Beyond SCM - a journey to a better software development

Beyond SCM is based on the following principles:\n* Software Development is closer to research than manufacturing\n** Adding more people does not speed up progress\n** Ever-changing blueprints\n* Software products are malleable (too easy to change)\n* Software cannot be measured by the amount of material consumed\n* Software products are complex (features numbering in hundreds if not thousands)\nIt is very difficult to produce good quality software products if these principles are ignored. Sadly, there are no shortage of software development organizations who do so.\n\nOne main reason is because it takes a lot of consistent, focused effort to do a good job adhering to these principles; especially for organizations who are starting their first software development project. There are countless of minute details and nuances that will not be visible until we are face-to-face with them in the middle of the project, when the pressure is mounting. \n\nThe phrase "the devil is in the detail" has a lot of applications in this case.

Although Beyond SCM^^TM^^ is not a magic-bullet, it is guaranteed to yield these improvements if implemented properly:\n* Enforcing Accountability both horizontally (among Teams) and vertically (with Upper-management)\n* Provides Digital Asset Management\n** Features and Artifacts Accounting\n** Complete Feature Life-cycle\n* Minimizing Unexpected Changes\n* Strategize Emergency Recoveries\n* Acts as a profiler for your product development process\n** Generate useful metrics reports\n** Monitor development "pulse"\n** Second line-of-defense against human errors\n* Encourages objective improvements because Product Features are constantly reviewed from multiple perspectives\n* Lessen the downtime and re-training overhead needed to recover from losing key personnel\n* Accelerates development via accessible and comprehensive Knowledge Pool that is built gradually ''by'' the organization, ''for'' the organization

[[What is Beyond SCM?]]\n

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Beyond SCM is distributed using the [[License Agreement]]. The License Agreement is tied to a single (one) application per customer. This license authorizes the customer to use the methodology to develop and maintain the application of which the license is purchased for. Once purchased, the license will stay with the application even when the application changes ownership.\n\n!What makes us different:\n* we give you a long-term solution not short-term patches\n* we help you to work smarter, not just harder\n* we work alongside of you, not getting in your way\n* we guarantee improvement in your ability to control your software development projects\n* we monitor your progress after implementation, this is one of the crucial aspect of Beyond SCM methodology\n\n/%!Our service in a nutshell:\n* first visit: no charge\n* Beyond SCM^^TM^^ implementation plan: $5000 per application (upon agreement, no charge otherwise)\n* Beyond SCM^^TM^^ implementation: $20,000 per application (application definition is part of the strategy)\n* monthly visit: $5000 per application per month \n* yearly visit: $20,000 per application per year%/

Beyond SCM re-arranges the way most people think about Software Configuration Management and its role in a software development project. It brings out the enormous potential of SCM given its proper place. Take a look at the diagram below:\n\n[img[beyondscm_twowheels.jpg]]\n\nFor a lot of people out there, SCM is just a small process tacked at the end of development phase to carry out promotes and manage builds.\n\nIn Beyond SCM, the rightful place for an SCM implementation is at the center of all the information (the upper "wheel"). Also at the center of all of the teams involved in developing the product (the lower "wheel"). \n\nLet's take a look at this more closely. The teams listed in the diagram above has already enough to worry about. Each team has unique responsibilities to fulfill and contributions to make on the project. One thing that they do not need is the added responsibility to keep track of things that affects other teams. It just so happen that one of these "things" are the product's features; which is ''the'' most important asset that you have in regards of the product. Why? because the product's features are what the customer is paying you for.\n\nBy marrying the [[Background Principles]] with the proper implementation of SCM explained above, the goal then becomes the creation of a Pool of Knowledge that will become more useful as the project personnels use it at all levels (from developers to executives). \n\nThe creation and growth of this Pool of Knowledge is what will produce the "snowball" momentum that will carry the project to its completion. The more addictive the process to contribute knowledge into the Pool of Knowledge, the more people are going to do it, the more people did it, the more useful the Pool of Knowledge would be. \n\nIt is an amazingly simple concept that sadly is not applied to most projects out there.

