Thursday, September 11, 2008
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8:00 AM - 9:00 AM |
Registration & Continental Breakfast |
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM |
Testing |
Project Lessons Learned |
Program Management |
Process Improvement |
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1/2 Day Session |
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BREAK:
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
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Paul Grossman
Technisource
Secrets of Successful Test Automation Projects
The presentation begins with a real-life Case Study at a Major Medical Device manufacture. I found at the time that I had unwittingly asked to join a three year old automation project had just been disbanded due to project failure. When I was informed that I was the newest member of a team of one, I used CMMi methodology training the company provided to identify 5 major pitfalls of the prior automation project, and them used CMMi to chart a new course. Over the next four years, I and my team turned the project into a stellar success.
During the Return on Investment section, we describe how automaton initially identified 3 major product defects, entirely missed or irreproducible by the manual testers.
We then describe an approach showing how our project had an estimated $2 Million ROI based solely on the seven worst defects identified by the project.
We identify the metrics we used to prove our case to senior management.
In our Tips and Tricks section, we cover many of the best practices Automation Engineers should be following in project development. Many are just common development strategies, such as Option Explicit and variable naming standards, while others are more automation specific.
This includes best practices of avoiding the WAIT statements in favor of synchronization. Many old school programmers with BASIC experience may recognize a similarity to the old GOTO statement best practice: It may be there, but it is never the better approach
In the second half of the presentation we explore an automation supporting framework approach called SAFFRON (Simple Automation Framework For Remarkably Obvious Notes.) This framework was introduced as a framework example skeleton project by Mercury two years ago, and largely dismissed by the automation community.
We examine the unique approaches of this framework and identify where we expanded it. This includes custom reporting, object highlighting and dynamic statement execution. Then we expand into some other approaches, including Negative Testing.In addition, some of the newest features in HP's QTP 9.5 are demonstrated for audience members. This includes the automatic Regular Expression generator for dynamic objects. This new feature appears to be based on a Best Practice we have promoted since our first presentation: If an object, say a 'Return' button becomes a 'Home' button, use a regular expression to identify it. (Return|Home) This reduces maintenance for two reasons.
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George Jackelen, PMP
Software Consultants, Inc. (SCI)
Requirements Generation and Management Based On A Proven Model and A User Application
Discussion is based on the Software Engineering Institute’s (SEI’s) Capability Maturity Model – Integration for Development, Version 2.1, and real world applications. Methodologies are described about how to develop requirements and, after the requirements are developed, how to manage the requirements, e.g., change control. Discussion includes words that should never be in requirements and how requirements are involved within a set of System Life Cycle stages. Attendees will participate by being asked their opinions and experiences.
Outline:
- Requirements generation:
- Develop customer requirements
- Develop product requirements
- Analyze and validate requirements
- Manage requirements:
- Understand the requirements
- Obtain commitment to the requirements
- Manage requirement changes
- Maintain bidirectional traceability of requirements
- Identify inconsistencies between project work and requirements
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Lawrence Oliva
CH2M Hill, Inc.
Four Fast Project Estimation Methods
In the blink of an eye, a project manager can be asked to provide a cost and schedule estimate for a project proposal that is half developed, completely unfunded and totally overdue.Knowing which estimation method to utilize (top down, bottom up, analogous and historical) can substantially help a project manager reduce the time required to develop an estimate, while maintaining a reasonable level of accuracy and personal credibility. Based on 25 years of experience, the session will provide how-to's and real world examples for when to use each method, and when it may be best to use your personal intuition.
Session Abstract
- Why Use Estimates?
- Descriptions and Details About Four Standard Estimating Methods:
- Top Down
- Bottom Up
- Historical
- Analogous
- Comparisons, Strengths and Weaknesses Of Each Method
- Examples of Relevant Situations For Each Method
- Attendee Participation Session 1
- Using Estimates to Support Your Quality Recommendations to Management
- Case Studies of How Estimates Have Been Used
- Using Estimates to Control Your IT Project
- Attendee Participation Session 2
- What To Do When Formal Estimation Methods Are Not Useful
- Interesting Reference Materials
- Conclusions and Questions
What Attendees Will Learn From This Session
Session attendees will learn details about the four most common project estimating approaches and their strengths and weaknesses; where and when to use each approach; how to use the estimates to support your quality recommendations to management; how other organizations have used estimation methods for their benefit, using estimates to control IT Projects, and what to do when formal estimation methods are not useful. The session will have two participation sessions to allow attendees opportunities to apply their new skills to typical work situations. |
John G. Phippen CSQA, CSPM, CSA, CISA
Using ITIL® and COBIT™ as tools to help assure Quality in your IT Production Environment
Extend your horizons to improve your operations, maintenance and deployment functions. For years we’ve looked at quality assurance as supporting the development effort and we are comfortable in an environment with schedule-driven activities. In a production environment it’s different – change is the driver that causes activities to occur. Whether it is new requirements, hardware upgrades or bug fixes changes to your production environment are inevitable.
