Learn from the Expert: Gopalaswamy Ramesh's Tips and Tricks for Managing Global Software Projects
Managing Global Software Projects By Gopalaswamy Ramesh Pdf
Software project management is a challenging and complex task, especially when it involves teams that are geographically distributed across different locations, time zones, cultures and languages. How can software project managers ensure the success of their projects in such scenarios? What are the best practices and tools that can help them overcome the difficulties and risks involved?
Managing Global Software Projects By Gopalaswamy Ramesh Pdf
In this article, we will review a book that addresses these questions and provides a comprehensive guide for software project managers who work with global and distributed teams. The book is called Managing Global Software Projects by Gopalaswamy Ramesh, and it is available in PDF format for easy access and reading.
Introduction
What is the book about?
The book is about the three dimensions of software project management: people, process and technology. It explores how these dimensions interact with each other, particularly when the team is geographically distributed. It also focuses on the following aspects:
Project management issues that confront global and distributed teams
A fair balance across the three dimensions that contributes to the success of geographically distributed teams
Practical examples of the things that work and the common pitfalls
Descriptive frameworks rather than prescriptive formulae
Coverage of some of the issues vital for a project's success, such as the skill set required for each function, business significance of process models, etc.
Coverage of the key practice areas of CMM (Capability Maturity Model) and the 20 clauses of ISO-9001 (International Organization for Standardization)
The book is divided into 10 chapters, each covering a different topic related to managing global software projects. The chapters are organized as follows:
Introduction
Software Project Management Overview
People Dimension
Process Dimension
Technology Dimension
Project Management Issues for Global Teams
Practical Examples
CMM Key Practice Areas
ISO-9001 Clauses
Summary and Conclusions
Who is the author?
The author of the book is Gopalaswamy Ramesh, an independent consultant and an adjunct professor in Anna University, Chennai and IIIT-Bangalore. He has over 25 years of experience in software development, project management, quality assurance and training. He has worked with several multinational companies such as IBM, Wipro, Infosys and Cognizant. He has also authored several books and papers on software engineering topics.
Main features of the book
Three dimensions of software project management
The book emphasizes that software project management is not just about managing tasks and schedules, but also about managing people, processes and technology. These three dimensions are interrelated and affect each other, especially when the team is geographically distributed. The book explains how to manage each dimension effectively and balance them to achieve the project objectives.
People
The people dimension covers the human aspects of software project management, such as the roles and responsibilities of the project team members, the skills and competencies required for each function, the communication and collaboration among the team members, the motivation and morale of the team, the leadership and management styles, the cultural and linguistic differences, and the ethical and legal issues.
The book provides guidelines and tips on how to select, train, organize, motivate and manage a global software team. It also discusses how to deal with conflicts, misunderstandings, diversity and trust issues among the team members.
Process
The process dimension covers the technical aspects of software project management, such as the software development life cycle models, the project planning and estimation techniques, the project monitoring and control methods, the quality assurance and testing processes, the configuration management and change control procedures, the risk management and mitigation strategies, and the project closure and review activities.
The book describes various process models and methods that can be used for global software projects, such as agile, iterative, waterfall, spiral, prototyping, etc. It also explains how to tailor and adapt these processes to suit the specific needs and characteristics of each project. It also covers how to use tools and standards such as CMM and ISO-9001 to improve the process quality and maturity.
Technology
The technology dimension covers the infrastructural aspects of software project management, such as the hardware and software platforms, the network and communication systems, the security and privacy measures, the data and information management systems, the tools and applications that support the project activities, and the integration and interoperability issues.
The book discusses how to select, design, implement and maintain a suitable technology infrastructure for global software projects. It also covers how to use technology to facilitate communication, collaboration, coordination and control among the geographically distributed team members. It also addresses some of the challenges and risks associated with technology such as reliability, availability, performance, scalability, compatibility, etc.