Beyond SCM^^TM^^ (Patent Pending) is looking for investors who share the same mission to improve the quality of Enterprise software products via a tightly controlled Software Development processes. We are located in Dallas, Texas USA. For more detail, please contact:\n\nWill Gunadi\nEmail: will.gunadi@gmail.com\nPhone: 469.831.4267

!Beyond SCM Culture^^TM^^\n\nOne of the distinguishing aspect of Beyond SCM as a methodology is its insistence on the cultivation of SCM Culture. Without a proper corporate culture, any attempt to improve the software development process will end up with half-baked efforts that will do little else other than frustrate everyone involved.\n\n!Beyond SCM Pool of Knowledge^^TM^^\n\nBeyond SCM appeals to the basic motivator for human beings: addictiveness. A lot of well-known solutions to problems that involve a lot of people have something in common, that is the solution is provided by the people themselves. Too many Software Development projects are hampered by domain-specific knowledge that are locked inside each personnel's head. Without an appealing process to tap into these knowledge, it is no wonder nobody seems to be able to see the overall picture. Beyond SCM uses the Pool of Knowledge to bind the domain-specific knowledge in one place. The benefits are two-fold: 1) Everyone in the project can access and use it. 2) Differing perspectives, which is the number one killer of effective communications, have the chance of being reconciled.\n\n!Beyond SCM Team^^TM^^\n\nShocking as it is, not a lot of organization consider it important to have an independent SCM Team. The formation and roles of an SCM Team is clearly instructed in Beyond SCM. This is how we can achieve real results in a short amount of time.\n\n!Beyond SCM System^^TM^^\n\nWithin Beyond SCM, the SCM Team has access to one of the most cohesive set of tools geared solely for the purpose of enforcing SCM processes. A SCM System is a set of user-friendly, non-intrusive, publicly accessible applications which in time will evolve into a body of knowledge that contains and distribute knowledge within the organization.\n\n!Beyond SCM Automation^^TM^^\n\nAs a workflow, Beyond SCM consists of these activities: Planning, Coordination, Execution, Verification, Monitoring, and Reporting. It is a unique perspective of the whole software product life-cycle from the SCM perspective. One of the keys its success as a workflow, is the fact that Beyond SCM puts an extra importance on Automations. Some tasks are better suited for computers, no human personnel should be required to do mundane, repetitive, error-prone tasks.

!Beyond SCM License Agreement\n\nThe Beyond SCM methodology is created, and owned by Wiwih "Will" Gunadi DBA nextCoder. Use and access to the methodology is strictly conditioned upon acceptance of these terms and conditions:\n\nDefinitions:\n# nextCoder (or NEXTCODER) shall always mean and refer to Wiwih Gunadi DBA nextCoder.\n# Agreement (or agreement) shall always mean and refer to this document.\n# Methodology (or methodology) shall always mean and refer to Beyond SCM and the way the following software tools: Change Request Tracking, Artifact Revision Control, and Promote/Deployment Management are used within the methodology.\n# Customer (or customer) shall always mean and refer to the party who purchases any number of this Beyond SCM License Agreement.\n# Application (or application) shall always mean and refer to the computer application(s) owned by the Customer whose development and maintenance will be improved by the usage of the methodology.\n\nPurchase:\n\nSCOPE: A single license of Beyond SCM applies to one and only one application per customer for the life of the application. The methodology, by definition, does not claim ownership, nor acknowledge any internal and/or domain-specific information used in and outside of the application.\nGRANT: nextCoder grants a non-exclusive, transferrable license of the methodology solely for the customer's internal operations.\nACCESS: Customers will have access to the book, diagrams, documents, best practices that are contained within the methodology.\nUSAGE: Customers will be allowed to use the methodology to improve exiting software development processes or start new ones as long it is confined within the context of one application for which the methodology is purchased.\n\nFees and Payments:\n\nThe Customer shall pay nextCoder the agreed upon amount per license times the number of licenses purchased. All payments must be made after the agreed upon trial period. Failing to make the payment will result in the customer violating this license agreement and the customer must immediately stop using the methodology under any circumstances.\n\nThe Customer is solely responsible for payment of any taxes (including all sales or use taxes, intangible taxes and property taxes) resulting from or related to the purchase of the methodology, exclusive of taxes based on nextCoder's income. nextCoder reserves the right to have Customer pay any such taxes as they fall due to nextCoder for remittance to the appropriate authority. Customer agree to hold harmless nextCoder from all claims and liability arising from Customer failure to report or pay such taxes.\n\nTerms and Termination:\n\nnextCoder has the right, with or without notice to Customer, to immediately terminate this Agreement or suspend or restrict access to the methodology for Customer for any unauthorized use or abuse of the methodology and accompanying software tools by Customer.\n\nUpon termination of this Agreement for any reason, all rights granted to Customer will terminate and revert to nextCoder, and Customer shall delete all Content and copies thereof in Users possession or under Users control. Customer shall remain obligated to pay all fees incurred prior to the expiration or termination of this Agreement.\n\nDISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES. THE METHODOLOGY AND ACCOMPANYING SOFTWARE TOOLS ARE PROVIDED AS IS WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, AND NEXTCODER EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL PROMISES, REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE METHODOLOGY AND ACCOMPANYING SOFTWARE TOOLS, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ITS CONDITION, CONFORMITY TO ANY REPRESENTATION OR DESCRIPTION, THE EXISTENCE OF ANY LATENT OR PATENT DEFECTS, ANY NEGLIGENCE, ITS NONINFRINGEMENT, ITS MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR USE. CUSTOMER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE RESULTS OR OUTPUT OF THE METHODOLOGY AND ACCOMPANYING SOFTWARE TOOLS WILL NOT CORRELATE WITH CUSTOMER'S DOMAIN OR INDUSTRY CONCEPTS.

