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info210-ch9
Term | Definition |
---|---|
DEVELOPING SOFTWARE | Soft. that is built right can trans. as the org. and its bus. trans. Soft. = employee needs will help an org. become more produc. and better decision making Soft. that != employee needs may have a bad effect on produc. and can even cause a bus. to fail |
As organizations’ reliance on software grows, so do the business-related consequences of software successes and failures including | Increase or decrease revenue Repair or damage to brand reputation Prevent or incur liabilities Increase or decrease productivity |
Systems development life cycle (SDLC) | The overall process for developing information systems from planning and analysis through implementation and maintenance -Planning Phase -Analysis Phase -Design Phase -Devel. Phase -Testing -Implement. -Maint. |
Planning phase | Establishes a high-level plan of the intended project and determines project goals |
Analysis phase | Involves analyzing end-user business requirements and refining project goals into defined functions and operations of the intended system |
Business requirement | Specific business requests the system must meet to be successful |
Design phase | Establishes descriptions of the desired features and operations of the system including screen layouts, business rules, process diagrams, pseudo code, and other documentation |
Development phase | Involves taking all of the detailed design documents from the design phase and transforming them into the actual system |
Testing phase | Involves bringing all the project pieces together into a special testing environment to eliminate errors and bugs, and verify that the system meets all of the business requirements defined in the analysis phase |
Implementation phase | Involves placing the system into production so users can begin to perform actual business operations with it |
Maintenance phase | Involves performing changes, corrections, additions, and upgrades to ensure the system continues to meet its business goals |
There are a number of different software development methodologies including | Waterfall Agile Rapid application development (RAD) Extreme programming Rational unified process (RUP) Scrum |
Waterfall methodology | sequence of phases in which the output of each phase becomes the input for the next |
Iterative development | Consists of a series of tiny projects |
Agile methodology | Aims for customer satisfaction through early and continuous delivery of useful software components developed by an iterative process using the bare minimum requirements |
Rapid application development methodology | Emphasizes extensive user involvement in the rapid and evolutionary construction of working prototypes of a system to accelerate the systems development process |
Prototype | A smaller-scale representation or working model of the users’ requirements or a proposed design for an information system The prototype is an essential part of the analysis phase when using a RAD methodology |
Extreme programming (XP) methodology | Breaks a project into tiny phases, and developers cannot continue on to the next phase until the first phase is complete |
Rational Unified Process (RUP) | Provides a framework for breaking down the development of software into four gates Gate One: Inception Gate Two: Elaboration Gate Three: Construction Gate Four: Transition |
SCRUM | Uses small teams to produce small pieces of deliverable software using sprints, or 30-day intervals, to achieve an appointed goal Under this methodology, each day ends or begins with a stand-up meeting to monitor and control the development effort |
Primary reasons for project failure | Unclear or missing business requirements Skipping SDLC phases Failure to manage project scope -Scope creep -Feature creep Failure to manage project plan Changing technology |
MANAGING SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS | Analysts predict investment in MIS projects worldwide is over $1 trillion 70 percent will be lost due to failed projects |
The consequences of failed projects include | Damaged brand Lost goodwill Dissolution of partnerships Lost investment opportunities Low morale |
Project Management Institute (PMI) | develops procedures and concepts nec. to support the prof. of project manag. and has 3 areas of focus The distinguish. char. of a practicing prof. ETHICS The content and struc. of the prof.’s body of know. STANDARDS Recog. of prof. attainment ACCREDATI |
Project | Temporary activities undertaken to create a unique product or service |
Project Management | The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements |
Project manager | An individual who is an expert in project planning and management, defines and develops the project plan, and tracks the plan to ensure the project is completed on time and on budget |
Project deliverable | Any measurable, tangible, verifiable outcome, result, or item that is produced to complete a project or part of a project |
Project milestone | Represents key dates when a certain group of activities must be performed |
Project management office (PMO) | An internal department that oversees all organizational projects |
Benjamin Franklin’s timeless advice | by failing to prepare, you prepare to fail - applies to software development projects |
The Hackett Group analyzed 2,000 companies and discovered | Three in 10 major IT projects fail 21 percent of the companies state that they cannot adjust rapidly to market changes One in four validates a business case for IT projects after completion |
Project stakeholder | Individuals and organizations actively involved in the project or whose interests might be affected as a result of project execution or project completion |
Executive sponsor | The person or group who provides the financial resources for the project |
Three common techniques for selecting projects | Focus on organizational goals Categorize projects Perform a financial analysis |
UNDERSTANDING PROJECT PLANNING | After selecting strategic projects and identifying a project manager the next critical component is the project plan |
Building a project plan involves two key components | Project charter Project plan |
Project charter | A doc. issued by project initiator that formally auth. existence of project and gives the project manager the auth. to apply org. resources to project activities and includes Project scope statement Project obj. Project constraints Projects assump. |
SMART | criteria are useful reminders on how to ensure that the project has created understandable and measurable objectives |
Project plan | A formal, approved document that manages and controls project execution |
A well-defined project plan should be | Easy to understand and read Communicated to all key participants Appropriate to the project’s size, complexity, and criticality Prepared by the team, rather than by the individual project manager |
Two primary diagrams used in project planning include | PERT chart -Dependency -Critical path Gantt chart |
Managing a project includes | Identifying requirements Establishing clear and achievable obj. Balancing the competing demands of quality, scope, time, and cost Adapting the specifications, plans, and approach to the different concerns and expectations of the various stakeholders |
A project manager must focus on managing three primary areas to ensure success | People Communications Change |
In-sourcing (in-house-development) | Uses the professional expertise within an organization to develop and maintain its information technology systems |
Outsourcing | An arrangement by which one organization provides a service or services for another organization that chooses not to perform them in-house |
Factors driving outsourcing growth include | Core competencies Financial savings Rapid growth The Internet and globalization |
OUTSOURCING PROJECTS | Onshore outsourcing Nearshore outsourcing Offshore outsourcing -Big selling point “inexpensive good work" -Most organizations outsource their noncore business functions, such as payroll and IT |
Outsourcing benefits include | Incr qual & eff of bus proc dec op expen 4 head count & expos 2 risk 4 big capital invest Access 2 outs service provider’s expertise, economies of scale, best prac, & advan tech Incr flex 4 faster resp 2 market changes & less time 2 market 4 new prod/s |
Outsourcing challenges include | Length of contract -Difficulties in getting out of a contract -Problems in foreseeing future needs -Problems in reforming an internal IT department after the contract is finished Threat to competitive advantage Loss of confidentiality |