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Tools and Automation for the Software Development Lifecycle 8 June 2006 In this issue: - A Word with the Wise: Managing Other People's Baggage with Peter Clark - What's Happening at StickyMinds.com - Featured Tool: MKS Portfolios 2006 - Outside the Toolbox: Pet Computer Virus **************************************************************** ADVERTISEMENT: Measuring AD Effectiveness and Efficiency with MKS Portfolios A survey by IDG Research and MKS finds that only 4% of IT managers have good visibility into their application maintenance spend and only 1/3 claim to have good visibility into new projects. MKS offers the only portfolio management solution built into an application lifecycle management platform to deliver 100% visibility across all development activities. Read the white paper: http://www.mks.com/go/portfoliomanagementpaper. **************************************************************** A Word with the Wise: Managing Other People's Baggage with Peter Clark by Joseph McAllister In Peter Clark's line of work, a defect may result in some very irate users. Sure, that sounds like a typical reaction to project defects, but when was the last time a defect in one of your projects caused a client's favorite pair of shoes to mistakenly travel halfway around the world? Peter is an expert in automated material handling systems, and he's currently managing systems that handle airport baggage. This may bring to mind the nightmare of lost luggage--you arrive at your sun-soaked vacation destination in Hawaii, only to discover that your flip-flops and Bermuda shorts have safely arrived at their own vacation destination, somewhere in the Swiss Alps. This might occur, Peter explains, if the baggage handling system doesn't catch a mistake in the sort location code (e.g., the code reads "Flight 212" instead of "Flight 221") or the tracking equipment misplaces the item due to an equipment or software failure. "But we are exceptionally good at delivering high-quality systems, where we don't have to worry about bags being misdirected because of the way they're sorted," he says. Peter manages teams that work on multiple projects simultaneously, using tools for defect tracking, configuration management, and revision control. As a group manager, Peter also uses software tools for project scheduling and tracking team budgets. His biggest concerns when delivering a project to a client are "Does the system that I deliver actually meet the customer's needs?" and "Does the system that I deliver have a low enough defect density that they aren't tripping over defects all the time?" For Peter and his teams, the customers include the airlines that move the planes across the globe and the passengers who ride in them. For the flying public, there are a couple of commonly held misconceptions he'd like to clear up. "One of the big concerns for the public is, when they land somewhere, how long it takes for their bag to show up," he says. The speed is not dependent upon the automated handling systems and their conveyors, Peter explains, but rather on the order in which the airline or airport determines that the aircraft is to be manually unloaded by the baggage handlers. The other misconception goes back to that nightmare of the lost luggage. "People seem to think that the airlines and the airports don't really care about baggage, and that's why they all want to carry their baggage on," Peter says. "I can tell you that the airlines care an incredible amount about whether or not bags get on the aircraft in a timely fashion. The industry number is $400 a bag for every bag that misses the airplane, so when you're paying $275 to fly to Tampa and they mislay your bag, they're out about $125." Peter would also like to remind those who are collecting their checked baggage to refrain from interacting with the handling system in an unsafe manner, such as climbing, sitting, or (yes, Virginia, there are crazy people) going for a ride on it. "If you can imagine, it's moving tons of baggage at a time. It doesn't know or care that you're on there," he says. "The claim carousels are designed to be safer than that, but all you should do is reach over and pick up your bag." There are a number of other opportunities for software and automation in the world of travel. For instance, security projects are "incredibly hot right now," according to Peter. But they are also, quite naturally, kept on a need-to-know basis-- credentials beyond the scope of your friendly neighborhood eNewsletter. "The stuff that I do is very unusual," Peter says. "When there are problems with the system, they tend to be way more spectacular." For more on Peter, check out some of his articles on StickyMinds.com: http://www.stickyminds.com/peterclarkarticles jmcallister@sqe.com **************************************************************** What's Happening at StickyMinds.com Found any cool tools you'd like to share? The editors of Better Software magazine are looking for Tool Look authors. A Tool Look is an overview of a current tool that aids in developing or testing software. A Tool Look is not a review, but a good, first look from a real user (no vendors, please) to help readers determine if they want to explore the tool more on their own. To be considered for publication, send your submission to editors@bettersoftware.com. BETTER SOFTWARE MAGAZINE *Special Offer for StickyMinds.com Members* Subscribe today for only $59 a year! New in 2006 - Better Software magazine publishes 11 issues per year! Get your subscription today! http://www.bettersoftware.com/EBW5AXXX **************************************************************** Featured Tool: MKS Portfolios 2006 Vendor: MKS Inc. Contact: 410 Albert Street, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3V3 Phone: 1-800-613-7535 or +(1) 519-884-2251 Fax: 519-884-8861 Tool URL: http://www.mks.com/products/portfolios Description: MKS Portfolios delivers unprecedented visibility into application development operations and investments. Real-time metrics, trending and reports connected to the application lifecycle enable rapid and effective decision-making. MKS enables IT leaders to accurately answer questions like: How much time are we spending on application maintenance? Are we making the right investments? Are they aligned to our business goals? What quality improvements have we made in the last six months? Year? MKS - We are one. http://www.mks.com **************************************************************** Outside the Toolbox: Pet Computer Virus People spend a great deal of time trying to avoid or get rid of computer viruses, but they seldom make the time to really get to know the little critters. With your very own Pet Computer Virus sitting faithfully on your desk, you'll have plenty of time to ask it the important questions, such as "Why did you destroy my (year-long project, 700 pages of memoirs, address book dating back to 1992)?" and "Why did you send spam about (weight loss pills, pirated software, etc.) to (my coworkers, my family, the entire online population of the world)?" It's like the pet rock, but softer. Check it out at http://www.stickyminds.com/petcomputervirus. Know of any fun tools, toys, or other items that might be slightly outside the software development toolbox? Tell us about them by sending an email to jmcallister@sqe.com. **************************************************************** ADVERTISEMENT: Attend the Better Software Conference & EXPO 2006 Beat the Odds on Your Next Software Development Project June 26-29, 2006 * Las Vegas, NV --- EXPLORING DEVELOPMENT LIFECYCLE PRACTICES --- Managing Projects & Teams * Plan-Driven Development Agile Development * Process Improvement & Measurement Testing & Quality Assurance * Security & Special Topics http://www.sqe.com/bettersoftwareconf/ **************************************************************** Sticky ToolLook is an extension of StickyMinds.com and Better Software magazine--and a reminder that your "online resource for building better software" is just a click away at http://www.stickyminds.com. _________________________________________________ Subscriber Services You are receiving this issue of Sticky ToolLook as part of your StickyMinds.com membership, Better Software magazine subscription, or Sticky ToolLook subscription. We hope this publication will be a useful and enjoyable benefit. To change your email address or update your preferences, go to http://www.stickyminds.com/eletters.asp?fx=change To unsubscribe, go to http://www.stickyminds.com/eletters.asp?fx=unsub To ensure optimal receipt of these emails, please add stickytoollook@lists.stickyminds.com to your address book or all messages from @lists.stickyminds.com to your email white list. **If this eLetter has been forwarded to you by a friend, you can register for your own free subscription to Sticky ToolLook at http://www.stickyminds.com/eletters.asp SOFTWARE QUALITY ENGINEERING 330 CORPORATE WAY, STE. 300, ORANGE PARK, FL 32073 |
