Controlling Software Projects: Development Is Only Job One: Chicago SPIN Nov 12 2009
Dan will be speaking at the Chi10 stecago SPIN on November 12, 2009 on the topic of controlling software projects. Estimation, planning, control, metrics, and maintenance fo a total ownership cost view wil be discussed.
The presentation is here: Chicago SPIN November 2009 Galorath Presentation Controlling Software Projects Development Is Only Job 1
PS Dan looks forward to his short visit to Chicago, his home town. And is going to carefully avoid pizza, hot dogs, and Italian beef while he is there.
The flyer follows:
Thank you for reading “Dan on Estimating”, if you would like more information about Galorath’s estimation models, please visit our contact page or call us at +1 310 414-3222.
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Dan Galorath Presentation at SEER / Tracer Seminar In Tysons Corner October 2009
It was exciting to participate in a seminar with Computer Aid and their ITMPI recently. Here we discussed concepts of software management and how Galorath’s SEER with project estimation, planning and control supports CAI’s Tracer product witch does root level process and task management.
Jim Ryan first spoke and discussed how the manufacturing revolution worked and how much of the success in manufacturing process and process measurement can be applied to software development. And excellent presentation that made a lot of points really apparent.
Next Dan Galorath went through software management techniques (click link to view presentation) that most likely yield successful projects, including estimation (cost estimating, schedule estimating, defect insertion/ removal estimation an more), planning, control, measurement, commitment and other items.
Thank you for reading “Dan on Estimating”, if you would like more information about Galorath’s estimation models, please visit our contact page or call us at +1 310 414-3222.
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SEER Users Seminar In EL Segundo, October 8, 2009
I just had the opportunity to review the agenda for this one day, no-cost seminar. I was very impressed.  Be sure to sign-up today if you can make it.
Thank you for reading “Dan on Estimating”, if you would like more information about Galorath’s estimation models, please visit our contact page or call us at +1 310 414-3222.
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Practical Software Measurement Conference June 22- Orlando
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Thank you for reading “Dan on Estimating”, if you would like more information about Galorath’s estimation models, please visit our contact page or call us at +1 310 414-3222.
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Dan Speaking at Detroit CAI Seminar
I will be speaking one estimating process yielding project success at the Computer Aid Seminar in Detroit On April 30, 2009.
My message will be that spending time on estimation and planning yields more successful projects and fewer project surprises. And I will go through the 10 step process. Additionally I will introduce Galorath’s estimation maturity model.
I am excited to speak along with Ed Yourdon, Larry Dribin, and CAI’s Bob Longhorn.
It should be a great event. I have participated in these with Larry and Bob in the past, and I am a lifetime fan of Ed.
I believe we will be doing the same genre in Toronto later in the year.
Thank you for reading “Dan on Estimating”, if you would like more information about Galorath’s estimation models, please visit our contact page or call us at +1 310 414-3222.
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Estimating United Conference Papers Available On the Web
Follow this link to see some of the estimating united papers. it was a great conference, full of useful information. Talks encompassing cost estimating (cost estimation), value engineering, product design, software, and more.
And thanks again to all the speakers and attendees as well as the hospitality of the Manchester United Football (soccer) club. And the Galorath staff whose diligent efforts made this a great success. Presentations will be available for all to download for the next few months, then will be available as part of the Galorath corporate library.
Thank you for reading “Dan on Estimating”, if you would like more information about Galorath’s estimation models, please visit our contact page or call us at +1 310 414-3222.
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How Intuit Controls Software Innovation With TSP and Agile
They have been using TSP for the last 5 years on Quickbooks. As an example, Quickbooks has a 15 year old codebase and was originally designed for smaller businesses. But it became the number one accounting software for midmarket businesses as well, generating requirements that were never dreamed of in its original small business design. The team said, “It is the wrong product for mid market businesses.” But they were wrong. They then used this customer driven invention to add in items they would have included initially, had they identified the midmarket as a target initially… For example they reengineered to handle multi-currency.
TSP helped them actually run AHEAD of schedule with less than .6 defects per ksloc. Normal Quickbooks development  is about 2 defects per ksloc.
Agile
Intuit also uses Agile approaches when “Customer requirements are changing or not known.” In these situations they apply Agile. For example TurboTax may have a question that hasn’t been answered.
2 Person team invented the concept called “live community.” They put into the product itself the ability for customers to both ask and answer the questions.   Team did agile with 3 week releases. They road tested it in front of customers. Now on the right hand side of all 20,000 screens are the questions to be asked and answered.Â
Sometimes users made comments as well as answers…Â Â Â People can also follow threads and add more comments.
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Thank you for reading “Dan on Estimating”, if you would like more information about Galorath’s estimation models, please visit our contact page or call us at +1 310 414-3222.
