Re: [AM] Why Traceability?
[email protected] Fri, 19 Mar 2004 21:14:01 EST
| Newsgroups | gmane.comp.programming.modeling.agile |
|---|---|
| Message-ID | <[email protected]> |
-------------------------------1079748841 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 3/19/2004 3:18:48 PM Pacific Standard Time, [email protected] writes: > Given the apparent number of greybeards on this forum, > (younger folk can also respond, please?) can anyone > give an opinion as to why traceability is wanted - what does > it give us? I can only say this: I've never needed it, at least as I understand it to be defined. Not once since 1996. In the erly 1980's I was involved in an order entry and fulfillment system project for a local firm that wanted traceability right down to the proverbial "gnat's behind". The project was on a DEC VAX/VMS system, and a DEC partner had taken a shot at it a year before, and failed where it hurt the most: they seemed not to have paid the slightest attention to the requirements of the system. They had spent about eight months on the BDUF, and a year on the software, and got paid for every minute When the system bombed, the client took them to court, demanding damages. While this court battle ws going on, we were hired to build a new system. What with one very bad experience behind them, they didn't want to get burned again. We looked at the requirements list, mulled it over for about a week, organized the team in what is now typical agile fashion, and in less than a month had a suitable system up and running. The original vendor based his entire case on the supposition that no one could have met the development schedule, because "the requirements kept changing". We actually put in more than twice the number of changes than they did, but nobody really noticed until we had to give our depositions in court; we were just handling them as they came along. In the end, our client won a settlement, and we got a bonus, as well as a long-term client. The real bonus was about six additional jobs because our client told just about everyone about his "great new system". That's the only time I've ever been required to provide that kind of traceability. Regards, Pete For more information about AM, visit the Agile Modeling Home Page at www.agilemodeling.com --^---------------------------------------------------------------- This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bUrKDA.bWnbtk.Z2NtYS1h Or send an email to: [email protected] For Topica's complete suite of email marketing solutions visit: http://www.topica.com/?p=TEXFOOTER --^---------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------1079748841 Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML><HEAD> <META charset=US-ASCII http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"> <DIV> <DIV>In a message dated 3/19/2004 3:18:48 PM Pacific Standard Time, [email protected] writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial>> Given the apparent number of greybeards on this forum,<BR>> (younger folk can also respond, please?) can anyone<BR>> give an opinion as to why traceability is wanted - what does<BR>> it give us?<BR><BR>I can only say this: I've never needed it, at least as I understand it <BR>to be defined. Not once since 1996.</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV>In the erly 1980's I was involved in an order entry and fulfillment system project for a local firm that wanted traceability right down to the proverbial "gnat's behind". The project was on a DEC VAX/VMS system, and a DEC partner had taken a shot at it a year before, and failed where it hurt the most: they seemed not to have paid the slightest attention to the requirements of the system. They had spent about eight months on the BDUF, and a year on the software, and got paid for every minute When the system bombed, the client took them to court, demanding damages. While this court battle ws going on, we were hired to build a new system. What with one very bad experience behind them, they didn't want to get burned again. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>We looked at the requirements list, mulled it over for about a week, organized the team in what is now typical agile fashion, and in less than a month had a suitable system up and running. The original vendor based his entire case on the supposition that no one could have met the development schedule, because "the requirements kept changing". We actually put in more than twice the number of changes than they did, but nobody really noticed until we had to give our depositions in court; we were just handling them as they came along.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>In the end, our client won a settlement, and we got a bonus, as well as a long-term client. The real bonus was about six additional jobs because our client told just about everyone about his "great new system".</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>That's the only time I've ever been required to provide that kind of traceability. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Regards,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Pete</DIV><PRE>For more information about AM, visit the Agile Modeling Home Page at www.agilemodeling.com</PRE> <PRE>--^^--------------------------------------------------------------- This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: <A HREF="http://topica.com/u/?bUrKDA.bWnbtk.Z2NtYS1h">http://topica.com/u/?bUrKDA.bWnbtk.Z2NtYS1h</A> Or send an email to: [email protected] For Topica's complete suite of email marketing solutions visit: <A HREF="http://www.topica.com/?p=TEXFOOTER">http://www.topica.com/?p=TEXFOOTER</A> --^^---------------------------------------------------------------</PRE> </BODY></HTML> -------------------------------1079748841--