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Self-Paced Classes

Learn SLIM (Software Lifecycle Management) software features, benefits, and usage with hands-on practice and problem-solving.

Asian woman taking a self-paced training course with laptop and a notebook

 

QSM's self-paced courses equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to start using SLIM software at a time that's convenient for you! Fundamental software lifecycle management fundamental concepts, how and when to use key features, and training exercises are presented in an interactive video format.

Courses are available for:

  • SLIM-Control: software project tracking and forecasting
  • SLIM-DataManager: historical software project data management
  • SLIM-Metrics: software project performance benchmarking

View the tabs below to learn more about each course and register.

 

Our Guided Tours and Video Tutorials teach you how to use SLIM software key features.  Check them out!

 

SLIM-Metrics contains the query, statistical, graphing, and reporting tools you need to assess and compare project performance. You can analyze any measure or metric against any other measure or metric.  

SLIM-Metrics works with our SLIM-DataManager data repository tool to help you preserve software project histories, assess competitive positions, identify bottlenecks, quantify the benefits of process improvements, and defend future project estimates.

What you will learn:

  • How to easily build database queries and group projects into related data sets  
  • Calculate and display summary statistics (average, median, quartiles, standard deviation, min/max values)
  • Create regression trend lines and import them into SLIM-Estimate, SLIM-Control, or SLIM-Collaborate
  • Benchmark software project performance against QSM industry trends or your custom trends.

Duration: 3 hours  

SLIM-DataManager is a simple yet powerful data repository for your completed software project data. It supplies the data used by other SLIM-Suite tools to supply estimate input assumptions, validate software project estimates and forecasts, analyze and understand key data relationships, and create custom statistical trends.

What you will learn:

  • Explore predefined project list views and reports, and create custom views
  • Core metrics used to model your development environment and compute productivity 
  • How to create custom metrics and calculate user defined variables
  • Keywords and data validation
  • Data entry, import, export, and merge options

Duration: 2 Hours 

SLIM-Control helps your software projects stay on course like a GPS navigation system does for your car. It goes beyond simple cost, schedule, and earned value project tracking to teach project control using product measures. Using statistical process control techniques, SLIM-Control compares project plans against project actuals—then generates forecasts to completion. It offers both built-in and user-defined metrics, as well as earned value charting and reporting.

What you will learn:

  • Import a plan from SLIM-Estimate or create a custom plan
  • Use early warning indicators and control bounds to assess the impact of software project actual performance deviations from the plan and take corrective action
  • Compute curve fit, staffing tradeoff, and quality forecast estimates to complete and re-baseline plans
  • Define custom metrics to track and assess potential risks
  • Create project snapshot and management dashboard reports

Duration: 2 Hours