Software User Assistance Project Management (contd...)

Estimates

For each of the activities you have listed, you now need to develop an estimate. Estimates consist of the following:

• The maximum time you think the activity requires for its completion.
• The minimum time you think the activity requires for its completion.
• The range, max-min, which suggests the level of uncertainty in the estimate.
• The type of resources required – for example, UA system team, analysts, testers, and so on.

The idea behind the max-min approach is that you provide a range of effort you believe a particular activity will require; this range indicates your degree of uncertainty in the estimate.

The breakdown of the software’s required functionality into self-contained, functional entities allows you to estimate for the design and development activities with a reasonable level of precision. You can supply a max-min figure for each individual module and summarize the figures to establish numbers for the complete activity.

You can identify potential risks. Risks may vary financial or technical risks, or other risks

Risk Reduction

Conduct or propose feasibility studies to minimize technical risks.  For other risks, find suitable action to minimize the risk, or take those risks into account in your project plans and estimates.

Monitoring Progress

You would need to consistency monitor progress. Use a good tool such as MS Project or Primavera.

UA System Project Documentation

You need documentation right through the life of the UA system. Some of them are:

• UA System Terms of Reference (Your terms of reference would be the software application for which you are developing the UA system.)
• Contractual Correspondence File
• Non-Contractual Correspondence File
• UA System Project Plans
• UA System Quality Plans
• UA System Requirements Specification
• UA System Design Specifications
• UA System Test Scripts and Results
• UA System Risk Assessment and Analysis Reports
• UA System Issue Log
• UA System Change Log
• UA System Reviews
• UA System Audit Reports 

Issue Management

You need a mechanism in place for issue management. A simple excel spreadsheet containing the pertinent information could do the job well.

• Record all issues in an Issue Log. 
• Identify an owner for each issue.
• Monitor the Issue Log regularly, and periodically reassess each issue in terms of its impact on the project.
• Set a priority for each issue, in terms of its timeframe for resolution, etc. This can be altered according to the circumstances.
• Inform all relevant stakeholders of the issues and their status. 

Change Control

You need to streamline change requests into the development of your UA system.

• Initiate all changes with a formal change request and record it in the UA system’s Change Log.
• Assess and prioritize all change requests.
• Authorize all changes that are to be implemented by the relevant stakeholders, and then properly plan them into your UA system’s development.

Ensure all changes are implemented and completed in a controlled manner.

Fostering a Good Development Ethos

Create a culture based on success. If each team member believes in on-time delivery, you are most likely to meet your dates. A culture based on success can evolve only if that success is repeated. Follow a methodology that achieves a high degree of consistency across a team composed of many people with different levels of ability, enthusiasm, commitment, and so on.

Conclusion

A User Assistance system project is a team effort. You being a team lead have responsibilities to each team member, and vice versa. The collective commitment, ability, productivity, and attitude of each team member will determine a UA system project’s success. The project will be only as strong as its weakest link. If you think that the creation of a UA system is difficult, just think about what the software application’s project management requires to turn an idea into a software application.

About the Author

Tamara Ferris is a Lead Technical Writer and has close to eight years experience in the technical communication industry. She has worked extensively on Online User Assistance systems.