Re: Do you use formal project planning?

In article <4qe47j$rim@cssun.mathcs.emory.edu>, Cheryl Kendricks <cherylk@prod1.jcdc.doleta.gov> writes >No matter how small or big the shop nothing is wrong with following SDLC. >Too many do not due to TIME, but pay in the long run in maintainace and/or >poorly resulting system. The trick is not to spend all your "TIME" >planning. Yeah I've been an QA Analyst too!!! Get FORMALIZED Project PLAN! >What started as 10 tables and 3 programs, suddenly one day becomes 150 >tables with 500 programs!!! With no DOC or project plan you then do not >have any history.....just to mention one aspect of the problem of NOT >having a project plan. > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Cheryl Kendricks > Internet:cherylk@prod1.jcdc.doleta.gov OR cherylk@gwysmtp.jcdc.doleta. gov > DTSI, Inc. > Database Administrator - DOL Job Corps San Marcos, Texas > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -- > I'd agree, my rules for working on a project are:- 1) Always do it the right way, never implment workarounds.... If the user wants it done they will just have to wait until it's done...tough. I can do it wrongly but quickly once, mess up your data and have two other quick goes fixing it (total cost 1.5 time units and lots of other problems). Or once the right way (total cost one time unit and few or no other problems). You choose!!! 2) Always have One master configuration file for each instance of the system. 3) Always only have one copy of the source code for a module which is under version control. 4) Always one have one copy of the code to do a particular task, not 3 copies that all do slightly different things. These make a MAJOR MAHOR difference to a) Implemenation cost. b) System reliability c) Customer stasifaction d) Customers image of you as a company. Also when communicating with a customer always a) confirm everything in writing ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS... Once for a 'simple' 2 day change with a I page spec. I produced 3 copies of the spec within 1hr!! When it came to testing the client said ' this is not what we agreed' but when I showed them the latest spec. they suddenly realized it was what they asked for an give me another day for 'fix' it. Another time with a compliated spec it took 3 goes for the client to get the EXACT idea across to me, but since I confirmed it all in writing with simple examples each time. Any misunderstanding were soon solved ( within an afternoon) and when the code was delivered it worked first time! -- David Williams