FUJ00058459
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(cL Report ow Release 2 Provesy I, Refi IA/REP/oog
Pathway Improvement Programme Date: 18/06/98
Document Title: Report on Release 2 Process Improvement Programme
Document Type: Report
Abstract: This report presents the background, context and
programme of actions put in place, in the light of the PA
Consulting Report (1997) to improve process, standards
and compliance and discipline during Pathway Release 2.
Status: APPROVED
Distribution: Pathway Management Team
G. Chatten M. Hughes
D. Groom
Library
Author: Jan Holmes
Comments to:
Comments by:
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© 1998 ICL Pathway Ltd
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Pothway
Version: 1.0
Improvement Programme Date: 18/06/98
O Document control
O.L Document history
0.2
0.3
bl
[2]
[3]
[a]
[5]
[6]
Version Date Reason
Ou 14/01/98
0.2 21/05/98
03 27/05/98
1.0 18/06/98
Approved authoritiey
Name
M. Coombs
M. Bennett
Position
Initial draft
Incorporation of MSQA audit results
Initial Issue
Following presentation to Pathway Management Team
Signature Date
Programme Director
(Programme Sponsor)
Director Quality & Risk
Associated documenty
Reference
PA/PRO/o25
1A/CAP/oo1
IA/REP/oo02
TA/REP/003
IA/REP/o05,
IA/REP/006
Vers Date
15.0 06/05/98
1.0 17/65/98
10 04/12/97
1.0 03/03/98
0.2 17/04/98
0.2 18/05/98
Title Source
Pathway Online Standards (Gateway) OLS
Schedule of Corrective Actions; NR2
Mid Stage Audits (Consolidated)
NR2 MSQA#1 : Design
NR2z MSQA#z2 : Development
NR2 MSQA#s : Technical Integration
NR2 MSQA#4 : Test & Integration
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0.6 Table of content
VIMtrOdUctiONn .....cccesscecsecseeesecssessecseesseeseesseeseesesssecsessseeseessessecsesssecsessseeseesssssecseseneeses
ZSCOPC veesesseseeseeseeseseerees
3 Management Summary
3.1 Improving Process
3.2 Improving Awareness .
DAauu sf
3.2.1 Presence
a
3.2.2 Availability 0... eeseeesseseeseeesneseeseenesesneseseseessussieseesseeeneeeseeaiens
3.2.3 Recognition & Use ....cecccccesssseesesssesseesesessesssnessessessseeseesesusssesseneseeseeee
3.3 Increasing In-Process Checks ........ssssssecsssssecsesssessesseesseeseesseesesssesnseaeaneeneenee
3.4 Activities in the Release 2 Plan.....cccscscseseseeeesessenseensseeseesesseeeeeeess
3.5 Mid Stage Quality Audits.........ccccccesecsesseesseeseesseeseesseeseeseesseeseassesesseeseeses
Conn nanan
4 Audit [Ssues......ececcceeccceseesestssesesesesesesesecuenesesesesesneseseseeeceaesesnensseseseeneneseseeneneneaeee
4.1 Scope ........
ao
4.2 Documentation Sets & Baselines.......cccsscsssseseseseeseseessssesteseesseseeseenennenees
4.3 Documentation Content & OPENframework........c.ceeeseeseeeeeeeeees Q
4.4 Protection Of Assets ....c.c.ccccccesseseseceeesseseseeteeeeeesesteneeeeesteseseseeeeneneaeseeeeeneaeee 9
4.5 Programme Measures ........cccccsessesceseeseesestesesseesestesessesseseesssnesessesssseseeseeseses Q
4.6 Rework...
4.7 Improving Unit and Link Testing ..........csccseessessesssesesseestesreesessnesseeseesseess 1O
4.8 Improved Controls Between Development & PIT ........csesesseeeeeeeneeee Hd
4.9 The ‘Entente Cordiale’
4.10 The Software Delivery Mechanism .......c.ccccseseeeesseseeeeessesesseeeeneees 12
4.11 Relationship with TSC..0...c.ccccsseseesesessesessessssesesseeessesesseseerseesneseeaeseeeee 12
4.42 ICL Trading Rules .........cceccecsessessesssesecseesseesesssessessessseeseessessessnssnessesseeneess B
5 Pathway Online Standards Improvement ..........scsssecseeseeesteeteeseeseesneenteeeeenteees 14
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1 Introduction
A review of the Pathway project (Release 1) was carried out during 1997 by PA
Consulting Ltd (PA). One of the observations raised during that review was that
while ICL Pathway possessed processes and standards, their deployment and
subsequent compliance by members of the project team could be improved.
