Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Scope Creep in the Project Management

By Raul Bernardino
Introduction: The importance part of project success and project deliverable are clear defining the project scope. In any project, the scope has to be defined in which to state what things that are include and exclude in the project. In the theory the scope should not be crept because it has to be defined in the very beginning of the project planning. However in the reality the scope is creeping according to the needs or change control in project life time. It also happen because not have a clear definition in the scope of the project.
The scope is also describing all parameters that are involving or not involving in the projects. Some requirements to produce project scope statements are: project charter, preliminary project assessment, company or organizational internal procedure and policies that are relevant to the project, including experiences from the similar project in the past.  
In the progress of the implementation of the project, there are some parameters that need a change because of the project environment itself, not well distributing the scope statements to the right person or involving persons, the requirements are not well define, and communication gaps. These are among the thing that makes scope is creeping.
How to avoid the scope creep in the project management? First of all is having a clear vision statement available to everyone as a project team member. In other word everyone is in the same page, how to deliver and achieve the project. This is helping to define the project scope as details as possible. The project manager has to communicate all information or scope statements to the project team members specially a person who is involving specific tasks that crucial to have in time.
When the creeping scope in the project can be a good thing? When there are a few adjustments in the scope but still relevant to the initial scope of the project and most important is to make sure there will be no additional cost. For instance new features in the application that is not well define in the beginning. Or there is an additional cost but not much as we are waiting for new version to be developed and the changes has been approved by change authorities.
Conclusion:  To avoid the creeping scope in the project management, the project manager has to identify and define project team task clearly including define scope statement for the project.
Project manager has to communicate all scope statements to the relevant project team members that, their works are crucial to be delivered in the timely manner. In the process of the changing of the requirements in the project life time has to be communicated to all relevant entities with the reasons why and how it is changed. However, those changes are happen because they have been approved by authority body and there are no cost impacts of the changes or they have minimum impacts to the project cost.

References list:
·        Schwalbe, K. Information Technology Project Management, Revised 6th edition, Ch. 5 P. 183-186 
·        Lecture note, PM_WK2_Lecture_notes
·         Veryard, Richard. “In Praise of Scope Creep.” May 2001, [online]. Available from: http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~rxv/projmgt/scopecreep.htm . (Accessed Date: May 14, 2011)
·        Helms, Hal. “In Defense of Scope Creep.” A List Apart. September 20, 2002: Issue 150, [online]. Available from:  http://www.alistapart.com/articles/scopecreep . (Accessed Date: May 14, 2011)
·        Gurle, S. “Scope Creep”, December 2, 2003, [online]. Available from:  http://www.umsl.edu/~sauterv/analysis/6840_f03_papers/gurlen/ . (Accessed Date: May 14, 2011)

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Computing Capability and Connectivity’s

By Raul Bernardino
Introduction:
Nowadays computing technology perspectives are to help and fulfill human society needs. Either, they are from professional’s institution of the computing or from software developers industries, they should understand the grass root problems or issues that society that current faced, the society’s trends of using the technologies, the organizations business operations, and other entities needs. These all will enable industries to develop applications and design proper technologies as an interface for helping society.
The application system has to be effective, efficient, reliable, given the accuracy of the measurements, and easy to use or operate in the daily operation. It is also including the safety of the system configurations, friendly environment system, and in line with the norms, society cultures, and the ethicals.
Some of the computing capabilities are able to track down human movement by using data communication over mobile phones, and currency of uses, and it’s including an immigration data. The researchers are tracking at list hundred thousand of people over last six months, etc.
The storage data capability:
In the early computing technology, the capacities of the computing data storages are from 20 Mb to 40 Mb of the IBM personal computer (PC) hard disks and the floppy disks are from 512 Kb to 1.4 Mb. The evolution of the technology and the demands of have the big storages to archive data on disks become a priority to develop furthermore. Therefore, today storage capacity becomes Giga byte, Terra bytes, and Peta bytes.
The purpose of having storage data is to enable retrieving the data whenever it is needed, such to modify the current data, to print for hard copy signed, to manipulate the data, to have the data for decision making process, for the meeting purposes, for sharing data, and etc. Further development of the data storage in globalization era is a data center and the cloud computing. Another relevant question of the data storage as follows:
How much data to be archive? How much data are relevant to the inclusive decision making processes? What data is relevant for the meeting? And so on so for.

