12.5 Person Responsible for Environments and Tools

The person responsible for environments and tools ensures that the required tools are available and work appropriately. This person often performs support in connection with tool use. This person must be aware of the interfaces between these tools and those used in other connections (such as registration of hours). The responsibility for these interfaces should be clarified. This person may also perform configuration management for the company's configuration management tools and products belonging to them, such as manuals, installation scripts, and data exchange scripts.

The person filling this role must be good at identifying and coordinating common needs to obtain uniform implementation. This person should be good at cooperating with others and able and willing to function as a mentor. The person must have an interest in new technology, especially related to configuration management.

This person must have a solid knowledge of configuration management, both generally and in the company. This person must also know the borderlines and interfaces with other processes, such as quality assurance, and other tools used in the organization. Quite possibly this person should have some knowledge of programming, as most tools must be adjusted to the organization in one way or another. The activities of this person in relation to tools available for configuration management may include the following:

• Installing and implementing tools

• Producing necessary support tools or connections between tools (such as scripts)

• Maintaining installed tools, including communication with suppliers

• Supporting users of configuration management tools

• Possibly educating other employees in the use of tool(s)

Managing Configurations of Environments and Tools

All configuration management activities must be performed for the tools and products for which this person is responsible, according to the extent to which they're placed under configuration management. The following are especially important:

• This person may set a good example by following required configuration management procedures.

• All users should receive comprehensive information when a tool is upgraded or changed.

Configuration management of tools should form part of the planning and budgeting for this person's work. The holder of this role must see that necessary resources for people and infrastructure are planned and allocated.

References

More details about relevant subjects may be found in Chapters 5, 21Company Infrastructure, 23, and 26.