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Galorath at SEPG, San Jose
I just saw a press release that went out regarding Galorath Incorporated at the Software Engineering Process Group (SEPG) conference in San Jose. I am heading there today myself. Here is the press release:
Galorath Incorporated to Showcase SEER® at SEPG North America 2009
Leading project management software company will introduce new set of users to software.
El Segundo, CA (PRWEB) March 23, 2009 — Galorath Incorporated, the producer of the SEER project estimating software, will exhibit at the upcoming SEPG North America 2009 Conference, March 23-26 in San Jose, CA. The 2009 SEPG North America Conference is hosted by Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute (SEI). SEPG North America is one of the premier conferences for software and systems professionals in government, industry, and academia. SEPG Conferences provide a venue for knowledge sharing, learning, and networking focused on performance improvement through enhanced process capability.
Galorath will be exhibiting at booth #200 and will showcase its SEER project estimation software, a suite of predictive modeling solutions for software cost estimation and estimating IT projects.
SEER for Software (SEER-SEM) is a powerful decision-support model for estimating software development and maintenance cost, labor, staffing, schedule, reliability, and risk as a function of size, technology, and any project management constraints. The SEER for Software estimation and analysis suite of applications provides an integrated solution that supports all phases of the software project life cycle. SEER for Software is effective for all types of software projects, from commercial IT business applications to real-time embedded aerospace systems. SEER for Software assists users in making vital decisions about the development and maintenance of software products to ensure that project plans are realistic, objective and defendable.
SEER for IT (SEER-IT), estimating software for IT projects, was designed for IT professionals, enabling organizations to develop an early and accurate assessment of project costs, schedules, and risks as well as ongoing support, helping to maximize productivity and output with fixed or declining budgets. SEER for IT has a collection of IT estimation elements (process models) which can be used to define the work required as well as patterns for typical organizational approaches. Users can create custom Knowledge Bases and perform analyses with metrics derived from company project histories and task labor standards.
About Galorath Incorporated
For more than two decades Galorath Incorporated has developed solutions to help government and commercial organizations plan and manage complex software, hardware, electronics and manufacturing projects. Leveraging sophisticated modeling technology and project-applicable knowledge bases, SEER solutions enable engineers, project managers, cost analysts and IT professionals worldwide to simulate and analyze alternative project scenarios, develop and optimize detailed project plans and ensure that projects stay on track and meet objectives for functionality, cost, effort, duration and quality. Combined with extensive consulting and support services, SEER by Galorath is the most comprehensive, intuitive project estimation and management solution in the industry. Please visit www.galorath.com for additional information.
Thank you for reading “Dan on Estimating”, if you would like more information about Galorath’s estimation models, please visit our contact page or call us at +1 310 414-3222.
Marvelous User Conference: Estimating United at Manchester United
We had a marvelous users conference at the Manchester United Stadium in the UK. Users provided insights in application of SEER to cost estimating, value engineering, supply chain management, software estimating, target costing, function points, COSMIC function points, and much more.
Conference presentations will be posted on galorath.com in a few days.
The conference had multiple tracks so I missed many of the talks. But of those I heard i especially liked the talk on how using SEER for value engineerin and cost estimating saved MILLIONS of euros bydesigning for cost, the talk covering how a consortium of European countries is using SEER to make project management decisions and the talk describing how a major university used SEER to determine the best redesign of an aircraft.
The real highlight, however, was running out to the pitch at the Manchester United stadium. We ran from the players locker room thru the tunnel they use while a recording of the crowd roaring approval played.
I dont know how our Los Angeles users conference in October can top that.
Thank you for reading “Dan on Estimating”, if you would like more information about Galorath’s estimation models, please visit our contact page or call us at +1 310 414-3222.
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SEER Estimating United Conference At Manchester United Stadium, UK
I had the opportunity to review the agenda for the SEER Estimating United Conference at the Manchester United Football (Soccer) Stadium coming up March 19th. Very exciting to see the lineup of speakers and events. We will hear from organizations saving millions by using SEER, and from the inventor of the COSMIC function point method, for example. Estimation, planning, control and project success with SEER will be featured. More details will be on the galorath.com web site soon.
Speaking of football, in the UK everyone seems to have their favorite soccer team… Beyond the level in the US (My own kids are big fans of Manchester United and are envious of my opportunity to tour the stadium). My families closest thing to an obsession is they are big LA Lakers (Basketball) fans and live near Sasha)… one of the players  But in the UK sports team loyalty seems to be an obsession.
SO please, SEER users who are not Manchester United Fans, forgive us and come to the conference anyway. 
And for US users who don’t want to travel so far, there is something for you coming in the fall that will be announced any day. Perhaps not as exciting as the conference in the UK, but will great speakers and interaction with other SEER users as well.
Thank you for reading “Dan on Estimating”, if you would like more information about Galorath’s estimation models, please visit our contact page or call us at +1 310 414-3222.