The Memory capability:
The term "memory" is often associated with addressable semiconductor memory, i.e. integrated circuits consisting of silicon-based transistors, used for example as primary memory but also other purposes in computers and other digital electronic devices. There are two main types of semiconductor memory: volatile and non-volatile. Examples of non-volatile memory are flash memory (sometimes used as secondary, sometimes primary computer memory) and ROM/PROM/EPROM/EEPROM memory (used for firmware such as boot programs). Examples of volatile memory are primary memory (typically dynamic RAM, DRAM), and fast CPU cache memory (typically static RAM, SRAM, which is fast but energy-consuming and offer lower memory capacity per area unit than DRAM).
The speed capability:
The speed in the computing technology is an essential part of the system configuration. The processors of the computing have to be fastest. For instance all Integrated Circuit(IC) of processors are on the nanosecond (10-9). This will allow processing multiple applications over the computing system faster. For instance: to process the documents over Microsoft word, Excels and power points.  The Microsoft has template to speed up the power design, made auto calculation on excel sheet, modified existing documents, printing existing document for the meeting , and etc. Here the efficient and effective, including the reliable are the measurement for the speed. If we compare to the old function of type write, we will find difficult in preparing the document. It will be time consuming and not effective.     
The capability of connection:
Today globalization needs lot of communication infrastructures in order to make a link from very isolate societies or communities or remote area to communicate with the cities and metropolitans communities or urban areas. The internet network has made lot of contributions to the world society or communities. The connectivity’s has shared the valuable information and knowledge across the countries without a limitation. People can easily interact with the partners around the world. The digital enable people to learn faster than the day before. People have to go to the class, people have to travel far or across to the country to get the information, and etc. Nowadays, it is not an issue anymore. We can have virtual classes, as on-line study, deliver courses and meeting via videoconferencing and audio conferences and etc.    

The access capability:
The accessibility and reliability of the information or data over computing and networks are becoming one of the computing capability measurements. Today’s global computing access becomes a concern to everyone. Therefore computing access has to be managed in order to be able to monitor and manage the performance of the computer itself. The user has to have the accounts and give the privileges to each of them in order to minimized the risk of data confidentiality, protect privacy, allow public share knowledge, and etc.
The fast calculations result capability:
This computing capability makes human been easy to determining decision such as calculating large and complex of issue in Math in excel. For instance: calculating population growth prediction in the statistic models, weather-forecasting, navigating airplane, and etc.
Beside the capability of computing there is relationship with human being activities or issues such as:
The privacy issues:
Nowadays the global communication such internets and social networks communication are publically available even in very remote area that has mobile signal coverage. This is bringing an issue of the privacy.
“The right to privacy in Internet activity is a serious issue facing society.” Walton T.J. (2000)
“…yet on other occasions society questions the state of their privacy, becoming insecure and untrusting with respect to technology.” Robinson, P., Vogt, H., and Wagealla,W. (2005, p.2.)

The ownership:
It’s also very difficult today in determining the ownership of the information or data the internet or in the social networks. It is appear to be anonymous. However in the universities and academics are still looking for protecting the copy rights, such as intellectual copy rights. In other end people intend to have a PIN to secure their assets.

The control:
In order to have full control of things that we have, we have to start to control the connection from our own computer or electronic device; it is including controlling the accessibility of the information or data that we have stored into the technology media. Nowadays, the hacker and crackers are very active in looking for the possibilities such back doors, phishing, and etc., in order to control your machines that have attached wide area network.  Some e.g. is DNS poisoning.