Project management issues for global and distributed teams
The book identifies some of the common project management issues that arise when working with global and distributed teams. These issues include:
Communication
Communication is essential for any software project, but it becomes more challenging when the team is geographically distributed. The book discusses how to overcome some of the communication barriers such as distance, time zones, languages, cultures, etc. It also suggests some of the best practices and tools for effective communication among global teams.
Coordination
Coordination is necessary for any software project, but it becomes more complex when the team is geographically distributed. The book discusses how to manage some of the coordination challenges such as task allocation, dependency management, synchronization, integration etc. It also recommends some of the best practices and tools for efficient coordination among global teams.
Control
Control is important for any software project, but it becomes more difficult when the team is geographically distributed. The book discusses how to deal with some of the control issues such as scope creep, schedule slippage, cost overrun etc. It also advises some of the best practices and tools for effective control over global teams.
Practical examples and descriptive frameworks
The book provides several practical examples of global software projects that illustrate how to apply the concepts and techniques discussed in the book. These examples include case studies from different domains such as banking, telecom, healthcare etc. The book also presents some descriptive frameworks that help to understand and analyze global software projects. These frameworks include:
Case studies
The book includes four case studies that describe real-life global software projects from different perspectives such as customer, vendor, onsite, offshore etc. The case studies highlight some of the challenges, success factors, lessons learned, and best practices involved in managing global software projects.
Models and methods
The book introduces some models and methods that can be used to plan, execute, and evaluate global software projects. These models and methods include:
The Global Software Project Management Framework (GSPMF) that provides a comprehensive view of all aspects of managing global software projects
The Global Software Project Management Maturity Model (GSPMMM) that assesses the maturity level of an organization in managing global software projects
The Global Software Project Management Process Model (GSPMPM) that defines a generic process for managing global software projects
Coverage of CMM and ISO-9001 standards
The book also covers how to use two widely recognized standards for software process quality and maturity: CMM and ISO-9001. These standards provide guidelines and criteria for assessing and improving the software process capability and performance of an organization.
CMM key practice areas
The CMM defines 18 key practice areas (KPAs) that describe the essential activities for each maturity level. The KPAs are grouped into five categories: management, engineering, support, coordination and organization. The book explains each KPA in detail and provides examples of how to implement them in global software projects. The KPAs are:
Level 2: Repeatable
Requirements Management
Software Project Planning
Software Project Tracking and Oversight
Software Subcontract Management
Software Quality Assurance
Software Configuration Management
Level 3: Defined
Organization Process Focus
Organization Process Definition
Training Program
Integrated Software Management
Software Product Engineering
Intergroup Coordination
Peer Reviews
Level 4: Managed
Quantitative Process Management
Software Quality Management
Level 5: Optimizing
Defect Prevention
Technology Change Management
Process Change Management
ISO-9001 clauses
The ISO-9001 is an international standard that specifies the requirements for a quality management system (QMS) that an organization can use to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements. The standard consists of 20 clauses that cover various aspects of a QMS, such as:
Management responsibility
Quality system
Contract review
Design control
Document and data control
Purchasing
Control of customer-supplied product
Product identification and traceability
Process control
Inspection and testing
Control of inspection, measuring and test equipment
Inspection and test status
Control of nonconforming product
Corrective and preventive action
Handling, storage, packaging, preservation and delivery
Control of quality records
Internal quality audits
Conclusion
Summary of the main points
In this article, we have reviewed a book that provides a comprehensive guide for software project managers who work with global and distributed teams. The book is called Managing Global Software Projects by Gopalaswamy Ramesh, and it is available in PDF format. The book covers the following main points:
The book explains the three dimensions of software project management: people, process and technology. It explores how these dimensions interact with each other, particularly when the team is geographically distributed.
The book identifies some of the common project management issues that arise when working with global and distributed teams, such as communication, coordination and control. It also suggests some of the best practices and tools for overcoming these issues.
