tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-684183198890094283.post7668845216785664529..comments2023-11-05T06:12:59.718-05:00Comments on S.Lott-Software Architect: Process Not Working -- Must Have More ProcessS.Lotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06337323642834330176noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-684183198890094283.post-35012849358022863722009-10-28T08:51:10.818-04:002009-10-28T08:51:10.818-04:00>> Tools do not cause (or even contribute) t...>> Tools do not cause (or even contribute) to process failure. There are two possible contributions to process failure: the process and the people.<br /><br />When I was working in quality assurance and concentrating on process improvement, we identified the following 6 factors affecting process effectiveness.<br /><br />1. procedures - How well do the established procedures work?<br /><br />2. tools - Do the people have the tools that they need? Do the tools work well?<br /><br />3. training - Do the people doing the work have adequate training in the procedures, how to use the machines, general background information?<br /><br />4. the reward system - What are you actually rewarding? If management *says* it wants a quality product, but promotes people who deliver a product *quickly* regardless of product quality, then the de facto reward system is rewarding speed, not quality.<br /><br />5. the inputs to the process - If you are getting crappy inputs, you're going to produce crappy outputs. (See yesterday's headlines: if a home builder gets toxic drywall from China, he builds a toxic house)<br /><br />6. the suitability of the people to the job - Here, the problem is your hiring process. If you hire square pegs to fit in round holes, then of course you will have problems. <br /><br />Notice that there is no category for "lazy and stupid people". This is not a useful category if you're actually trying to improve a process. <br /><br />But this is, of course, the *only* category that Management has traditionally recognized and used. Its use, of course, doesn't help improve anything. All it does is to give a manager whose processes aren't functioning well some place to shift the blame.<br /> <br />So: a few more tools to use when thinking about process issues.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-684183198890094283.post-14276650096208221102009-10-27T21:51:11.786-04:002009-10-27T21:51:11.786-04:00In respect of your question:
"Does CVS / Sub...In respect of your question:<br /><br />"Does CVS / Subversion have a knob which provides the functionality to<br />prevent developers from checking code into a branch?"<br /><br />As far as I know, subversion itself doesn't. But if the repository is served up by mod_dav_svn under Apache then it isn't that hard to configure some Apache directives which block the HTTP method types relating to update of a subversion directory for the appropriate part of the URL namespace. We use this, and what it allows is for someone to create a new tag, remove that whole tag, check out from that tag, but not commit any changes into that tag.<br /><br />I'm not at work today so don't have handy what the rules are, but if remember will post them later.Graham Dumpletonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13609779138164842374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-684183198890094283.post-15986696851601924422009-10-27T15:01:53.190-04:002009-10-27T15:01:53.190-04:00Actually, I think SVN/CVS (i.e. tools) could be co...Actually, I think SVN/CVS (i.e. tools) could be contributing to the problem, as merging with them is a PITA.Villehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14536129636589454560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-684183198890094283.post-21431114191100546562009-10-27T12:25:32.114-04:002009-10-27T12:25:32.114-04:00Talking to people should be the process.
We recen...Talking to people should <i>be</i> the process.<br /><br />We recently added a lengthy new freeze stage to our release cycle. Anyone who<br />wants to check in longterm code can use the newer branch, anyone who needs to<br />get into the release about to land needs to request and be given a "freezeok"<br />tag on their bug. I told them: "If you forget, you will be devoured by<br />zombies."<br /><br />The first couple of times someone pushed code to the frozen branch without the<br />tag I used http://diy.despair.com/motivator.php with an image of their faces<br />superimposed on somebody being eaten by zombies. Everyone laughed. Nobody did<br />it again.<br /><br />Is that so damn hard?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16763371844879659730noreply@blogger.com