OnTarget ™  Project Management

OnTarget Project Management:  Software that is On Time, On Budget, On Target

OnTarget Project Management delivers software that meets wants and needs, on time and on budget. The software works immediately when deployed and satisfies performance expectations. OnTarget software is useful, and users want to use it; users take ownership from project inception. ExtraPoint uses OnTarget Project Management to build its own software. OnTarget Project Management is also available for ExtraPoint's clients who need help with their own software development. Craig Spearman has successfully managed large software development projects for more than twenty years, most of them spanning multiple elapsed years, with multi-million dollar budgets and many users. This experience can be put to work for you.

Spearman says, "Failed software projects play the same tune over and over again. They whither from inadequate planning, and they die from poor execution. You wouldn't think of constructing a building without inspecting it; in fact you can't. I'm amazed time and again how much effort goes into software coding, and how little time is spent on planning, designing, testing, and inspecting the work products: the foundation, plumbing, frameworks, and facades, which are conceptually expressed in software the same as in buildings. In a new building, all of these--from the foundation, to the electrical system, to the roof--must be designed, built and inspected before it can be occupied. Yet software is too often thrown into service on a wing and a prayer. All too often, the developer's mantra is 'get it working, then make it right.' Sorry, but 'then' is too late; there's either no time for 'then,' or the motivation is left somewhere in the past."

OnTarget disciplines prevent failures. They save time and money. OnTarget uses methods that work, but the system is adaptable to the needs of the client and each individual project. "Best Practices" isn't just a lofty concept; they have been proved to work in our experience. It's not surprising that certain Best Practices, such as test-before-coding, appear in some other popularized methodologies, such as Extreme Programming.

According to Spearman, "good software combines science and art, but also it flows from the instincts of a seasoned investigative reporter. Business opportunities are sniffed out by the designer so they can be exploited by the software, and the developer is keenly vigilant to spot risks and problems in the software starting at the first discussion on requirements." OnTarget disciplines facilitate an optimum mix of science, art, and investigation. Moreover, with OnTarget, you can contract with ExtraPoint to have the management done by Spearman, personally.

OnTarget projects progress without ceremony and administrivia that interfere with development. They are progressive: software is created and put into service in increments; users start working with the software as soon as possible rather than waiting for major portions to be developed. OnTarget projects are adaptable and flexible, based on customer and market needs. However, there are certain nonnegotiables that should attend all projects. These are briefly described below.

OnTarget Intention
All commercial software projects should rise from and promote business purposes that can be measured in business terms such as productivity, costs, service, competitive advantage, and return on investment. Even relatively small projects should start with an OnTarget Business Model, and results should be tracked and compared to the model. Goals for the software should fit within and promote corporate goals, or the project should be reconsidered before substantial investments are made.

OnTarget Requirements
Software Requirements are shaped by Intention; they are addressed and actualized by design. However, Requirements involve much more than just that which the software will do. Requirements should answer: How will the business be impacted, and what must it do to prepare for deployment of the software, at what cost? How should the business culture adapt to changes that may be facilitated and prompted by the new software? What architectural components such as computer hardware or third-party software are needed, at what cost? Who will maintain and enhance the new software? What are the risks, and how can they be mitigated? These questions, and many others, must be asked and answered before development commences; they should be answered before the project is scheduled and budgeted.

OnTarget Project Estimating and Scheduling
One of the keys to a successful software project is metrics-based estimating of the work to be done. Expectations and budgets can't be reliably set and confidently sold without solid estimates based on empirical statistical measures. We utilize Function Point Analysis as our Best Practice for software project estimating. Plans can be based and subsequently tracked on metrics grounded in actual experience.

OnTarget Quality is Built in from Project Inception
Quality Assurance begins when the project is conceived. It is not a function that occurs at the end, near the time of deployment. During development, test cases are first developed before implementation code is written. Production code evolves as test cases mature. Regression and load testing are ongoing from the beginning of coding, not exercises that are rushed to satisfy a checklist the day before a release. Testbeds are repeatable and cumulative, and testing occurs continuously. There are no surprises when the software is put to work.

OnTarget Due Diligence
Many people practice Due Diligence, in part, when looking into third-party software and certain hardware prerequisites for a new platform. They check out companies and products, make comparisons between products, and they may visit a prospective vendor, contact customers or other references, inspect financial statements, and so forth. And these are important steps to take early during a new project. However, Due Diligence extends well beyond just checking out potential vendors. OnTarget Due Diligence means staying on top of your project from start to finish. It includes--in addition to prudent shopping for vendors--low-ceremony, candid, ongoing communications with stakeholders to keep them informed of risks, problems, and progress as the project proceeds. Due Diligence requires benchmarks, inspections including audits and tests, and a keen understanding of expectations. The software developer has Due Diligence obligations: first, to satisfy the expectations of the customer, and second to protect his own interests via written documentation and other customer communications. The customer has Due Diligence obligations also to make sure that the developer is building what he needs, on time and on budget.

OnTarget System Architecture
Some in our industry like to debate what the word Architecture means as it applies to information technology. Today, due primarily to overuse and misuse, the word has lost much of its meaning. Still, the arguments persist; and purists debate the difference between architectures, frameworks, patterns, and designs. At ExtraPoint, we have defined our preferred architecture for the enterprise in terms of actual working software: our EdaptAble.Net™ frameworks for distributed enterprise-level applications. Potentially adding confusion, the EdaptAble.Net frameworks run on top of Microsoft's .Net Framework, which does look very much like an architecture. EdaptAble.Net provides the following:
    • Prefabricated, reusable structures containing reliable components;
    • Industrial-strength and secure to ward off malicious threats;
    • Customizable software that can be tailored to your unique needs;
    • Isolation of business logic from other implementation details;
    • Users' accesses to functions are controlled by roles;
    • Designs, interfaces, and standards facilitate interoperability across different applications.
So, today, when we discuss your Architectural Requirements, we describe how your business needs can be facilitated by our EdaptAble.Net frameworks. If for some reason your needs do not match our frameworks' capabilities, we do not impose them on you: EdaptAble.Net may be more than you need.

Check back soon for more on this topic for the following.

OnTarget Software Design

OnTarget Development Standards

OnTarget Resources Management

OnTarget Software Deployment