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a journey to a better software development

Beyond SCM

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WillGunadi

''Newsflash: The Beyond SCM book is in the final editing stage, ready to be published.\n\n[img[beyondscmbook_frontcover.jpg]]\n\nBeyond SCM^^TM^^ is a set of proven processes that improves your organization's ability to deliver higher quality software products to your customers.''\n\nSadly, as of late, SCM (Software Configuration Management) has been boxed into a role of little significance. Most people associate SCM with the limited scope activities such as source-code building, version control, and deployment. Although these activities ''do'' belong in SCM, they are by no means the only ones. They don't even come close to represent the full potential of what a properly implemented SCM system can help you and your organization.\n\nBeyond SCM^^TM^^ is an attempt to break through this popular but incorrect mindset and put SCM in its rightful place within a Software Development organization. \n\nBeyond SCM^^TM^^ is more than just an SCM methodology, when implemented correctly, it will change the way your organization develop software products. \n\nFurthermore, Beyond SCM^^TM^^ comes with the battery. It features an actual system that can be installed within your organization to enforce the processes. \n\nClick on the following links to find out more. Each click will bring you to a new window that you can navigate from, and close when you are done with it.\n\n[[Why would I need Beyond SCM?]]\n[[Who needs Beyond SCM?]]\n[[Benefits]]\n[[Background Principles]]\n[[How does it work?]]\n[[Key Components]]\n[[How can we help you?]]

* If this is your organization's first time to break into enterprise software development, you need Beyond SCM to provide you with a working template. No longer you'll need to feel your way through the unknown territory of change management complexity and loss of control.\n* If you are deep in the trenches developing Enterprise-class software products, you need Beyond SCM to record and improve the visibility of your work and accomplishments, and to make your life much easier in general.\n* If you are managing a team of developers, QA, DBA, and System Administrators, you need Beyond SCM to build a working Knowledge Pool that is publicly accessible and useful to both accelerate the development ''and'' lower the impact of losing your key personnels along with the knowledge in their head.\n* If you are part of the upper-management responsible for supervising the delivery of the product to the customers, you need Beyond SCM to build an effective communication bridge to your hard-working teams.\n* If you are in the middle of a project that is spinning out of control, Beyond SCM can rescue your project, your product, and your sanity.\n\n

A typical enterprise software development project starts with a bang! Full of confidence and enthusiasm. As time goes by, things start to get out of hand, everyone seems to be doing a lot without any coherent results to show for. Features started to turn into defects at an alarming rate, or fall through the cracks... until the paying customer reminds you of it two weeks past the delivery date. Product deliveries and promotes becomes shots in the dark, you are never sure what to expect.\n\nIt is getting harder and harder to get answers to simple questions like:\n* How are we doing?\n* What did we just deliver to the customer?\n* How far are we from the finish line?\n* Where is the finish line?\n* Whatever happened to feature X?\n* How many features does this product really have?\n* How much of it is actually requested by the customer?\n* How much of it are they going to pay for?\nBefore long, deadlines after deadlines approached, came, and passed. The product is in an unknown state, and the customer do not get what they need. The only options left at this point are: \n* continue to fund the project, limping along with a broken development process\n* deliver a low quality product, get another round of funding to keep patching it (//some organizations actually call this a success!//)\n* cancel the project, the product, and the relationship with the paying customer. \nTragic, isn't it? Sadly, this is not far from the reality for many Software Development organizations.\n\nIn fact, if someone were to come from some other industries such as manufacturing or civil engineering, the amount of disarray that people put up in the Software Development industry may come as a shock. Yet for most of us, it's basically what we expect. This is why it costs the US economy 60 billion dollars ''annually'' to fix software defects (NIST 2002-10), most of them can be prevented if we were to hold a higher standard to ourselves as an industry.\n\n//Here is the bottom-line//: If the above scenario never applies to your Software Development projects, and the list of simple questions don't even make you flinch because you have all the answers with properly collected data to back them up, you are one of the few bright spots in the Software Development industry.\n\nAnd you also would ''not'' need Beyond SCM. Simple as that.