Software Process And Measurement Cast

The Software Process and Measurement Cast (SPaMCAST) Five features an interview with Ian Brown of Booz Allen Hamilton covering the topic of estimation.  Project estimation (whether software, hardware, network or research projects) is one the hardest areas organizations face when planning or executing work.  Ian provides serious advice for implementing an estimation program.   SPaMCAST Five includes a guest essay by Paul Laberge of CCH Canada on fitting PPQA audit to an organization to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.   If you have an idea for a guest essay contact Tom Cagley at spamcastinfo@gmail.com, the Software Process and Measurement Cast welcomes guest essays!    Finally this cast includes comments on Putts Law.  Putts Law states that - those that understand do not manage and those that manage do not understand.  I am worried about the thought of using project managers wholesale without technical competency.  Does this casue a competency inversion?  What are the attributes of a perfect project m

SPaMCAST Four features an interview with Stasia Iwanicki of the David Consulting Group (www.davidconsultinggroup.com).    Stasia can be reach at s.iwanicki@davidconsultinggroup.com.  Stasia and host, Tom Cagley, discuss the how the CMMI and Six Sigma interact.  The discussion provides information for organization to decide which model makes sense and whether they can be applied at the same time.  The discussion touched on the issue of whether a craft or factory model is healthier as a model for an information technology organizations in the 21st century.  I believe the topic foreshadows its own mud wrestle in the future.  Thoughts? The essay in this cast is titled 'Models, Models Everywhere . . .'  The essay challenges you to clearly understand why you are using any model and to evaluate the value.  Implementing a model for the sake of model is a loosing proposition.  The essay leaves you with the question, 'models, models, everywhere . . . a powerful tool or a straight jacket?' Which is it for you? Next

The Software Process and Measurement CAST features a wide ranging interview with Capers Jones, founder and Chief Scientist of Software Productivity Research (www.spr.com).  As with any discussion with Capers, take out your pencil and paper and get ready to write.  One of the great features of a podcast is that that you can hit the pause key and even back up.  You will need it, it was a great interview. The essay for this podcast is titled, Measurement Proliferation, Guarding The Peace or Mutually Assured Destruction?  The article explores proliferation in depth (measuring the same thing many ways) and breadth (measuring everything).  Next CastThe Next SPaMCAST will be posted on March 11.  The cast will feature an exciting interview with Stasia Iwanicki.  The interview is titled 'Six Sigma and CMMI:  Friends, Foes or Mud Wrestling Partners'. Future Events In April I will be presenting and teaching a workshop at the IFPUG Spring Workshops and Functional Sizing Summit (www.ifpug.org).  The workshop titled Co

Will's interview includes a wealth of information on implementing PPQA with an organization.   The basis for the interview is the presentation he will make at the SEPG 2007 Conference.  Will has provided all mentioned documents at www.nextlevelconsultants.com.  He has provided a link on the home page:     Click Here for SEPG 2007 PPQA Material The direct link is : http://www.nextlevelconsultants.com/ppqa-sepg-assets.htm Show Two's essay, "Keep the Ship of IT Pointed Towards Delivering Value" is a reflection on a lecture I attended by Jared Diamond.  His lecture was in support of his book. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed (2005).  The ideas in the book concern the anthropology of societies however they are equally relevant to why process improvement programs succeed or fail.  Two of the ideas Dr. Diamond put forth on why societies collapse that are instantly germane to SPI programs.  Full text can be found at www.tcagley.wordpress.com. SPaMCAST Show Three will feature an inter

Process and Product Qualtiy Assurance is a critcal process area within the CMMI.  It is the leading economic indicator of success when assessing whether process change will be successful.  Successful implementation requires that you understand your orgnaizations culture. Show One features an interview with Will McKnight (pictured) of Next Level Consultants.  Next Level Consultants can be found at: www.nextlevelconsultants.com You can contact Mr. McKnight at info@nextlevelconsultants.com   Comments on the podcast and SPaMcast can be emailed to spamcastinfo@gmail.com. Rough versions of the essay and other working articles can be found at tcagley@wordpress.com   My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-66dd681d07991ed3b86a108fd6b15024}

Welcome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast, SPaMCAST,  Show ZERO!  Show Zero is being releasing to activate the RSS feeds, iron out the bugs, teach the podcaster the software and to prime your expectations.    The cast will typically follow a format that begins with a commentary or essay followed by an interview and listener comments.  The interviews will address the wide range of software process improvement or measurement topics.  The list of topics and interviews that are currently scheduled include:   Process and Product Quality Assurance Estimation Software measurement Function Points Other Functional Metrics Outsourcing the Measurement Process   Overall the cast is intended to last approximately 20 – 30 minutes and to be produced every two weeks.   Tom Cagley spamcastinfo@gmail.com