23.6 Configuration Management Plan: Schedule

This chapter describes tasks to be performed and the overall milestones and phases, or activities, for configuration management. Graphs and diagrams illustrating the schedule should be included, possibly in an appendix. This chapter may be divided into the following sections:

  1. Tasks

  2. Phases and Milestones

  3. Diagrams and Charts

Tasks

Detailed tasks in connection with the activities are described here. Don't forget "invisible" workwork the staff has to perform but that isn't covered in the plan and the schedule. Also determine and plan required training. The tasks are closely connected to the roles to be fulfilled. As far as possible, document which people will be filling which roles. Also state interfaces or connections to the overall project plan, especially where people fill more than one role. Plan the resource needs so that it's clear who is to work when.

Phases and Milestones

Configuration management has, like a development project, a number of milestones:

  • The configuration management system is ready for use for the next activity.

  • Establishment of the configuration control board(s).

  • Deliveries of subsystem and systems, possibly connected to project milestones.

  • Product release.

Internal deliveries, such as software for testing hardware prototypes (or vice versa), should be treated like deliveries of subsystems. This applies to both care taken in testing and control and resources allocated to establish and release the delivery. A classical blunder is to underestimate the work connected with the release of an internal delivery or to believe that it's not so important if an internal delivery isn't perfect. Numerous examples show the hours wasted in trying to find an error in a system where both the software and the hardware turned out to be unstable. The milestone should be listed, as well as which phases require which roles and resources. This should preferably include a reference to the overall project plan, to show the connection with the activities and the milestones.

Diagrams and Charts

It's a good idea to support the planning descriptions with diagrams and charts. Most project management tools provide the facilities, and such tools may also be used for scheduling configuration management activities. Follow up on the schedules: mark clearly on diagrams and charts where the project is and what the rest of the project lifetime looks like.



Configuration Management Principles and Practice
Configuration Management Principles and Practice
ISBN: 0321117662
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2002
Pages: 181

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