Alex OR Andrei (Roma)
Inventory / ? / Alex OR Andrei (Roma)

Category:OpsCore / Denise / Alex OR Andrei (Roma)
Category:OpsReps / Denise / Alex OR Andrei (Roma)
Category:ClientReps/ Denise / Alex OR Andrei (Roma)
Category:OpsTruck / Denise / Alex OR Andrei (Roma)

Category:OpsPdfs / Tracie / Alex OR Andrei(Roma)
Category:OpsMisc / Tracie / Alex OR Andrei(Roma)
Category:Acc / Tracie / Alex OR Andrei(Roma)
Category:AccRep / Tracie / Alex OR Andrei(Roma)

Category:Misc / various

[edit] OLD BP: How to provide IT support. Biz process ver 1.0

Most of actual tech work will be performed by off site engineers (TSI, 4Comm, Carr, Vlad, etc).

Product and Support team (T/D/T) is responsible for:

routing emails (see #itn2a)
monitoring queue (tasks should be completed on time)
coordination (such as in Sales office move)
UAT (if required)
BA (if required)
maintaining docs (such as User names/passwords, howtos, etc)
performing certain IT functions themselves (such CT2 and if desired other purely IT)
etc (such as moving back up tapes or replacing broken PC with spare PC)

Tira is a Team Lead and responsible for overall coordination and also is capable of handling more technical tasks and mentoring others.

[edit] OLD ARTICLE: New Strategic decision about "Holistic approach to IT and Web systems" approved by Simon

IT Support coordination will be a responsibility of "Product and Support team". 
It is a change because up until now they handled only CT2 support.

Disadvantages:

additional responsibility that requires time
lack of knowledge and experience
- Tira is strongly qualified (BS in Comp Sci; Master in Info Management Systems; Network certification)
- Tracie and Denise are beginners in IT

Advantages:

increased value to Jaguar and Market = increased job security
opportunity to gain new knowledge
opportunity for Holistic approach (treating IT and CT2 as a whole, not fragmented); examples:
- full vision and control over user/systems interactions and work flows
- more services could be integrated into CT2/Cloud like web folders;
- integration between CT2 and non CT2 system like Sugar and CT2

Transition agenda:

phase 1 to be completed by the end of March
Jaguar IT support knowledge exchange (KE)
- 2a IT documentation: blog11, notes11, wiki IT category
- 2b regular KEs
Career plan for BAs:
- agreement on responsibilities, goals and developmental stages
- Formal IT training

[edit] RFPOI etc

From: Alex Dobrovolsky Sent: Monday, March 21, 2011 2:18 PM To: Montira Renfrew; Denise Guastella; Tracie Eisenberg; 'Andrei Gurzov' Cc: Alex Dobrovolsky Subject: "SA", “Architect Review” folders; RFPOI, etc

All,

1) I am going to discontinue SA folder. Moving all tasks to BA folder.

This is due to discontinuation of SA role.

This is not going to affect Tira since she is not using SA.

Denise/Tracie - this is per our discussion.

Andrei will focus on Support, Documentation and other things TBD.

2) BA, please note, when preparing your tasks for developer:

a) if it is a tweak then description in mantis is enough (no need for wiki article).

b) if it is a more than tweak then create RFPOI article (Request for Proposal/Prototype Or Implementation). This is the same as RFSA except that you need to focus more on requirements and not design and provide enough business background (I will demonstrate by example). Also it will be the only document for developer. Send to “Architect” for review first. For smaller tasks developers will implement 100% then turn for UAT. For larger tasks:

Developer should contact BA to go over RFPOI before coding
After that developer would respond with Proposal (in most cases “verbal” but BA could request written)

Next step for developer is to create a Prototype – partially implemented feature that BA would have to review/discuss with him

c) Finally Dev will complete task and turn to BA for UAT

d) After successful UAT BA should confirm that task is to be included in Release

e) Next step for BA is to “transition to Support”:

Create/update Help guide (together with Support group)
Train Support group/Global Teamleads&MOs on new released features (together with Support group)

3) All mantis tasks that are prepared for development should be assigned to me for review in “Architect Review” folder (including bugs, if bug is super urgent forward straight to dev, but FYI me ).