A corrective action programme was put in place inside Pathway to address the
many observations and recommendations made. This report presents the
results of that programme, culminating in the sequence of Mid Stage Quality
Audits conducted between December 1997 and May 1998.
1 would like to express my thanks for the help and co-operation received during
the conduct of the programme, especially during the audits, from colleagues in
the Systems and Programmes Divisions of ICL Pathway.
2 Scope
This report presents a breakdown of the programme of activities put in place
inside ICL Pathway to address one of the recommendations contained in the PA
Report :
“5.1(iii) ... apply development/design disciplines”.
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3B Management Summary
In many respects the PA Report acted as a catalyst to bring about an ‘discipline
improvement project’ that had been internally proposed a number of times.
The quality audits conducted by the Pathway Quality Manager during 1997 had
identified shortcomings in process compliance in development and testing
during Release 1 and a number of action plans and programmes had been
initiated, although it was clear that competing pressures for management and
individual’s time meant that these did not bring about the desired outcome.
The extreme timescales of the Pathway project, coupled with the rapid
increases in staff numbers and relative ‘youth’ of the organisation also
contributed to the situation identified by PA. It was fully anticipated that the
passage of time, along with the Discipline Improvement Programme (DIP),
would deliver a marked improvement in the quality of Pathway’s processes and
standards as well as compliance with them.
The DIP consisted of four key Elements :
a. Process Improvement and Awareness.
b. Improved in-process checking.
c Activities in the Release 2 Plan.
d. Mid Stage Quality Audits
3.1L Improving Process
The two key processes considered by the PA review are the Pathway
Development Method and Test & Integration Process, both of which are widely
available through the Pathway Online Standards (OLS). A number of
workshops and meetings were held during October and November 1997 to
target shortcomings identified during Release 1 and define improvements for
Release 2.
One significant improvement which involved significant organisational change
was the introduction of the Technical Integration function to sit between the
Development and Test and Integration units to provide effective control over
the transfer of software and products between the two groups.
Major changes to the Development Method were introduced at OLS Release 6
dated 09/05/97 and minor updates have taken place since then.
Similarly, major changes to Test & Integration were introduced at OLS Release
u dated 21/11/97 in line with the revised Release 2 Testing Strategy.
Since the major upgrades to the key processes there has been a continual
programme of improvement and change to the OLS culminating in Release 15
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which was issued in early May 1998. A chronological presentation of changes
made can be found at Section 5 to this report.
Further changes are anticipated as a result of the Mid Stage Quality Audit
(Section 4) and further refinement of the Technical Environment Description
(TED).
3.2 Improving Awarenesyy
Process awareness is a major element of deployment and can be broken into
three parts :
a. The presence of process information and guidance (the water in the
trough).
b. Its availability to the desired audience (the leading of the horse to the
trough).
c The recognition and use of the information by the audience (the
drinking of the water by the horse).
It could be claimed that the water is in the trough and the horse has been
shown the trough. Unfortunately neither the horse nor the jockey seem
inclined to partake of the water.
3.2.1 Presence
The Pathway Online Standards (OLS) has been seen by a number of external
organisations and complemented on its content and novel approach to
information dissemination. The use of Windows Help files removes the
administrative burden of a paper based system and presents in a more
appealing and acceptable manner.
3.2.2 Availability
Early Releases of OLS were held on the Pathway45 server in the Programme
Office. The limited availability of this server around the FELo1 based Pathway
organisations meant that significant groups were blind to the processes. In
December they were transferred to the CMServer which has a far wider
audience, including other ICL departments with whom Pathway is associated.
