CEN 4021
Software Engineering II
Release Management Council
Instructor: Masoud Sadjadi
http://www.cs.fiu.edu/~sadjadi/
sadjadi@cs.fiu.edu
CEN 4021
18th Lecture
Acknowledgements
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Dr. Onyeka Ezenwoye

Dr. Peter Clarke
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
18th Lecture
2
Agenda
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Release Management Council
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
18th Lecture
The team management approach
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Software projects are becoming very large and complex
There is very little reason for all aspects of software to be
managed by a single person.
Especially when the project is sourced from physically
distant areas.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
18th Lecture
The team management approach
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Knowledge of many organization members can be utilized
in decision making.
All stakeholders need to be included in the definition of the
software project team.
The knowledge, opinion and cooperation of subgroup
team leaders should be sought by the project team.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
18th Lecture
The team management approach
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Release management council is a special team
management group.
Members of this group must understand two important
complementary principles:
– Responsibility and Authority.
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Very little chance for success with one and not the other.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
18th Lecture
The team management approach
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Responsibility
– Relates to members’ accountability for project success or
failure. Members must view the success of the project as a
team goal.
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Authority
– Relates to the power to make or participate in the making of
decisions so as the achieve team goals.
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Responsibility must be accompanied by
commensurate authority.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
18th Lecture
management council
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Release management council is charged with setting
goals, policies and guiding the project.
Members are picked from different parts of the
organization representing major activities.
Ensure that decisions are made in a timely manner.
Make appropriate adjustments as necessary.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
18th Lecture
management council
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Members are team leaders representing the following
activity areas:
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–
–
–
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Customer requirements
Design and architecture
Implementation
Tools, techniques
Testing
Configuration management
Quality assurance
Customer support
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
18th Lecture
management council
Human
resources
requirement
s
Design
Programming
Testing
Release Management
Council
Project
manager
Tools and
support
Education
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
Config.
Mngmt.
Marketing
/ sales
QA
Finance
Customer
support
Customer
18th Lecture
management council
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Release management council should be introduced at
project inception.
Members do not need to be department managers.
Task description should be part of normal member’s
performance plans.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
18th Lecture
operation
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Mode of operation of a project utilizing the release
management approach is that of shared responsibility and
shared authority.
Members should be stable and constant attendees of the
regular project status meeting.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
18th Lecture
operation
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Members participate in the following all of the following
activities:
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Sharing data and information
Analyzing and evaluating information
Making decisions and resolving problems
Communicating the information
Coordinating their own groups activities with other groups.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
18th Lecture
operation
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Release management council meeting should be inclusive
and mandatory
Avoid formation of subgroups
Involved in the planning, organizing, solution, and change
decisions
Minutes should be compiled and sent to all council
members.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
18th Lecture
operation
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Meeting agenda should include the following topics:
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The status of unresolved items
The status of risk items
Tracking data collected
Short discussion and scheduling of any off-line meetings
The generation of status and follow-up open items
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
18th Lecture
operation
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Release management council makes decision on state of
products conclusion.
This decision becomes difficult if project is not tracking
according to plan.
Council may hold product release back if product is not
ready.
Delaying release can have implications for revenues,
costs or reputation.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
18th Lecture
operation
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Release options include the following:
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Delay the project with no release to customers
Release parts of the product, delay problem areas until fixed
Release the product to a small controlled group of customers
Release the product to everyone, establish superb customer
support
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
18th Lecture
operation
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There may be some negativity associated with product
release delay.
– Customer fears about quality, usability, etc
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Project managers should be prepared to tackle product
problems and reestablishing customer support confidence.
Releasing only a portion of the product can lessen the
brunt of the delay.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
18th Lecture
operation
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There are situations where customers may be willing to
take an imperfect release.
– Problem areas may not be needed till later
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Consult sales and marketing group, or even the customers
directly.
Ensure customer service reps are aware of the condition
of the release.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
18th Lecture
operation
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Unfinished product may be released to establish market
precedence is problems are deemed “non-life threatening”
Steps must be taken to ensure proper support.
This strategy may backfire and create early image of low
quality.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
18th Lecture