Ongoing Solution Delivery Guidance

The previous chapters are full of governance activities and checkpoints that apply to enacting solution delivery. Additional governance activities depend on which solution delivery methodology is selected. Typically, additional governance activities include tracking and regularly communicating status, as well as continuously improving and optimizing processes and procedures used by the team.

Tracking and Reporting Status (Deliverable)

As discussed in Chapter 8, "MSF Plan Track: Planning a Solution," the communications plan should detail how much, to whom, and what status information is needed by the team and by the various stakeholders. Ideally, providing status is a two-way, free flow of information. Sharin status does not need to be formal or complex. Table 12-3 provides a simple example of tracking deliverable status.

Table 12-3. Example of a Deliverable Status Matrix

Document	Author/Lead	Lead Reviewer	Deliver Date	Tech Signed Off	Business Signed Off	Comments
AD Migration Plan	Bassem R.	Brian W.	26-Apr	X	X
AD Detailed Design	Bassem R.	Brian W.	1-May	X	X
Exchange Design	Frank G.	Jim S.	2-May	X	X
AD Test Plan	Bassem R.	Kimm F.	11-May	22-May	3-Jun
Infrastructure Master Test Plan	Peter R.	John F.	14-May			Very overdue
AD Migration Logistics	Brian W.	Bassem R.	18-May	27-May	TBD	Need to schedule Biz sign-off
Infrastructure Pilot Plan	Scott W.	John F.	1-Jun			May need to slip 2 days
Exchange Test Plan	Frank G.	Kimm F.	3-Jun
AD Test Logistics	Brian W.	Bassem R.	4-Jun
Exchange Test Logistics	Jim S.	Frank G.	7-Jun
Exchange Deployment Plan	Jim S.	Frank G.	7-Jun
Exchange Migration/Consolidation Plan	Frank G.	Jim S.	25-Jun
Exchange Migration/Consolidation Logistics	Jim S.	Frank G.	7-Jul
				Current as of 6/01/2006

In addition to documenting status, it is a recommended practice to share status interactively with stakeholders on a regular basis (e.g., monthly stakeholder steering committee meetings). It is also recommended to provide status on the team's collaboration site.

Continuously Improving Processes and Procedures

Similar to how Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) espouses an incremental and iterative approach to solution construction, MSF espouses an incremental and iterative approach to process and procedure improvement throughout a solution delivery life cycle. Because books and books have been written on continuous improvement (known as kaizen, as referenced in Chapter 3, "Foundational Principles, Mindsets, and Proven Practices"), this section provides just a cursory introduction to the topic.

As a team becomes familiar and comfortable with making continuous improvement part of their normal work, they will realize that through small, gradual changes, they are able to evolve and refine all aspects of solution delivery as opposed to disrupt it with larger and/or sudden changes. A process improvement need not be complex. It could be as simple as streamlining a status report template. Other typical areas of improvement include the following:

• Improving estimating and planning accuracy

• Refining matching of team member skills with required tasks competencies

• Simplifying the method and reducing the time needed to share information

• Eliminating (or at least greatly reducing) unnecessary communications

• Minimizing elongated review cycles

• Reducing unproductive governance