D
David M. Tannen
Sorry for the long post.....
This is more of a project management question than a MS Project
question. A bit of background first:
The company I work for builds medical devices. These devices
are able to do what they do because of the complex software
the drives the device. We are starting to seriously engage
in product line engineering.
In our case that means one team usually works on multiple products
of time (product A in '02, B in '03, etc). We also are trying to build
up an asset base of software components (requirements model, code,
and tests).
So, we have two products that are very similiar. Product A was started
some time ago and Product B adds & expands to Product A. B is going
to start before A finishes. Many of the features in A & B are the same.
There are some unique features in each. We are looking at forming one
team to build both products at the same time. We are also trying to
optimize which features are implemented in each release so that both A &
B finish as early as possible.
Now here is the question - how would you manage this? Currently I
see a number of options:
a. Run each project separately and don't try to share resources - just
try and synchronize deliveries so that shared work can be shared.
This is how things have been done in the past. The level of asset building
has been minimal because there is limited incentive to share assets or
to consider the other team's needs.
b. Combine the teams, schedules, and plans so that in effect there
is one big product with multiple deliveries. Early deliveries for Product
A and later ones for Product B.
This requires massive management buy-in. It is unlikely to be accepted.
c. Combine the teams but run separate schedules & plans. Try to keep
schedules & plans in synch for both teams.
I can see problems with trying to keep things in synch. Of course if (when
;-)
things do fall apart at least there are separate schedules and plans to
fall back on.
d. Finally combine the teams, schedules and plans, but subdivide the plans
& schedules so that it is easy to see the status of each individual project.
Currently this is the approach I think has the best chance of working.
Requires some management changes in our organization but not to
many.
Note: I have used multiple projects & resource pools in the past. I would
prefer not to use them again. I have found these features in MS Project to
be difficult to use.
Any opinions?
Thank you in advance,
David Tannen ([email protected])
John 14:21 "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who
loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I too will love him and show myself to him."
Check Out: http://www.jcdisciples.org/
This is more of a project management question than a MS Project
question. A bit of background first:
The company I work for builds medical devices. These devices
are able to do what they do because of the complex software
the drives the device. We are starting to seriously engage
in product line engineering.
In our case that means one team usually works on multiple products
of time (product A in '02, B in '03, etc). We also are trying to build
up an asset base of software components (requirements model, code,
and tests).
So, we have two products that are very similiar. Product A was started
some time ago and Product B adds & expands to Product A. B is going
to start before A finishes. Many of the features in A & B are the same.
There are some unique features in each. We are looking at forming one
team to build both products at the same time. We are also trying to
optimize which features are implemented in each release so that both A &
B finish as early as possible.
Now here is the question - how would you manage this? Currently I
see a number of options:
a. Run each project separately and don't try to share resources - just
try and synchronize deliveries so that shared work can be shared.
This is how things have been done in the past. The level of asset building
has been minimal because there is limited incentive to share assets or
to consider the other team's needs.
b. Combine the teams, schedules, and plans so that in effect there
is one big product with multiple deliveries. Early deliveries for Product
A and later ones for Product B.
This requires massive management buy-in. It is unlikely to be accepted.
c. Combine the teams but run separate schedules & plans. Try to keep
schedules & plans in synch for both teams.
I can see problems with trying to keep things in synch. Of course if (when
;-)
things do fall apart at least there are separate schedules and plans to
fall back on.
d. Finally combine the teams, schedules and plans, but subdivide the plans
& schedules so that it is easy to see the status of each individual project.
Currently this is the approach I think has the best chance of working.
Requires some management changes in our organization but not to
many.
Note: I have used multiple projects & resource pools in the past. I would
prefer not to use them again. I have found these features in MS Project to
be difficult to use.
Any opinions?
Thank you in advance,
David Tannen ([email protected])
John 14:21 "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who
loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I too will love him and show myself to him."
Check Out: http://www.jcdisciples.org/