Path: utzoo!yunexus!geac!david
From: david@geac.UUCP (David Haynes)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Re: Reporting progress on a software project
Keywords: CASE, Planning
Message-ID: <2892@geac.UUCP>
Date: 18 Jun 88 12:45:09 GMT
Article-I.D.: geac.2892
References: <917@blue.engin.umich.edu>
Reply-To: david@geac.UUCP (David Haynes)
Organization: Geac Computers Canada Ltd.
Lines: 39

In article <917@blue.engin.umich.edu> conliffe@caen.engin.umich.edu (Darryl C. Conliffe) writes:
>I would like suggestions and/or reports on how others accomplish
>the following:  having convinced management that an iterative
>approach to a software design project is appropriate, how do you
>report progress on same?

One tool I have used from time-to-time is a system I call todo.
When a pert chart has been made for the project, the tasks are then
fired off to the appropriate personnel as todo items. The person
receiving the todo item has the option of accepting, refusing or
delegating the item. If the item is accepted, the acceptor places
a personal priority on the item and the initiator of the message
is notified. If the message is delegated, the new person has the
option for accepting, refusing or delegating. However, since the
todo item has been delegated, the originator is also notified of
the delegation.

Now, when an item is pending (or almost pending) the person who
accepted the item is notified of its prescence. As the task is
completed, the acceptor releases the todo item, which is date
stamped and returned to the originator of the item. Tracking
projects then becomes a much easier task. 

All this was implemented using unix mail and a special todo daemon.

An enhancement I would like to add at some point would allow
for percentage complete and problem tracking, but, it isn't 
what I get paid for, so it may take some time.

-david-

p.s. I also believe in prototyping and iterative design cycles,
     I am an empiricist (sp?) at heart.

-- 
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David Haynes                                              Just another road
Geac Computers International Inc.                         kill on the highway
UUCP: uunet!mnetor!geac!david -or- david@geac.UUCP        of life.