Starting with three familiar processes, Configuration Management, Change Management and Release Management, we’ll see how they differ when applied in the operating scenario. We’ll open a new tool box and explain things like COBIT™ (Control Objectives for Information and related Technology), ITIL® (the Information Technology Infrastructure Library) and how they can provide you with a basis for establishing and monitoring the necessary controls in operations. We’ll also discuss emerging Standards in the areas of IT Service Management and IT Governance and how we can assure that the organizational goals are being met. |
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM |
Lunch, Networking, & Keynote Address |
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1:30 PM - 4:30 PM |
Testing |
Project Lessons Learned |
Program Management |
Process Improvement |
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1/2 Day Session |
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Karen M. Greene, CSTE, and Tangela Porter
Deloitte Consulting, LLP
Incorporating Agile and Traditional Waterfall Testing Techniques into Your Organization
Has your organization considered agile methods but is committed to the traditional waterfall methods? Are people in your organization stating that their project size or complexity is not suitable for agile methods? Agile methods define the collective name for methodologies and practices like eXtreme Programming, Crystal, and Scrum that emphasizes the ability to adapt to changing requirements, customer collaboration, iterative development, and speed to working software. The traditional waterfall method, on the other hand, is the classic and most widely used approach to software development. In this method, the completion of each phase occurs before the next phase starts.
While it is not possible to apply all the techniques and practices from agile and traditional waterfall methodologies into your software development process, it is possible to incorporate some of the testing techniques into your organization. Applying testing techniques from both methodologies can greatly improve the delivery and caliber of your product or service.
During the presentation, attendees will learn about:
- Differences between agile and traditional waterfall testing
- Best practices and recommendations for using agile and traditional testing techniques
- Challenges to watch for when using testing techniques from both methodologies
- Case studies that use agile and traditional waterfall testing techniques
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Yolonda Kennedy
PepsiCo Business Solutions Group
Testing is a Continuous Activity Throughout the Project Lifecycle
Testing has been thought of as an activity that happens at the end of the coding phase of the project lifecycle. People have also felt that the test team is responsible for the quality of the product delivered. Within PBSG, we have changed the organization's view of quality by developing a testing process that incorporates testing throughout the project lifecycle. Our stance on quality is that everyone is responsible for quality and that quality is designed into a product. This presentation will outline how and why we were successful in changing the culture in regards to testing at PBSG. |
Brad Eichstadt
RMS McGladrey
What is the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) and How Can My Company Best Use It?
Learning how the PMBOK® Guide is organized and what it contains. Understand the possible scenarios of how the PMBOK® Guide can be used at your company. Complete, as a class exercise, applying scenario planning to real life. In small groups select one attendee’s company that wants to use PMBOK® Guide and determine how to apply one of the scenarios discussed. 5. Have a fun, interactive chance to share PMBOK experience/guidelines with fellow professionals.
The top three learnings from the course will include:
- Gaining a good understanding of what the Guide to the PMBOK contains and how it is organized (to facilitate using it as both a reference and study tool)
- Understanding how good project management and good QA/QC complement each other, particularly in IT projects
- Learning and understanding three scenarios a Company can take in starting to use the Guide (Includes completing an exercise practicing applying the scenarios to a real-life case example)
Speaker also plans to encourage participants to share additional experiences of how they may have used/applied the guide. Further, if time permits, he has information that can help interested participants plan for how to prepare for the PMP exam, find exam sites, etc.
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Ralph Williams
Cooliemon
“Find Yer Gold” – Eliminating Rework and Waste from Yer Programs
Cooliemon-style Business Improvement (BI) is a new and fun way to remove defects and rework from your organization. It is not about just improving your process, your project performance, or overall quality. Rather, our BI method is a comprehensive approach to Stoke Yer Team with the aim of using measurable improvements to hold gains in productivity, performance, and profits - year after year.
Cooliemon presents this method in a new book titled, Stomp Yer Croc, that uses a fable about a hunt for a Valley of Gold to illustrate how well-executed and tracked planning can yield long term gains. Our Find Yer Gold presentation builds on this fable by pointing to the issues faced by business people in the real world.
The tools and techniques of Cooliemon-style Business Improvement will be familiar, but the difference is in how we advocate using these tools and techniques in a much different way. We also emphasize the importance of senior management commitment, strong communications, and organization-wide involvement to ensure that the results make a real and lasting company-wide difference.
Cooliemon-style BI extends quality beyond just engineering and the manufacturing environment. It also extends concepts and principles found in CMMI®, such as Causal analysis and Resolution (CAR), beyond Maturity Level 5. Project Management also is extended into business management as a vehicle for:
- Cost containment
- Defect and rework reduction
- Waste elimination
- Performance enhancement
- Productivity improvement
Attending this presentation will provide a new context for quality improvement that easily can be used by anyone in your organization and programs. |
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM |
Conference Summary
Questions & Answers Speaker Sessions |
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