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This is a significant simplification of some \[ed. overly complicated\] industry scholarship. |
Type of Work Flow
What is a release?
Human Resources
Instead of the sizing metaphor, tiny/s/m/l/xl, this is one method of "cascading" change types that I found, worthy of discussion. This is an example and a simplification but shows some difference in ways of looking at a "decision guide" model in ways we have not.
Release Category | Release Urgency | Release Workflow |
|---|---|---|
Data Center | Emergency | Configuration |
Workstation | Urgent | Integration |
Data Changes | Normal | Infrastructure |
Doc/Admin Changes | Long, Complex | Custom Software |
The goal is to end up with a cascade of categories that apply to a release or a "bundle" of releases that go together and their associated requirements for release process.
The "release category" implies certain standard procedures for work in that area. The other help determine risk and impact and requirements for thorough process vs. quick response and other factors.
Human Resources
I saw an example of something like this on a site called GDPA, which claims it is based on standards. However, I haven't found sizing matrices in any standard with specific reference to the size of the release.
I would recommend sizing, if we go that route, based on the staff required to do the release, not the staff that did the projectTake the quality that invokes the highest score.
Score | Man Years | Project Members | Skills Gap/Consulting |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | <= 0.25 | 1 | None |
2 | 0.25 - 0.5 | 2 | < 10% Consulting or Attrition Risk* |
3 | 0.5 - 1 | 3 - 5 | 10-25% Consulting or Attrition Risk |
4 | 1-2 | 6-10 | 25-75% Consulting or Attrition Risk |
5 | > 2 | > 10 | Approaching 100% Outsourced |
*Attrition Risk is risk of individual flight, pending budget reduction/downsize, or single points of failure.
Release Complexity
A release can contain more than one of these. Consider only parts of the service subject to change. Take the quality that grants the highest score.
Score | Software Application | Data | Integration |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | minor patch or security release, no end-user function affected | single schema | self-contained, single end-user transaction |
2 | major patch, "dot release" that effects end-user behavior | single database, multiple schemas | system of record, affects data feeds to warehouse |
3 | full application upgrade, new user functionality | external link or feed relationship to other system of record | service allows for real-time update of share enterprise data |
4 | operating-system upgrade as distributed release or affecting many underlying services | multiple external links or feed relationships | real time integration service, loss of service ends business productivity |
5 | packaged release of operating system, multicomponent or multi-transactional system | multiple production database servers changed | real-time integration service, requires client applications to refactor |
Community Impact
Score | Impact |
|---|---|
1 |
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2 |
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3 |
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4 |
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5 |
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End Notes
End Notes
Not in any particular citation format, unless that becomes important.(ed. to become properly formatted end notes later. sml)
- Head First PMP
- GDPA IT Project Types http://www.informatik.uni-bremen.de/gdpa/part3/p3t2.htm (About GDPA: http://www.informatik.uni-bremen.de/gdpa/aboutgdpa.htm
) - Wikipedia Summary of Identifying and Managing Project Risk by Tom Kendrick http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identifying_and_Managing_Project_Risk
- Klosterboer, Larry. "Chapter 3 - Defining Change and Release Management Processes". Implementing ITIL Change and Release Management. IBM Press. © 2009. Books24x7. <http://common.books24x7.com.libproxy.mit.edu/book/id_30900/book.asp> (accessed July 28, 2010)
- The Visible Ops Handbook