4) Denise, Andrei, Vlad, TSI are to form “Support group”. Denise will manage this group. All requests to come to her and she will handle within a group. In complex cases tasks could be escalated to BAs or Developers. Periodically Denise should gather BAs/Developers to give update on what is going.

5) We now have 2 full time BAs: Tira and Tracie. Ops to be transferred to Tira. OpsReps to be transferred to Tracie. New modules/projects will be assigned to specific BA as they come based on availability, skill set, etc. This does not mean you have to work more hours – focus will be on quality not quantity (more on this in a separate letter).

6) Denise will help BAs when Support is slow (this is to be defined better later).

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Best Regards, Alex Dobrovolsky IT Manager

[edit] March April Support

To: Tira, Denise, Tracie, Andrei, Vlad, Dev Team

From: Alex

cc: Simon, Marc, Karen

Upper management brought to my attention that the number of complex and critical bugs is increasing (majority in Portal/TMS solution).

This makes experience of end users very painful and leads to a lot of frustration on the part of our clients.

We need to resolve this rapidly.

I believe that this happens due to the following reasons:

growing list of new interrelated features increased system complexity significantly
we are introducing new changes rapidly and without careful analysis (focus on quantity not quality) (Example: Portal/TMS system)
most people on our team have only minimal understanding of CT2 components outside of components they "own" (Example: Tira - Client, Tracie -Acc, etc)
not enough verbal communication between all members of the team particularly with developers
non technical BAs and MOs make bad design decisions and force them into development
SAa are doing often a poor job and creating analysis that has critical errors (Example: m2484 calculation of charges on invoice)
MO-BA-SA-Dev-QA-BA chain is too long and too linear (no cross communication or group communication)

How to resolve this:

focus on quality not quantity
- do not rush adding many enhancements
- add components after you selected best design and fully understand impact on the system

focus on support:
- every BA, SA, QA must understand 95-100% and be able to investigate EVERY module
- all components should have complete, correct and readable documentation

delegate systems design from BA&Support Team to Dev Team

more verbal communication between all members of the team

improved soft dev process (some highlights):
- Architect to review all tasks at various stages of BA/SA/Dev
- Architect to identify impact of each task and advise
- low impact changes/projects could be documented by BAs; SAs are on as needed basis
- high impact changes/projects must be run by technical staff (SA or/and Developer); BAs are on as needed basis
- For low impact projects:
  - BA team must submit BR to Dev in Bundles and go over each with developers/Dev Manager (and SAs?) during Skype voice meeting and answer questions
- For med/large and high impact projects:
  - BA team must submit RFPOP (Request For Proposal Or Prototype) to Dev team that contains ideally only high level requirements (problems or goals) not solution / design
  - BA team must also provide business background (glossary, existing biz processes, relevant industry practices, etc)
  - Dev team should in return communicate proposal or prototype as a document and during multiple Joint Design meetings
  - Joint Design sessions (Dev and Product teams) must be held early into BA stage, during Design and at the end

Timeline: March 9 - April 30

BA/SA will put on hold new designs related to enhancements (example: Portal) and large new components (example: Rates DB)

BA&Support team will be divided into 2 parts

Team A Denise/Alex will attempt to resolve all TMS/Portal issues
- create a list of problems, find best solutions, discuss with developers, make decision and submit into coding
- document things
- help Misha/Sasha/Kostya? to learn business side of Arden Dom Trucking so that they themselves can create designs
- have Joint voice design sessions with Mauricio and Misha
- Tira on as needed basis to explain Portal functionality

