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Do you know what is going on?
We've all heard horror stories of tradesmen causing chaos: "I asked them to
fix a tap, but after the sink broke we had to move out for 6 weeks while the carpet
was dry-cleaned and new floor-boards were laid." This problem generally occurs
after you have let the supplier have a free-for-all in your house while you're at
work: "Just let yourself in, the keys under the mat, and get the job done".
My Father-in-Law is Greek and I have noticed he gets more out of a tradesman than
anyone else. Bottom line is he watches what they're doing and then gets on their case
early when things aren't perfect. Whether it's carpet layers not matching the patterns
together or plasterers leaving unsightly corners - as soon as he spots a problem
he confronts them straight away and gets them to rectify it.
With any professional consultant or tradesman you should always take a hands-on
approach with the project, stay on top of the important issues, and be ready to
get involved when you see a problem.
Of course, as your relationship builds with the consultant or tradesman, and they
become more aware of your expectations, you can divulge greater trust and leave
them to it.
So insist your software consultants maintain verbal contact with you.
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Do you provide a Company Champion?
There are lots of stakeholders in a software project. Users, Marketing, Managers,
They all have requirements for the new system but if the spec becomes a free-for-all,
is is more likely the project will be steered off-course.
Select a "Company Champion" - who is the sole person able
to make scope decisions and authorize work.
Remember it's all too tempting to allow the DBA to authorise work
without seeking proper authority, so insist that your software consultants
follow the standard on getting work approved through a Company Champion.
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Are you specific in your requirements?
When you're scoping the work to be completed, ensure you are as accurate as possible
in your requirements. Saying "I want to keep contact details on my clients" is likely
to require later clarification. Instead say: "I want to record my clients' firstname,
surname, mobile phone, email address & Instant Messenger messenger address." This
way, you'll get exactly what you want. Even better, use screen shots or mock-ups.
The best way for this to work is to break tasks into the smallest possible bit size pieces
and ensure that those pieces are in the project plan explicitly.
Sometimes software developers miss a related item which you might consider 'blindingly
obvious.' For example you might ask them to fix a combo box on one form in a legacy
application. But they mightn't know about the three other forms that the same type
of combo appears on. So if you also want them fixed, then let them know about them!
Insist your software consultants conduct specifications by creating mock-ups.
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Do you read and manage your emails carefully?
Email has a bad name in business primarily because people don't treat email correctly.
Email can be a vital tool to your company, and your software development project,
but it has to be managed. Email should be an accurate record of requests, conversations,
and decisions. Emails are legal documents and should be treated with the same care
as any other correspondence with clients or employees. Email is also an extremely
effective task tracking tool, and requests made by email should be treated with
the same seriousness as Project Plans and other directives.
Software developers send many queries via email, we ask that you pay close attention
to your Inbox and respond promptly.
Insist your software consultants follow the standards to better email
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Do you respond to queries quickly?
Now we're working, you'll get loads of questions. Most software projects demands
close interaction with the Client. As the developers are usually working to tight
budgets and schedules, getting quick answers to questions is a must. The Company
Champion should be able to answer developer's questions within 4 hours. Otherwise
decisions will be delayed and costs increase.
A good way to fix this problem is to insist your software consultants contact you via MSN/Live Messenger.
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Do you conduct user acceptance testing thoroughly?
The shorter the time period between development and testing, the quicker it will
be to solve them. When your developers get you a test version, have your resources
available to review the version and get feedback to them straight away.
Insist your software consultants run a test please with you every week.
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Do you know know who pays for 'bugs'?
You WILL discover bugs in any newly developed software. This is perfectly normal.
It's important to have a common understanding with your software developers about
what to do when they arise.
'Bugs' are generally a consequence of the development team not knowing every possible
scenario when adding error handling. Generally speaking it takes developers just
as long to add the error handling before you test it than after you test it. Bugs
can also occur when development requirements change on the spot or work is not sufficiently
specified.
For these reasons, fixing such issues are generally billable work on time & material
contracts. On fixed-price contracts, bugs are generally fixable within the warranty
period at no cost to you.
What is a bug?
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Do you remember any changes you request will impact on budget and time?
Often towards the end of a project, you may request extra pieces of functionality
("Can you add a second email address field into the ClientContact form?"), or maybe
another report is required. Even in the middle of a project extra work can be requested
as project goals move. So long as there isn't a technical or business problem with
the request, the work will be scheduled by the developers and done.
Every new item that is requested increases the total hours and scope of the project
and therefore the cost. If the project has a drop-dead date or budget, don't ask
for things that will blow these deadlines out. Or, if you want your developers to
work to a budget, ask them to let you know what 'can't be done.'
Insist your software consultants correctly triage additional item requests.
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Are you aware of existing issues?
No doubt there will be a time when you get new developers to work on an existing
application. Known issues with the existing application should be clearly delineated
as much as possible. But new bugs will occur when changes have unforeseen effects
on functionality down the line. This is to be expected.
Once again it's a matter of working with your developers in being clear in requirements
and testing as changes are made to ensure these issues are trapped as early as possible.
Ask your SSW developer to add a test case which will mean in the future important functionality will never
"disappear" or break.
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Do you understand deadlines often move?
If you have a tight schedule and deadline for release we need you to be clear with
your developers right at the beginning what needs to be done when. Most developers
generally can't guarantee they can work with your deadlines, but they'll be honest
up front about when items can be completed.
Your budget and deadline may mean some items will not get done.
Sometimes their estimate on items are way to short or too long. It is very hard
to be 100% accurate when estimating hours to complete work.
The best way to keep track is to insist on a weekly release update/debrief.
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Do you sign the consultants timesheets every day?
Many software developers will work on-site, especially on time & material contracts.
Before they leave your offices every day, ask them to present their diary, or whatever
method they use for recording time, for checking and signing. This way, you can see what was done
and raise any issues with developers.
Insist your software consultants ask you to sign their timesheets every day.
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Do you use an experienced project manager?
Some clients think that a Project Manager is just a resource that increases the cost of a project. But a house does get
built if you leave the architect, carpenters, electricians and plumbers to just work it out between themselves. The house
DOES get built if the foreman is on everyones toes making sure they are doing their job.
Insist your Project Manager maintains a strict project schedule.
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You're the one paying the bills. Make sure you know where the costs are and how the project is progressing
Insist on receiving the following reports on a weekly basis as a minimum:
- Current project costs (from the timesheets directly). This allows you to see the actual costs of the project
on a weekly basis.
Figure: Project Progress report
Figure: Project progress report from TFS
- What has been completed and what is outstanding (from the Release Plan Work Item list). This allows you to see the
actual progress of the Release.
Figure: Release Plan update
If you need more than this you just need to ask your project manager (but be aware that extra reporting costs time)