B.8 Chapter 8 Review

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1. To a development team, what is significant about the Support phase?

   The Customer Support phase represents a formal handoff from the development team to organizational MIS or IT support.

2. What are the six key tasks the Core Team must complete during the Support phase?

   1. Develop the Software Transition Plan

   2. Develop the MIS Hardware/Software Handoff Letters

   3. Develop the Hardware Life Cycle Management Plan

   4. Develop the Help Desk Checklists

   5. Develop the Support Plan

   6. Develop the Signoff Letter

3. What is a Software Transition Plan?

   The Software Transition Plan transitions the software from the Development phase to the User Support phase.

4. What purpose does the MIS Hardware/Software Handoff Letter serve?

   This letter from the MIS organization indicates it has reviewed, approved, and accepted full responsibility for both the software applications and all of the related hardware deliverables that the project team has developed; it formally declares it (MIS) will provide ongoing support as needed to maintain it.

5. What are the three key sections every support plan should contain?

   At a minimum, it is recommended that the support plan contain a Software Configuration Management Plan, Service Level Agreement(s), and Help Desk Checklists.

6. Define change management.

   Change management refers in part to how software modules are managed as they are checked in and out of the master source library.

7. What is configuration control?

   Configuration control is a process that begins with the establishment of a single, baseline copy of the product source code. A library for the master copy of the source code is established and managed using check-in and check-out procedures. This single copy should be used for all subsequent builds by all groups. All changes and updates are reflected in the build. Interim checks are often established to prevent corruption of the master by requiring that strict quality assurance and audit control procedures are enforced. The use of a single master for builds ensures that all changes are reflected in the latest version, and testing will account for such changes.

8. What key points should you remember when creating a Service Level Agreement (SLA)?

   1. There should be equal representation of the service provider and the client.

   2. The leaders of the team should be peers.

   3. The members of the team should be stakeholders.

   4. The team members need to be subject-matter experts.

9. List the basic components of an SLA.

   I. Parties to the Agreement

   II. Term of the Agreement

   I. Scope of the Agreement

   II. Limitations

   III. Service Level Objectives

   IV. Service Level Indicators

   V. Nonperformance

   VI. Optional Services

   VII. Exclusions to the Agreement

   VIII. Reporting Procedures

   IX. Administration Process

   X. Reviews

   XI. Revisions

   XII. Approvals

10. What is a Help Desk Checklist used for?

    This checklist identifies the type of customer support that the Help Desk may need to provide. It is intended to be used to assist in preparing the organizational support team for handling questions or problems regarding the use of the product or deliverable.

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