26.2 Organizational Considerations

Acquiring and implementing a tool requires organizational considerationsit's not something you just rush in and do. Conscious decisions about what to do and how to do it must be made first. Some of the aspects to consider are (in alphabetical order) business goals, buy it or do it yourself, environmental constraints, existing products, financing, organizational scope, ownership, planning for the future, and willingness to change.

Business Goals

The point to consider here is how a new tool will fit into the company's overall goals, such as for general process improvement or achieving a certain level of capability or a specific certification. This may have an impact on the type of tool to choose.

Buy It or Do It Yourself

Either way has advantages and disadvantages. Table 26-1 shows some considerations worth taking into account. The list is by no means exhaustive. Developing a tool internally must be undertaken like any other development projectat least as seriously as a project undertaken for an external customer.

Table 26-1. Buy It or Do-It-Yourself Considerations

Buy

Do-It-Yourself

Some customization must always be foreseen, either to the tool or to the company processes (or, more likely, both).

The tool can be made exactly as the company wants it (provided it knows what it wants).

The price is usually easy to calculate.

The final cost may be difficult to estimate.

Usually the payment must be made within a relatively short time.

The development and hence the "payment" can be done at the company's own pace.

Do what you do bestthat's what suppliers do.

Maybe you're best suited to develop your own tool.

Environmental Constraints

The "environment" in this context is a broad concept. Constraints may exist in terms of platforms available, such as UNIX, Windows, or a mixture of platforms. Network constraints may have to be reckoned with. Other constraints may be project plans, which must be kept but may not include the work occasioned by introducing a new tool.

Legacy from the Past

A decision must be made on whether existing configuration items are to be handled as usual or by the new tool. The former may cause inconvenience in daily work, while the latter entails an extra expenditure for migration.

Financing

Who is going to pay for a new tool, and what are the financial limits? Aspects to consider are, among other things, the number and type of licenses to buy and the cost of maintenance (both immediate, as for customization and training, and long- term , for support and upgrades). Reckon both the direct expenses (money crossing the counter) and indirect (working hours spent by the staff).

Organizational Scope

This factor is perhaps the most important. How much of the organization will use the new tool?

  • Everybodyrequiring a company-wide solution?

  • At the project level, so a solution covering the needs for an individual project is sufficient?

This decision may have far-reaching consequences, with regard to both direct costs and working hours. Examine the different classes of configuration management tools in relation to organizational needs.

Ownership

Make clear at an early stage who carries overall responsibility and who is the overall driver (not necessarily the same person) in introducing a configuration management tool. It's a good idea to get at least one representative from management to support the introduction. Ownership and financing are usually tied together.

Planning for the Future

It may be worthwhile to look ahead when choosing a configuration management tool. If possible, have an idea of the "final" goal for configuration management in the company, so that the tool will accommodate growth. Converting in three years , when the "new" tool becomes too small, will be just as painful as converting a legacy system to the new tool. You run the risk being able to move only the latest version, losing the product historyone of the more important aspects of configuration management.

Willingness to Change

Introducing a new tool will inevitably change demands on the way people work, which will produce reactions. These reactions are partly related to the amount of influence people have on decisions leading to the changes. It's important to consider the general willingness for change among those affected. The bibliography contains a few examples of literature on this subject.



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

flylib.com © 2008-2017.
If you may any questions please contact us: flylib@qtcs.net