The accuracy:
The global connectivity’s has allowed us to reach and gets right information that we needs in matter of the second. Lot of the internet information has not had preapproval examined from the institutions such university or from the producers. For instance:  We had several issues computer driver that we bought. First we have to consult with the support sited from the producer in order to get the right version of the drivers that we are looking for. We can also ‘Google’ it, in order to get the same information; however its most probably to direct us to other sites that may not solve the problems.
The security:
The security topics are hot issue in today business. The organizations that intend to protect their own information or data is busy investigating solutions for their security requirements. It is including the copyrights and privacies. One of the classic examples is your house. The stranger people can’t enter you house unless you are the one open the door for this stranger. Your door key is your “security key”. So don’t share it to the stranger people.
The global communication and connectivity’s has forced the organizations, companies, and other institutions, to have the information technology policies. This policy is to ensure the security, privacy, and operability of the computing technology in their daily business locations. It is also including establishing the IT standards for the organization and the most important is that the policy is in line with the business need.  It is also need to have IT Master Level Agreement and Server Level Agreement in the organization.
 References:
Adams, A.A. & McCrindle, R.J. (2008) Pandora’s box: Social and professional
issues of the information age. West Sussex, England: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hall, P. A.V. & Fernandez-Ramil, J. (2007) Managing the Software Enterprise:
Software Engineering and Information Systems in Context. London: Thomson Learning.
Maths Fast Calculation Software Freeware, [Online]. Available from:
Robinson,P.  Vogt,H.  and Wagealla,W., (2005), Privacy, Security and
Trust within the Context of Pervasive Computing, Springer Science + Business Media, Inc. , [Online]. Available from: http://books.google.com.sg/books?id=ya6tY8Mz9OYC&pg=PA23&dq=privacy+in+the+computing&hl=en&ei=HlotTeyoKYaycMav4PAH&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=true (Accessed:  16 July 2014)
Stensland, D. and Humanitech(d:d): Merging Humanity with Technology,
[Online]. Available from: http://www.cc.gatech.edu/features/merging-humanity-with-technology (Accessed:  16 July 2016)

Technology On Way To Forecasting Humanity's Needs, [Online]. Available from:

Walton,T.J., (2000), Internet Privacy Law, [Online]. Available from:
Wikis (A.N.) Computer Memory, [Online]. Available from:
          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_memory (Accessed:  16 July 2014)



Monday, February 29, 2016

IT Project Plan Outline

·      By Raul Bernardino

     
           Project Plan Outline
1.0 Goals and Objectives

This section presents a general description of the project along with any general or technical constraints and/or considerations. Please include the sub-sections below.
1.    Project name
2.    Business goals and project goals
3.    Scope
4.    Time and budget constraints
5.    General and technical requirements
6.    Training and documentation
7.    Installation

2.0 Project Estimates
This section presents a set of estimates for the completion of the project, including people, hardware and software. Please include the following sub-sections.
1. People costs
a. Historical or researched data used for estimates (Requires annotation listing where you got this information)
b. Salary requirements
2. Equipment costs (Requires costs for all hardware and software used. It is assumed that all hardware and software will be new).
a. Hardware
b. Software
3. Estimation techniques and results
a. Process-based (use the format shown in section 1.2.1 of the lecture)
b. Second method
c. Triangulation results