3.2.3 Recognition & Use
The PA report focused attention on this element of awareness. Unlike
Pathway45 the CMServer is an NT box and NT can provide statistics of file
accesses by terminal. This mechanism can be used to audit access to OLS and
will be the first time that evidence of use (or otherwise) will be available.
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3.3
3.4
3.5
Increasing In-Procesy Checky
The Document Management process requires that documents created or
updated are subject to formal review prior to authorisation and use. For
internal use documents this is limited to email reviews but for those to be
issued externally this includes a formal Fagan style document inspection. The
responsibility for organising reviews has been transferred from the document
author to the Document Controller, a role within the Configuration
Management team, who is now responsible for arranging document reviews
and disseminating the results. There has been a marked increase in the number
of reviews undertaken although the quality of responses varies.
Further work is underway to improve this area.
Activitiey w the Release 2 Plaw
An exercise was carried out to validate the Release 2 Plan structure with the
Development Method activities and deliverables. This was achieved by
developing a ‘nil duration activity’ network from the processes and comparing
this with the Release 2 Plan. The deliverable and key review activities were
identified on the network and their corresponding real world equivalents found
on the Plan. The result was reviewed as part of the Design MSQA (see Section
n).
Mia Stage Quality Audity
In order to provide assurances to Pathway Management that the improvements
required by the PA Report are actually taking place a series of Mid Stage Quality
Audits (MSQA) were sponsored by the Programme Director :
a. MSQA#1 - Design (Report reference IA/REP/oo2).
b. MSQA#2 - Development (Report reference IA/REP/003).
c MSQA#3 - Technical Integration (Report reference IA/REP/o05).
d. MSQA#4 - Test & Integration (Report reference IA/REP/006).
This sequence is now complete, in the sense that Reports have been issued and
the corrective actions are either in place, in progress or subject to final
agreement.
Inevitably, the value of the audit increased the further down the development
lifecycle it addressed, for example, the recommendations emerging from
MSQAM#, dealing as they do with documentation form and content, appear
relatively trivial compared to those from MSQA#3 and #4 which identified
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shortcomings in organisation wide activities, including software delivery,
communications and metrics.
The following section outlines the audit issues that emerged from the sequence
of audits. Where corrective actions have been agreed a brief overview and
current status is provided.
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4 Audit lyuesy
4.1 Scope
It is not the intention of this section to repeat the detail contained in the MSQA
Reports, reference can be made to them to support the information presented
here.
It has been recognised that although Pathway started life as a full PFI
integration project anticipating minimal design activity it has evolved into a
more traditional development lifecycle with considerable design effort being
required,
That said, some of the normal constraints affecting an integration project, for
example the non availability of some components early in the lifecycle can have
a detrimental effect on the effectiveness of those early lifecycle stages.
The audit issues have been expressed in terms of control absence, failure or
weakness and the impact that might have on the risk that the Programme is
exposed to.
An associated Schedule of Corrective Actions [2] contains details of the
recommendations emerging from the audits and the agreed corrective actions.
This is distributed under a separate cover to enable progress monitoring and re-
distribution of the Schedule without having to copy the bulk of this report each
time.
4.2 Documentotion Sety & Baseliney
Identified in MSQA#1
Pathway is awash with documentation! Currently there are in excess of 3,000
documents registered in PCMS of in varying status and degree of development.
There are ~1,750 combinations of the project and item codes that establish a
unique identity for a document although not all of these combinations are
populated. The introduction of PCMS to Pathway enables greater control to be
established over the production, authorisation and distribution of documents as
well as imposing discipline on the identification, definition and control of
document baselines.
Two initiatives have been taken to address the issues raised in the report. The
first, an external review by HPS of the key processes involved (Change
Management, Document Management and Baseline Management) and
identified severe shortcomings with the Baseline Management process (there
wasn’t one in operation). The second, an internal working group charged with
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4.3
4.4
4.5
defining a Document Set structure to PCMS, populating it and establishing
effective control, has started work and is progressing well.
Documentation Content & OPENframework
Identified in MSQA#1
When the project started it was not anticipated that extensive design activity
would be required. Neither were there any established design processes or
standards for documentation. As a result the emerging design documentation
did not conform to any particular style or standard not was the ICL
OPENframework approach to design and development exploited. Standards
were quickly established and compliance is, by and large, now satisfactory.
