2.6 Updating the FeatureFunctionality Report

2.6 Updating the Feature/Functionality Report

The Feature/Functionality report was initially created in Phase 1 ”Project Concept. After the design is completed IT will update the Feature/Functionality Report so it reflects the actual project. In Phase 1, the lead developer reviewed the Business Requirements Document and made a guess at what it would take to execute the project. This guess was used to identify the general scope and cost of the project. In Design, the project is studied in depth. The estimates developed in Phase 1 are now replaced with information developed in the Design phase.

The updated Feature/Functionality Report should be prioritized by company direction. The prioritized list should have at least three sections: A, B, and C. ˜ ˜A lists the features that must be in the project for the project to work; ˜ ˜B lists the features that would be good to have; ˜ ˜C lists the features that would be good to have but are not necessary.

It is worthwhile to update this report and then review it with other technologists. Reviewing features, times, and priorities with others can provide the team with a sanity check to ensure the report is not missing any elements or failing to take account of any situations. Time estimates are made for each feature based on how long it is believed each feature will take. The development process needs to be annotated based on those features that can be shortened by putting more resources on them and those development cycles that are ˜ ˜pregnant. You can t get three women pregnant and expect to deliver a baby in three months. There are some development cycles that will take three person-months if you have three, six, or nine developers associated with it. By understanding the pregnant development cycles, it becomes easier to flag areas that cannot be shortened and highlight areas where potential slips can occur.

2.6 in a Nutshell

After IT completes the Design phase, the Feature/ Functionality Report, created in the Project Concept phase, is updated.

• The Feature/Functionality Report takes each feature specified and identifies the estimated time it will take to create that feature.

• Features in the Feature/Functionality Report are prioritized based on user needs and company direction.

• The updated document will be used by the Project Manager so she can understand how long it will take to develop specific features, where the pregnant processes are, and how to better manage slips or changes to the project.