CMM Configuration Management and Project Management

>

Configuration Management is a discipline that is distinctive to the company of creating software so is not particularly addressed anywhere in the PMBOK. The purpose of this article is to deliver suggestions on how this discipline can be incorporated into your project management plans for a software development project with the least quantity of disruption. While none of the elements of configuration management are directly addressed in the PMBOK you will find that creating a software program application of any size is impossible without some elements of configuration management. The source library utilized to version and release the software is a superior example. CMM also specifies that the objective of configuration management is to sustain the integrity of the software all through the project's software program life cycle. Configuration management will benefit the organization all through the whole life cycle of the software program item, lasting effectively beyond the finish of the project which introduces it.

Beyond helping in the CMM/CMMI certification process, adhering to the criteria set for level 2 certification in the region of configuration management will not only benefit your software program project but will also benefit future projects and help the support organization preserve the software goods produced. The areas discussed in this series previously (requirements management, project planning, project tracking and oversight, subcontract management, and top quality assurance) all align with some understanding area from the PMBOK so compliance with those criteria should really not add substantially to the project scope. The activities required to comply with CMM/CMMI criteria in this area may possibly add important overhead to your project. You ought to compare the wants of the project for configuration management function against the work needed to meet CMM/CMMI level 2 criteria, identify the work and tools necessary to address the delta and make certain that your project is adequately funded and resourced to undertake the additional work.

As with the other Key Procedure Areas (KPAs), Software program Configuration Management is organized into objectives, commitments, abilities, activities, measurements, and verifications.

Objectives

1. Software configuration management activities are planned.
   
2. Software merchandise under configuration management are identified, controlled, and available.
   
3. Adjustments to identified products are controlled.
   
4. Affected groups and individuals are informed of the status and content of software program baselines.

These objectives will all align effectively with a well managed software program development project. Configuration management function, like all the work of the project is planned, staffed, and scheduled, changes are controlled by the Integrated Alter Manage System and the content of baselines is communicated to the stakeholders in accordance with the Communications Management program. Maintain in mind that the context in which CMM/CMMI makes use of the term change manage is specific to the software program merchandise under management and will need a tool to manage version manage.

Commitment to Perform
Commitment is demonstrated by the written organizational policy for software configuration management (SCM). This policy ought to state who is responsible for SCM, how SCM is implemented through each and every project life cycle, a source library tool is employed, and that baselines are established and regularly audited. The policy will be up to the organization to define unless it is specified in the scope for your project.

Capacity to Carry out
Capacity to perform is demonstrated by the establishment of a Software program Configuration Control Board (SCCB) and a Software Configuration Management (SCM) group. The SCCB is responsible for establishing software baselines, authorizing modifications to the baselines, and releasing the software program. The SCM group is responsible for the implementation and management of the source library and all SCM processes, procedures, standards, and plans. In addition to the implementation of these two groups, the organization is responsible for supplying resources and funding for their activities and for training the SCCB, SCM group, and the software engineering group in SCM activities.

The creation of the SCCB, SCM group, and all the processes, procedures, plans and standards referred to as for here will be in addition to function necessary to establish a source library tool and a librarian which are minimal requirements for the average software project. These groups and documentation will take considerable function to implement and really should be specified as portion of the project scope if they are to be undertaken.

Activities Performed

1. An SCM plan is prepared for the project (and for every project) in accordance with a documented procedure. This plan will be portion of the project program and will be used as component of that program to manage SCM activities for the project.
   
2. A source library method is established. The criteria CMM/CMMI has for the library are pretty much what any excellent tool will give, with these possible exceptions: that it support archival and recovery of configuration items and that it shop SCM records and produce SCM reports.
   
3. The software function merchandise to be placed under configuration management are identified. "Software program function products" include such ancillary items as Organization Requirements Documents, Functional Specifications, Detail Design Documents, test plans, and so on. Identification also consists of a exclusive identifier for each and every item (this will be enforced by the library tool), the baseline it belongs to, and the owner (developer, analyst, or tester).
   
4. Change requests and bug reports are recorded, reviewed, decided upon, and tracked according to a documented process. The Integrated Change Control System has overall responsibility for managing changes to the project, such as configurable items, and the method really should be described in your Alter Management program.
   
5. Adjustments to baselines are controlled according to a documented process. The process must make certain that software program is correctly tested when it is changed, the SCCB approves modifications to configurable items, and that check-outs and check-ins are performed effectively (i.e. controlled by the source library). The procedure ought to also identify a change request or bug report with each change or fix. One way of facilitating this activity is by integrating your SCCB and Integrated Change Manage Boards (ICCB).
   
6. Products from the source library are designed and their release is controlled by a documented process. The procedure referred to here is the create approach. The librarian or create master will need to have a documented process which they follow to construct and release a item. The procedure should certainly contain such issues as when and how the library is frozen, how a develop is authorized (by the SCCB), and when builds are to occur.
   
7. The status of configurable items is recorded according to a documented procedure. This means that the source library tool is capable of reporting the present version of each and every item, retrieving archived versions, and the composition of every single release is recognized (the items included and the version of every item). The source library tool should also be capable of reporting on the reason for each new version/update. Reasons will incorporate new features, approved modifications, and bug fixes.
   
8. Normal reports on SCM activities, baseline contents, and so on. are developed and produced obtainable to all affected groups. The reports referred to are non-technical and contain such specifics as alter requests, bug reports, as properly as summary reports of adjustments to each and every baseline and audit outcomes. These reports should certainly be described in your Communications Management plan.
   
9. Software baseline audits are conducted according to a documented procedure. The audits will need to contain assessments of baseline integrity, source library structure, baseline contents (for completeness and correctness), and SCM standards and procedures compliance. The audit outcomes must be reported to the project manager and audit points tracked to closure. Audits will need to be conducted by an external body but if the identification of this body is an issue make the SCCB responsible for the audit.

Measurement and Analysis
You are required to measure your SCM activities. The measurements contain progress to program for configuration management activities, efficiency to budget for these items, as well as metrics for change requests. By assigning the a number of team members working on SCM or SCCB activities to an SCM or SCCB group you will facilitate making use of your MS Project file to report on only those activities. By dividing the work in the MS Project file into unique locations which includes one for software development, and identifying change requests with the area they impact you can isolate SCM related modifications and report on those.

Verification and Implementation
SCM activities should really be reviewed by senior management periodically. For the purposes of the project these reviews can occur at Gate Assessment meetings or Steering Committee meetings, or in separate meetings scheduled for the objective. SCM activities should certainly also be reviewed with the project manager. This criterion will be met if you organize these meetings and are in attendance. The SCM group periodically audits software baselines to verify content and correctness. It is unclear to me specifically what the difference is among this audit and the one described in Activity #9, other than who performs the audit. Verification also calls for the SQA group to review and/or audit the function items and report the results. The SQA audit must assess the adherence of the SCM, SCCB, software program engineering group, and testers to the SCM procedures and standards.

A outstanding deal of the criteria for CMM/CMMI Level 2 certification will be met by a project manager following most beneficial practices for software development projects. There is no superior way that I know of to demonstrate a grasp of project management very best practices than certification as a Project Management Skilled (PMP). Project managers who meet PMI's criteria can attain the certification by taking a PMP course or comparable PMP exam preparation training and then writing the certification exam. Criteria that fall outside the realm of project most effective practices have been identified here and really should for part of your project plan.