The exploitation of OPENframework is being addressed as a separate initiative.
An external review by ICL’s own OPENframework Consultancy division resulted
in a detailed report complete with action plan. Unfortunately the initial report
concentrated on business applications and its content was of limited use. A
second iteration has targeted the technical infrastructure and these
recommendations will be implemented during NR2+.
Protection of Assets
Identified during MSQA#2
There does not appear to be a systematic approach to the protection of
Pathway’s intellectual property during Design and Development. Unless
documents are transferred to the PCMS library there is no guarantee that they
are protected against accidental or deliberate loss.
The situation is better for source code although again, there is little evidence of
a systematic approach.
The recommendation here is to formalise the policy and approach for
protecting Pathway’s IPR as reflected in its design documents and source code.
It may require changes in basic work practice, for example the introduction of a
Pathway network which would enable automatic backup of desktop PCs.
Programme Measurey
Identified in MSQA#2, 3 & 4
There are a number of measures in regular use on the programme including
test execution progress against plan and PinICL initiation and resolution. The
audit issue here is their one dimensional nature insofar as that they deal only
with progress against time to the exclusion of product quality and resource
utilisation.
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4.6
All three topics are vital to successful process improvement and the audit
recommendation is that the Programme Office initiate a project to define and
implement a regime of measures that will provide a complete and accurate
statement of process performance in terms of progress (process efficiency),
quality (process effectiveness) and resource utilisation (process economy).
Rework
Identified in MSQA#2, 3 & 4
Quality costs can be divided into three categories, preventive, appraisal and
failure. Rework, defined here as dealing with PinICLs raised during System Test
and beyond, fall into the failure costs bracket and is adding unnecessarily to the
costs of the project.
Ordinarily rework can be attributed to a number of failings earlier in the
lifecycle and to some extent this has been borne out during the audit sequence.
From the unit and link testing perspective the nature of an integration project
can mitigate against the ability to run these activities in an environment that
reflects the eventual target resulting in some errors not being found until the
something approximating the target environment is available, for example in
system or business integration test.
MSQA#2 attempted to place some figure on the costs. At the time of the audit
there were some 6,200 incidents recorded on the PinICL system. No actual
costs are maintained but it is reasonable to assume a spend of between 1 and 2.5
mandays to clear a PinICL. If this is the case then the resource cost alone to
Pathway to date (March 1998) could be in the range £2m to £5m. If all
opportunity costs are taken into account the results is far worse - 100 people
tackling 6,200 PinICLs = 62days = 3 months = £30m.
The audit also identified that the targeting of improvement measures should be
informed through understanding the causes of failure but there was no
evidence of any analysis of PinICLs to determine the nature and origin of the
fault/problem.
The recommendation is that the feasibility of having a (some) target
environment rig(s) in Development is investigated. Up to NR2 it would
probably not have made a significant impact as there were new products being
delivered so the availability argument would hold. However, the NR2+
environment is essentially the same as NR2 so there should be a bigger payback
during the NR2+ lifecycle, reductions in Cat C and D PinICLs raised, less rework
in Development, fewer software deliveries and less emphasis on time as the
prime driver.
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4.7 Improving Unit and Link Testing
Identified in MSQA#2, 3 & 4
It is suggested that unit and link testing during NR2 has not been as effective or
consistent as it could have been. There is little evidence of testing having taken
place and the expected effect of this, considerable rework, particularly of
Category C and D PinICLs tends to support this assertion.
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3 (<1%) 149 (13%) 519 (49%) I 396 (37%) I 1058
r System Test
Under the current priority-based classification regime Type C restrict progress
and Type D are non urgent. Although PinICL does not provide an analysis of
the nature of the fault the fact that ~86% of them do no more than restrict
progress could infer that System Test is not the time to be trapping errors of
this type.
The Pathway Online Standards did not provide any guidance on the production
of unit or link test strategies and plans and while not forming a valid reason for
not carrying out testing at this stage, could explain why there is little evidence
to support claims that it was.