3.0 Project Schedule
This section presents an overview of project tasks and the output of a project scheduling tool. The following sub-sections should be included:
3.1 Project task list
The tasks that have been selected for the project are presented in this section.
3.2 Task network
Project tasks and their dependencies are noted in this diagrammatic form.
3.3 Timeline chart
A project timeline chart (Gantt chart) is presented. Please embed the Gantt chart in the document as this is the way end-users would see it.
4.0 Staff Organization
The manner in which staff are organized and the mechanisms for reporting are noted.
4.1 Team structure
The team structure for the project is identified. Roles are defined. Include an organization chart.
4.2 Management reporting and communication
Mechanisms for progress reporting and inter/intra team communication are identified
5.0 Risk Management
This section discusses project risks and the approach to managing them. Please include the following sub-sections.
5.1 Project Risks
Each project risk is described.
5.2 Risk Table
The complete risk table is presented. Name of risk, category, probability, and impact are provided.
5.3 Risk Mitigation, Monitoring, Management Strategy
Discuss a strategy to deal with each risk.
6.0 Tracking and Control Mechanisms
Techniques to be used for project tracking and control are identified. The following sub-sections should be included:
6.1 Quality assurance and control
An overview of SQA activities is provided. Note that an SQA Plan is developed for a moderate to large project and may be a separate document or included as an appendix. Use this section to list your business and technology metrics.
6.2 Change management and control
An overview of software configuration management (SCM) activities is provided. Note that an SCM Plan is developed for a moderate to large project and may be a separate document or included as an appendix. Use this section to describe your procedures for handling change to the specification while in development and the system after the system has been implemented.

Reference:
     Schwalbe, K. Information Technology Project Management, Revised 6th edition

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Software Failure

By Raul Bernardino

Introduction:
Nowadays, we can easily find software applications in everywhere such as on the internet, market, from reseller agents, from developers, and etc. Those software applications are implementing in the various industries, in the companies, in the institutions, in the government, and in the organizations. The aim of the software is to automate manual functions such as increasing the reliabilities and accuracies, cost saving for the labor, paperless, and green environment, and etc. Although, these software applications are helping the human being in order to have a quick and efficient results and to have reliable and accuracy calculations or measurements. It is also including to store and to retrieve information for the decision making processes or for another purposes; this software has also had a limitation in which might caused the system failure or system halt during execution of the tasks or it services, for instance virgin blue system error. Even, it might cause the life of the human being such as therac-25. 
According to the Hall and Fernandez-Ramil, “the software applications have not returned the benefit to the economy, if anything to expend on larger software and hardware will lead to decreasing national productivities,” Hall, P. A.V. & Fernandez-Ramil, J. (2007, p.16).
Let’s start with two examples of the virgin blue airline that using the IT services. First, the virgin blue system was sending an error email of upgrading customer’s membership rewards from “velocity member to gold member” which was well known as “Friday the 13th strikes”. The velocity customers were getting emails as it shows in below picture:


This caused the velocity website crashed, lot of customers tried to visit the site to ensure the truth. An hour later sent an apology email to the velocity customers as it shows in below picture:

Second, the virgin blue IT system failure caused around fifty thousand passengers can’t board including canceling hundreds of the virgin blue flights in Australia. The Navitaire was contracted with virgin blue to give IT service. In the service agreement that was established is very clear stated that in any critical mission, the remedies have to be in the period of the short time in the outages. The hardware faulty from ‘Navitaire’ had made an additional cost to the virgin blue. The virgin blue has to pay passengers accommodations that were not able to broad at that time.
With two examples above, the first IT system error whereas incidentally upgrade the not entitled velocity members to rewards the Gold member, was a confusing information. The second issue of hardware failure had cost extra to the virgin blue.
On the therac-25 issue was identified as bugs that upgraded from therac-20 as in the following text box:
Possible Thearac-25 Failures:
  • There were no proper assessment and testing of the new created machine
  • Error detection massage are not well design
  • Not proper action after first error detected
  • The safety glitch is not proper installed
  • There were not have a proper communication among hospital who using the machine with government and manufactory 

 In conclusion: Any software development, has to be in-line with the business needs, designed in the scope of requirements, and tested the application for several time of period before going to be real in production, and including to establish the back system in which to anticipate the failures.

References:

Grubb, B. (13 November 2009), Virgin Blue "error" upgrades passengers to gold

status, [Online].  Available from:  http://www.itnews.com.au/News/160494,virgin-blue-error-upgrades-passengers-to-gold-status.aspx  (Accessed: 7 October 2011).

