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Test Management in Turbulent Times In uncertain circumstances, the challenges facing test managers are numerous and, at times, daunting. Layoffs, reorganizations, restricted resources, and job concerns can contribute to the disruption of the status quo at any given time. So what's a test manager to do? This presentation identifies test management issues and describes tips and techniques on how to better manage yourself and others. It suggests some ways to adjust your management style to have a more effective impact on your staff and guide you all through the difficulties that may arise.
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Lauri MacKinnon, Phase Forward Inc and Eric Patel, VeriTest Inc/Lionbridge Technologies
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Calculating the Return on Investment of Testing While revenues, cash flow, and earnings are vital statistics of a company's well-being, they're the by-product of what the company actually offers up as a product or service. Therefore, if the offering doesn't produce ROI for the customer, it doesn't represent a viable business opportunity. In this session, take a look at testing from the perspective that it's a service provided to your company. Since testing impacts not only your company, but also your company's customers, then you, as a tester, must provide and prove ROI to succeed in a business environment. Having the ability to discuss, define, manage, and demonstrate the ROI of testing is an invaluable skill. This session gives you the information and tools you need to define and demonstrate models of testing ROI, then translate them into upper management's terms.
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James Bampos, VeriTest Inc/Lionbridge Technologies and Eric Patel
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Why Nobody in Our Business Can Estimate To put it politely, software estimation has proven to be challenging. But to be frank, software estimation has proven to be a nightmare. Most organizations that develop software have lost all credibility with their clients when it comes to simple questions like "When will you be done?" and "How much is it going to cost?" In this fast-evolving industry, one thing is clear: Time hasn't given us a chance to improve our estimating skills. In this presentation, Tim Lister investigates the estimation issue, offers some suggestions, and promises to come up with some surprising answers to the question of whether anyone in our business can estimate.
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Tim Lister, Atlantic Systems Guild, Inc.
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Team-Based Development: Truth from the Trenches As software professionals, we deliver products that are the totality of the services, documentation, software, and hardware required to produce a solution for customers. But how often do we find ourselves ready to deliver a software product, yet we still don't have the services to support it? And how often does a product reach the testing phase even though it's lacking some critical requirements? Team-based management is a solution to these common-but major-problems. Bobbi Antonucci describes the machinations of team-based software development and the issues it resolves.
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Bobbi Antonucci, Blackboard Inc.
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Project Management Lessons from the Frontlines In the natural world, systems tend to go from order to disorder. The same often happens with projects, teams, and organizations. Fortunately, there are things we can do as project leaders to improve our ability to thrive within chaotic project environments. In this session, you'll join fellow project leaders and managers in a frank discussion about practical lessons learned through real-world experience.
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Andy Kaufman, Institute for Leadership Excellence and Development
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Solid Software: Is it Rocket Science? While we can't guarantee that our software will never fail, we can take serious steps to reduce the risk. The toughest kind of system to build involves safety-critical software where the reliability requirements are extremely strict-and whose failure puts lives in jeopardy. Shari Lawrence Pfleeger looks at what "solid software" means, and explores ways we can achieve it. She examines solid software within the context of the proposed National Missile Defense System.
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Shari Lawrence Pfleeger, Systems/Software, Inc.
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Software Sizing: There is an Easier Way Project managers and software engineers need to accurately calculate delivery dates and resource needs for their software. This means they have to measure the size of the requirement, and estimate how much it will require in time and expense. But is there a sizing technique that's both effective and efficient? Popular sizing techniques such as the function point method can be difficult and labor intensive. However, there are alternative methods that produce quicker results, often without compromising accuracy. This presentation shares new ways to determine the size of your software deliverable while maintaining accuracy.
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David Herron, The David Consulting Group
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Avoiding Project Failure Let's face facts: Software projects fail more often than they succeed-and nothing a project manager does will ever completely eliminate the possibility of failure. But there are steps an organization and you as a project manager can take to detect problems early and avoid classic mistakes. This presentation is designed for project managers and sponsors who want to reduce their risk of project failure and improve their ability to successfully deliver.
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Payson Hall, Catalysis Group, Inc.
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Understanding Variation and Stability: The Key to Managing Your Software Process The control chart is a form of instrumentation that acts like a pressure gauge in the world of software development. It provides critical data to help guide the decisions made by software engineers and managers. This presentation shares the results of studies using statistical process control analysis to monitor and adjust software process improvement activities. It also highlights the correlation between the use of control charts and improved processes.
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Anita Carleton and William Florac, Software Engineering Institute
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IS and IT Benchmarking: Current Status Are you having trouble making a business case for benchmarking at your organization? Mark Czarnecki delivers his benchmarking expertise in a presentation designed to help participants impact their corporate culture as well as their benchmarking abilities. He reviews the current status of information systems and technology benchmarking, and he explains current benchmarking theory. The presentation also covers generalized database sources for benchmarking.
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Mark Czarnecki, The Benchmarking Network, Inc.
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