There is also the question of how effective unit and link testing can be in the
absence of a target test environment. This has been addressed earlier in the
report.
Improving the effectiveness of unit and link testing is being addressed in a
number of ways :
1. Product Descriptions for Unit and Link Test Strategies and Plans have been
defined and are available in the Online Standards. (MSQA#2)
2. The recommendation that a discrete PCMS control is introduced to control
the transfer of software between Development and Technical Integration
through a formal authorisation by a Development Team Leader following a
review of deliverables and process compliance. (MSQA#3)
3. The recommendation for improvements in the test environment (MSQA#4).
4.8 Improved Controly Between Development & PIT
Identified during MSQA#3,
Notwithstanding the observation concerning the software delivery mechanism
(Section 4.9) a strong control should be initiated between Development and
PIT. This would provide Development with the opportunity to satisfy
themselves that all appropriate unit and link testing has been conducted to the
required level and PIT the opportunity to satisfy themselves that the drop is
complete, has been tested and meets their entry criteria before it is actually
delivered.
The recommendation here is that the PCMS status ‘Awaiting Review’ is re-
introduced and assigned an appropriate authority level. In addition the PIT
Checklist, currently used informally, should be formalised and become a formal
control feature between the two departments.
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4.9 The ‘Entente Cordial’?
Identified during MSQA#4,
Following Release 1c an ‘entente cordiale’ was reached between Design and T&I
regarding the mutual review of each others specifications, the objective being to
ensure adequate test coverage on the one side and prevent nugatory work
preparing tests scripts on the other. There is little evidence to show that this
was exercised to any extent.
The recommendation here is to put the arrangements into effect and to re-
enforce this by having the design reviews identified on the T&I plan and vice
versa. The final enforcement is to have mutual sign-off of the respective design
specifications and HLTPs.
4.10 The Software Delivery Mechanisw
Identified in MSQA#4
The increase in time pressures have resulted in changes being made to the
method of delivering software product from Development to Technical
Integration. The approach, known as Incremental Delivery (ID) bypasses the
need to make a baseline drop to PIT and any confidence testing that PIT make
prior to delivery to T&I. The time imperatives driving this change are
recognised but so are the increased risks of :
1. Increasing the proportion of non-confidence tested software on the test rig.
2. Increasing the administrative burden of ensuring that all Ids are swept up in
the next baseline drop.
The recommendation here is that limits are established after which a new
baseline must be declared and a new baseline drop made to PIT.
4.11 Relationship with TSC
Identified in MSQA#4
Despite the value of the Pathway work to TSC, some £500k pcm, there is no
formal agreement between the two organisations. There is already evidence of
misunderstandings between the two organisation in terms of work scope and
working arrangements.
The recommendation here is that the relationship is formalised through a
contract or other appropriate documentation.
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4.12 ICL Trading Ruley
Identified in MSQA#4
New ICL ‘zero profit’ trading rules put Pathway at significant risk where they
are trading with other ICL departments and those departments are targeted to
make profit from their resources. The risk manifests itself where the ICL
department supplying key individual skills or teams of resource to Pathway is a
profit centre.
Significant progress has already taken place to mitigate this risk with the two
largest ICL suppliers, TSC and ISTL.
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S Pathway Online Standards Improvement
[Releas
Release 15 introduces two new document Product Descriptions and associated
Templates. They are the Host and Counter Low Level Design Specifications.
These will soon be joined by a complementary Agent Low Level Design to make
up the full set.
Changes have been made to the Interface Specification Product Description to
reflect the fact that Interface Specifications are now Contract Controlled
Documents (CCN 198 dated 3rd February refers) and that a Change Control
Note is required, ideally before work commences but definitely before the
changes can be approved and implemented.
[Rel 103/98 J
Release 14 introduces changes to the Development Method in the area of
Product Integration Testing. Following a review of the process it has been split
into two; Product Integration and Establish PIT Baseline. A new PIT Quality
Control form has also been introduced to formalise the handover from
Development to PIT.
A new Product Description and associated Template for the Work Package
Proposal, has been introduced. This document should be used during
negotiations with 3rd party developers, external and internal to ICL, to establish
the nature, scope and terms of the work to undertaken.
