SLIM-Suite for Software Lifecycle Management

SLIM-Suite — Integrated Products for Strategic Software Management

All software projects exhibit the elements of lifecycle behavior. If this behavior is not known to managers a priori, then they will respond reactively (non-optimally with time lags) to system demands. Adding to the difficulty is the ever-present problem of imprecise and continually changing requirements and specifications.

The software estimation practice is not a single event in time. It is a continuous process that evolves as the design matures and the requirements evolve.  There are three areas of focus.  If you do these well, you will be successful:

• First: Learn from the past and improve over time.  Look for repeating patterns in your project data.  Determine the cause and effect relationships.  Address the areas for improvement while leveraging the strengths.
• Second: Establish expectations from a proven capability.  That means that you determine what is feasible early on, then make realistic commitments and provide a reasonable risk-return relationship.
• Third: Start in control and stay in control.  Have a defensible plan, track against it, and adjust as necessary.  Always negotiate corrections when circumstances dictate to reduce risk and surprises.

This is a closed-loop process that never ends. 
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