The book provides several practical examples of global software projects that illustrate how to apply the concepts and techniques discussed in the book. It also presents some descriptive frameworks that help to understand and analyze global software projects.
The book also covers how to use two widely recognized standards for software process quality and maturity: CMM and ISO-9001. These standards provide guidelines and criteria for assessing and improving the software process capability and performance of an organization.
Benefits of reading the book
Reading this book can benefit software project managers who work with global and distributed teams in several ways, such as:
It can help them to gain a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities involved in managing global software projects.
It can help them to learn from the experiences and insights of the author and other practitioners who have successfully managed global software projects.
It can help them to adopt and adapt some of the proven methods and tools that can enhance their software project management skills and performance.
It can help them to improve their software process quality and maturity by following the guidelines and criteria of CMM and ISO-9001 standards.
How to get the book
If you are interested in reading this book, you can get it in PDF format from various online sources. Some of the sources are:
Google Books
Google Books
Ramesh G's website
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some of the frequently asked questions about managing global software projects:
What are the benefits of working with global and distributed teams?
Some of the benefits of working with global and distributed teams are:
Access to a larger pool of talent, skills and expertise
Ability to leverage different time zones, cultures and languages
Potential for cost reduction, risk diversification and market expansion
Opportunity for learning, innovation and collaboration
What are the challenges of working with global and distributed teams?
Some of the challenges of working with global and distributed teams are:
Lack of face-to-face communication, trust and rapport
Different expectations, assumptions and preferences
Control problems due to lack of visibility, accountability and feedback
Cultural and linguistic differences that may cause misunderstandings and conflicts
What are some of the best practices for managing global software projects?
Some of the best practices for managing global software projects are:
Establishing a clear and shared vision, mission and goals for the project
Defining and documenting the roles, responsibilities and expectations of each team member
Selecting and training the team members based on their skills, competencies and suitability for the project
Adopting and adapting a suitable process model and methodology for the project
Using appropriate tools and technologies to support the project activities and facilitate communication, collaboration, coordination and control
Implementing quality standards and metrics to monitor and measure the project performance and outcomes
Managing the project risks and issues proactively and systematically
Encouraging feedback, learning and improvement throughout the project lifecycle
Respecting and appreciating the diversity and differences among the team members
Building trust, rapport and mutual understanding among the team members
What are some of the tools and technologies that can help in managing global software projects?
Some of the tools and technologies that can help in managing global software projects are:
Project management software that can help in planning, scheduling, tracking, reporting and controlling the project activities and resources
Communication software that can help in exchanging information, ideas and feedback among the team members through various channels such as email, chat, voice call, video conference etc.
Collaboration software that can help in sharing documents, data and files among the team members through cloud storage, file transfer, document management etc.
Coordination software that can help in managing dependencies, tasks, workflows and deliverables among the team members through workflow automation, task management, issue tracking etc.
Quality assurance software that can help in ensuring the quality of the software products and processes through testing, verification, validation, inspection etc.
Configuration management software that can help in controlling the changes to the software products and processes through version control, change management, release management etc.
How to get more information about managing global software projects?
If you want to get more information about managing global software projects, you can:
Read more books and articles on this topic. Some of the recommended books are:
Global Software Teams: Collaborating Across Borders And Time Zones by Erran Carmel and Ritu Agarwal
Managing Software Development With Distributed Teams: Challenges And Solutions For Successful Projects by Jutta Eckstein
Distributed Team Collaboration In Organizations: Emerging Tools And Practices For Successful Software Projects by Darja Smite et al.
Attend online courses or webinars on this topic. Some of the available courses are:
Global Software Development by University of Alberta on Coursera
Global Software Engineering by University of California San Diego on Udemy
Join online communities or forums on this topic. Some of the popular communities are:
Global Software Professionals (GSP)
Global Software Forum (GSF)
Global Software Engineering (GSE)
I hope you enjoyed reading this article and learned something new about managing global software projects. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you for your time and attention. 71b2f0854b