The Purchase Order Process has been changed to reflect the introduction of
Oracle Financials to the project and to establish the hotlinks to the required
documentation.
Finally the PinICL Incident Management process has been completely reworked
for New Release 2. Use i
Release 13 is a significant Release as it provides linkage between the Product
Descriptions and the actual document templates. Thus if you are accessing the
PD and wish to generate a document of that type you can, by selecting the
appropriate hotspot, load an empty Template. The Template contains all of the
guidance currently shown in the PD, so completing one should not present any
difficulties.
Release 13 also introduces changes to the Development Method in the area of
third party development. Third parties supply significant amounts of software
for integration into the Horizon solution and up to now their management and
control has not been covered by the Pathway Online Standards. The role of
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Technical Team Leader within the Systems Directorate is described and the
various accountabilities for in-house as well as third party development defined.
New Product Descriptions have been defined for Unit and Link Test Strategies
and Plans and their use within the Development Method is mandatory.
Release 12 contains revisions to the Test Analysis Management Control Process
(MCP) Database Operating Instructions and the Test & Integration processes.
The Review Role and Document Authority Matrices in the Document
Management process have been updated to reflect the introduction of the
Platform Physical Design Specification. Generation of the PPD Specification
during Detailed Design has also been documented and a Product Description
has been generated and can be found in the Standards section.
One of the empty icons has now been populated. The New Service Introduction
process has been in operation for some time but has only recently reached a
position where it could be considered sufficiently stable for inclusion. It will
change over time but any changes are not likely to be significant. The
associated Product Description for the Business Requirements Definition has
also been updated.
The IT Equipment Ordering Process is also included in Release 12. Note that
this is the only process to follow if you wish to order IT equipment on this
project.
Release 11 contains major revisions to the Test & Integration processes and the
Test Analysis Management Control Process (MCP) Database Operating
Instructions. The T & I processes have been re-engineered in line with the
recommendations contained in the Release 2 Testing Strategy paper agreed
with the PDA. It also contains the Service Provision and Technical Support
process to complement the PIT process defined at Release 10. The Test
management Control Database (MCP) has been changed in a number of areas
and includes details of the Acceptance Test elements now contained in it.
Updates to the Product Description for Interface Specifications have been
made, particularly in the Qualities section. Use of this PD in the development
of Interface Specifications is mandatory as it is a part of the Agreement to Agree
801-1.
The Document Management process has been updated to reflect the switch
from the TeamOffice library to PCMS. There is also a Review Role Matrix to
complement the Document Authority Matrix so determining the review
audience and the roles that they should a adopt during the review should now
no longer be a major concern. There are also a number of minor changes which
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simplifies the structure of the process, make it easier to follow and therefore
comply with,
Release 10 introduces the Product Integration Test Process and associated
Product Descriptions (Installation Notes, CM Handover Documentation and
Test Report) to the Development Method. The Development Method has also
been updated to introduce an explicit link to the Formal Document Review
process flow within Document Management. Changes to the detail within the
Analysis process are also made.
A new Product Description for the Project Initiation Document is included. The
PID is completed during the New Service Introduction process and becomes,
subject to approval of the business opportunity, the basis for the full Product
Management Plan.
Release 9 sees the introduction of the CAR Management Process through which
Pathway and PDA manage the delivery of the Contracting Authorities
Responsibilities established in the contract.
Changes have been made to the Incident Management process to improve the
clarity of detailed work instructions.
The Change Control process has been updated to reflect the activities of the
Technical Review Board which now undertakes a preliminary impact
assessment of all non-budget CPs. The objective here is to filter out CPs that fail
to provide sufficient information for an effective impact assessment to be made.
A new Purchasing Goods and Services process has been added to the Business
Support suite of processes. Please ensure you are familiar with it and the
various forms that must be used. You will find these in the TeamOffice Library
and you will be expected to use them in future. A notice to this effect will be
issued by Finance shortly.
The Recruitment process has been changed to reflect a name change -
Enterprises HR has become Group Resourcing.
Changes have been made in the Email (Postal) Document Review element of
Document Management.