Team B Tira/Tracie/Andrei/Vlad/TSI
- daily support for all CT2 non-TMS/Portal issues including IT (Coordinator: Tracie; escalate to Tira/Andrei; Vlad/TSI/developers as needed)
- every person of this team must understand 95-100% and be able to investigate EVERY module
- create User Guides and CATs (Concepts And Terminology) for all components (Coordinator: Tira, lead by example please!)
- some low impact or small size tasks might be assigned by Architect this month to this team
- Airstatus/EU Adv notice (Tira/Tracie to continue for now but lets discuss - I have idea how to simplify mapping: send all data in XML! and ask Descartes to extract what they need)

Team C Dev Team
- maximum attention to fixing Portal/TMS and other bugs
- practice improved soft dev process (skype voice meetings, submitting proposals/prototypes, etc)
- learn about Logistics and Systems (books, online, CATs created by BAs, Descartes manuals, etc) so that they can create solutions based on requirements (new soft dev process)
- Continue development for tasks already in DevEst/Dev

[edit] March 28 Mon

New mantis folders:

Arc(hitect) BA Review
- BAs must assign tasks for review to Arc after BA is completed

Arc(hitect) UAT Review
- BAs must assign tasks for review to Arc after UAT is completed

Transit(ion)2Sup(port)/WU
- Arc assigns tasks ready for Rel to Support for training/transition

New mantis fields:

Architect: Approved4Dev?
- Y or N values
- set after "Arc(hitect) BA Review"

Architect: Approved4Rel(ease)?
- Y or N values
- set after "Arc(hitect) BA Review"

New Template: http://ct.jaguarfreight.com/wiki/RFPOI_Template

Help examples:

Current structure of Mantis folders (Dev phases):

» 1. Backlog 
» 2. BA/Support 
» » 2.0 Sup Inbox 
» » 2.1 Sup Projects 
» » 2.2 BA 
» 3a. Arc BA Review 
» 3b. DM/Dev Est 
» 4. Dev Sprint: 
» » a. Dev 
» » b. QA 
» » c. UAT 
» » d. Arc UAT Review 
» » e. Transit2Sup/WU 
» » f. Released

New meetings:

Weekly Support meeting:
- Transit(ion)2Sup(port) / knowledge transfer from BA&Dev to Sup
- Support Queue Update / / knowledge transfer from Sup to BA&Dev

New responsibilities:

Tira
- BA: Client; Ops
- Sprint Manager
- Sales engineer

Tracie
- BA: Acc; OpsReps; OpsPdfs
- SME1

Denise
- BA: Admin; OpsTruck (with Tira)
- Support, level 1
- SME2

Andrei
- Support, level 2
- Tech writer (to be tested)
- TBD

as a == March 31 ==

Updated RFPOI_Template

[edit] Apr 09

[edit] New Org Chart

[edit] Hiring

how to test/verify ?!!!
where
by when
budget

[edit] Business Architect / Lead BA in NY

Role and Responsibilities:

manage most complex projects
mentor other BAs
have a system vision
develop product/component vision
manage projects that have distributed global teams

Skills, Experience:

2+ years as a developer or DBA
2+ years in a similar position
very good

Education:

Math, Computer Science or Engineering

[edit] SAPM in Kiev

Responsibilities:

Skills, Experience, Education:

[edit] Apr 13

[edit] Updated diagrams

[edit] May 2

[edit] Agenda for Kostya

Hi Alex,

I would like to have a review of the function of the estimated costs tab.

karen
++++++++++++++

From: Marc Selter 
Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 10:57 PM
To: Alex Dobrovolsky; Simon Kaye; Karen Gaines
Subject: RE: Preliminary dates for Kostya’s visit to NY office are May 5,6. 

Alex

If you review the CT2/CT3 related items from the recent ‘CT3 meeting’ (now postponed until further notice) that should provide a baseline for our meeting with Kostya. From my perspective we should take advantage of Kostya’s presence in our office to have conversations about:

-	Flexibility (customized access, fields etc. based on individual client/office/agent/third party needs), scalability, reporting
-	Separate “CT” from “mode” 
-	dashboards (KPI, internal, external -> Dashboard is simply a different way of presenting ‘reports’)
-	Overview of the rate database and related applications … client profiles, rate sheets, quotation tools.
-	Overview of upcoming functionalities/modules.