Australia Association Press, (27 September 2010), Australian airline grounded by

IT failure, [Online].  Available from: 

http://www.information-age.com/channels/it-services/news/1286558/australian-airline-grounded-by-it-failure.thtml

 (Accessed: 7 October 201).

An Investigation of the Therac-25 Incident, [Online]. Available from:

http://courses.cs.vt.edu/cs3604/lib/Therac_25/Therac_1.html (Accessed: 7 October  2011)

Case Analysis Module: Therac-25, [Online]. Available from:

          http://cnx.org/content/m13765/latest/ (Accessed: 7 October 2011)


Hall, P. A.V. & Fernandez-Ramil, J. (2007) Managing the Software Enterprise:

Software Engineering and Information Systems in Context. London: Thomson Learning.

Information Technology and Social Issues

By Raul Bernardino

Introduction:
Today era of the globalization needs more communication infrastructure in order to be able to communicate from time to time without any limitation. For instance the cross border information, culture interaction, and people interaction at anytime and anywhere. The Information Communication and Technology have played a vital role on today communication.
In other hand the rapid of technology innovation and software development has contributed positive and negative impact in the communities.
The positive parts as follows:
a)     People easy to interact:  People can easily interact with the rest of world even it is from very remote area. As far as there is a tool of communication and electricity such as mobile connectivity, Vsat communication, solar panels, generator, and etc., they will able to establish a communication with their relatives, friends, and make new friends
b)    No difficult in distance and time: Today distance and time are not a big deal. We can easily interact via virtual media such through audio and video conferences, web streaming, email communication, browsing internet, and etc. without have to travel to purpose destination to get same information.
c)     Effective, efficient, reliable, and accuracy: With the technology innovation, human works becomes efficient and effective. And those works can be accessible at anytime with different entities or groups because it is stored digitally.
d)    Human health improvement: The innovation of the technology has helped lot medical person to identify diseases in the hospitals and clinics, such robot surgeries, x-rays, etc.
e)     More exploration on the space: The technology helps to identify objects on the space; it is including shipping the astronaut to the space for direct observation.
f)      More job creation: the technology innovation also bring new field of knowledge area and job creation.
The negative parts as follows:
a)     Too much dependency on the technology: Today human has been invading by technology. Without the technology people just cannot deliver the works or services. For instance the system that they use to use for daily operation had hardware defected or power fails. They can’t deliver a job until it fixed. In order to overcome the situation we have to do a backup plan for generator and manual system if the automatic fail.
b)    Unpredictable hardware and software failure: The prediction on the hardware and software failures are unexpected, therefore we have to have backup system, have proper design and have to meet the criteria or requirements, modeling and testing the applications.
c)     Privacy invasion: Today social networks have also invaded the privacies of the users. To overcome this privacy issue, the ethical and awareness as an important part of the sharing information.
d)    Culture shock: The indigenous and modern people will shock with the other culture; the way to overcome the situation is to adjust and adapt some positive values from the other cultures.
In conclusion: The creations of any systems have to be in-line with existing law in the country or in-line with ethical computing, social entities needs, market, and use available technology or architecture.
References:
Baruh, L. & Soysal, L. (2010), Public Intimacy and the New Face (Book) of
Surveillance—The Role of Social Media in Shaping Contemporary Dataveillance, [Online].  Available from:  http://forum.prisonplanet.com/index.php?action=printpage;topic=171979.0 (Accessed: 7 October 2011).
West, A. (2009), NASA Study on Flight Software Complexity, [Online]. Available

Gordon, A. (2009), Jobs of the future, Science and Technology enable employment

 

for 2020-2030, [Online]. Available


Adams, A.A. & McCrindle, R.J. (2008) Pandora’s box: Social and professional
issues of the information age. West Sussex, England: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Hall, P. A.V. & Fernandez-Ramil, J. (2007) Managing the Software Enterprise:
Software Engineering and Information Systems in Context. London: Thomson Learning.