The Test & Integration Management Control Process has been redefined for
Release 1e in this Release of the On-line standards. These can be accessed direct
from the icon or from the appropriate process flow charts in the main T & I
processes.
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A new Employment Termination process has been added to the Business
Support suite of processes. Please ensure you are familiar with it and the
Employment Termination Checklist which all managers will be expected to use
in future. A notice to this effect will be issued by Personnel shortly.
This Release introduces a completely redesigned Development Method for
Release 2 of the Pathway solution. Gone is the joint development activity to be
replaced by a more structured waterfall/V model. An Analysis stage has been
defined to cater for the increasing volume of Business Requirements Definitions
that are being received and this has brought about the introduction of a new
document, the System Outline Design (SOD). A product Description has been
provided.
A further improvement has been to hot-link, where possible, the documents
created or used in the Development Method to their respective Product
Descriptions. There can be little excuse now for not producing documents to
the required standard with the required content. Remember, when creating
documents to register them with Annet Fernandes (x4139) and obtain a valid
Reference Number for the library.
Hot on the heels of Release 4 comes this one containing a number of changes to
the Testing & Integration process, primarily the introduction of the
Management Control Process Database Operating Instructions. These are
accessible from the T & I processes or directly through its own icon.
I’m afraid that there are no incentives this time - you were far too quick to find
them last time.
[Release 4:
This Release introduces an active link to the Pathway Quality Policy, which will
be extended in due course to accommodate other Policies that apply to the
project.
It also introduces a range of Change Proposal Quality Criteria which will be
enforced on new Change Proposals. In essence, if your CP does not conform it
will not be accepted into the Change Control Process. Please make yourself
aware of these new criteria by looking in Change Control : Raise a Pathway
Change Proposal.
We have started a library of PRINCE Product Descriptions (PDs). PDs are vital
elements of the PRINCE (Projects IN Controlled Environments) method for
project management and control, compliance with which is a requirement of
Pathway. The library will be added to as further PDs are defined.
Other improvements have been made to some of the process flowcharts which
Windowsgs users were having difficulty with.
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Oh, and there’s an incentive to read through the various screens. Somewhere in
the on-line standards you will find one of these :
It will be larger than this example so you cant miss it. Click on it to see what
you could win!
[Release 3 : ]
This Release provides significant improvements and updates to the Pathway
Online Standards.
The major improvement is that all Process Flowcharts have fully interactive
diagrams where there is a Graphic Hotspot indicated. Graphic Hotspots are
identifiable through their colour which is that rather vivid PURPLE. As the
cursor passes over the box you will note that the arrow changes into a little
hand. Click and the next level of information is displayed. Try it on this
example below :
Updates have been made to both the Development Method and Testing and
Integration to reflect some of the lessons learned during Release 1 activity. The
T &I process has also been changed to reflect the new Joint Testing Strategy.
New processes included at this Release are :
Recruitment
PinICL Incident Management
Programme Risk Management
There will be a further Release in the very near future when Release
Management and New Product Introduction will be added (you will note that
the Icon graphics are currently de-activated).
This Release provides several enhancements.
Project Planning, Reporting and Control has been added to the suite, as has
Baseline Management. BM will probably expand as more detail emerges.
Document Management now includes the detail in what was PA/WKI/oo01 -
Document Template Work Instructions, and provides detailed instructions on
the use of the Pathway Document Template (PA/TEM/o001).
The raising of a Change Control Note in Change Control has changed from the
CP Administrator to the originator of the Change Proposal or another person
nominated by the (P)CCB.
Welcome to the Pathway On-Line Help System.
In here you will find the various Policies, Standards and Processes that you need
to know about while you are working here.
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Clearly this system will be added to over the coming months and I will be
informing you all via email when something has happened. To find out exactly
what you will need to access this page.
This system lives or dies through your active involvement so I greatly appreciate
any comments or observations that you may have about it, its presentation and
content.
Suggestions for additions and improvements are welcome and should be made
to me, Jan Holmes on x2112.
Good reading.
Part of Pathway Online Standards Entry {Version 15.0}
LibRef : PA/PRO/o25
ICL Pathway Ltd : 1998
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