Karen will undoubtedly add to the above with regards to the accounting module.

The objectives are to provide Kostya with a clear vision of our goals, and to stir the development/architecture towards a more comprehensive and flexible approach (leaning heavily on ‘admin settings’ customizable for users, user groups, clients, client groups instead of expecting each specific situation to be hard coded in isolation).

It would be beneficial – if possible – to hear from him and you about any potential solutions to the perceived ‘structural’ challenges we are facing at the moment and which do seemingly require a lot of coding for each new requirement. 

Other than ‘critical’ pending items (like the estimated P&L tab Karen mentioned) I think we need to stay away from any ‘design’ work and focus on the big picture with the expectation that the information exchange that is expected to take place will positively impact all future developments.

Note that I will also seek additional stakeholder involvement either via Skype or in person (Philippe Delorme, Steven Newman, Rob/John/Jeanine for example).

Your comments / feedback about the above topics would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

Best regards,

Marc

@@ Line 407: / Line 407: @@
 ** TBD
-== March 31 ==
+as a == March 31 ==
 * Updated [[RFPOI_Template]]
+== Apr 09 ==
+=== New Org Chart ===
+[[File:Orgchart2011april9.jpg]]
+=== Hiring ===
+* how to test/verify ?!!!
+* where
+* by when
+* budget
+==== Business Architect / Lead BA in NY ====
+'''Role and Responsibilities:'''
+* manage most complex projects
+* mentor other BAs
+* have a system vision
+* develop product/component vision
+* manage projects that have distributed global teams
+'''Skills, Experience:'''
+* 2+ years as a developer or DBA
+* 2+ years in a similar position
+* very good
+'''Education:'''
+* Math, Computer Science or Engineering
+==== SAPM in Kiev ====
+'''Responsibilities:'''
+'''Skills, Experience, Education:'''
+== Apr 13 ==
+=== Updated diagrams ===
+[[File:No SA process Apr 13.jpg]]
+[[File:Orgchart2011april13.jpg]]
+== May 2 ==
+=== Agenda for Kostya ===
+<pre>
+Hi Alex,
+I would like to have a review of the function of the estimated costs tab.
+karen
+++++++++++++++
+From: Marc Selter
+Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 10:57 PM
+To: Alex Dobrovolsky; Simon Kaye; Karen Gaines
+Subject: RE: Preliminary dates for Kostya’s visit to NY office are May 5,6.
+Alex
+If you review the CT2/CT3 related items from the recent ‘CT3 meeting’ (now postponed until further notice) that should provide a baseline for our meeting with Kostya. From my perspective we should take advantage of Kostya’s presence in our office to have conversations about:
+-	Flexibility (customized access, fields etc. based on individual client/office/agent/third party needs), scalability, reporting
+-	Separate “CT” from “mode”
+-	dashboards (KPI, internal, external -> Dashboard is simply a different way of presenting ‘reports’)
+-	Overview of the rate database and related applications … client profiles, rate sheets, quotation tools.
+-	Overview of upcoming functionalities/modules.
+Karen will undoubtedly add to the above with regards to the accounting module.
+The objectives are to provide Kostya with a clear vision of our goals, and to stir the development/architecture towards a more comprehensive and flexible approach (leaning heavily on ‘admin settings’ customizable for users, user groups, clients, client groups instead of expecting each specific situation to be hard coded in isolation).
+It would be beneficial – if possible – to hear from him and you about any potential solutions to the perceived ‘structural’ challenges we are facing at the moment and which do seemingly require a lot of coding for each new requirement.
+Other than ‘critical’ pending items (like the estimated P&L tab Karen mentioned) I think we need to stay away from any ‘design’ work and focus on the big picture with the expectation that the information exchange that is expected to take place will positively impact all future developments.
+Note that I will also seek additional stakeholder involvement either via Skype or in person (Philippe Delorme, Steven Newman, Rob/John/Jeanine for example).
+Your comments / feedback about the above topics would be much appreciated.
+Thanks.
+Best regards,
+Marc
+</pre>

B11