The Future of Software Analysis Measurement Webinar Featuring Bill Curtis, David Herron and Dan Galorath
We have some exciting events coming up this month with the first: The Future of Software Analysis and Measurement on October 12, 2011. I am really excited to share the virtual podium with Bill Curtis, Senior VP and Chief Scientist of CAST Corporation and with David Herron, David Consulting Groups VP of Knowledge Solution Services as moderator.
Bill and I both spoke at a software engineering conference last year and I got very excited about his work in software analysis with CAST. Besides Bill being an engaging speaker his content was very illuminating, covering issues of existing software, its complexity and reliability. He ev!–more–
en showed the number of latent defects in software of various languages. I have greatly summarized some of the a href=http://www.galorath.com/wp/software-defects-in-fielded-software-cast-analysis.phpsoftware defect conclusions /aelsewhere on this BLOG and CAST has been instrumental in recognizing and quantifying the a href=http://www.galorath.com/wp/500-billion-it-debt-for-deferred-maintenance.phptechnical debt/a
And with David Herron, one of the most knowledgeable people in the measurement community, this should be a do not miss event.
Details of the event follow as does a link to signup. Hope you can make it.
blockquotestrongThe Future of Software Analysis and Measurement/strong
October 12, 2011 8:00am Pacific, 11:00am Eastern, 4:00pm London
a href=http://www.castsoftware.com/news-events/event/future-of-sam?gad=glrClick this Webinar Link to sign up/a
Join us on October 12th to hear from an exciting lineup of experts on the Future of Software Analysis and Measurement: Dan Galorath, President CEO of Galorath Inc and Bill Curtis, SVP Chief Scientist, CAST will have an engaging discussion moderated by David Herron, VP, Knowledge Solution Services, David Consulting Group.
These industry veterans will share experiences with their client’s software development processes and discuss how Software Analysis and Measurement tools coupled with Parametric Estimation models can impact organizational performance through increased ROI, customer satisfaction and business value.
The panel will provide insightful and actionable steps that will make an immediate impact on your strategy including how to:
• Drive organization value by fueling Estimate and Measurement practices within an enterprise
• Build the funding rationale through proven economic impact models
• Establish the ROI from Estimate and Measurement practices and process/blockquote
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.
Measurement and Providing Value to the Business ISMA Keynote 2011
Here is a copy of my keynote talk at the 2011 ISMA measurement conference, Measurement and Management and Business Value. The real point is the IT and measurement personnel have the information, knowledge and skill set to provide value to the business, far beyond the costs generate. But the information needs to be communicated in terms leaders can understand rather than the techie language we all think and speak in… AND if IT starts showing how it contributes to the business and becomes a profit center instead of a cost center IT will get more money to apply to more valuable things.
UPDATE: Someone also asked for a reference communicating the language of management. I believe this publication on business case analysis to be helpful in that regard.
PS In my talk I referred to software and measurement people as geeks. To many the term geek is a source of pride. One person in the talk was offended by being called a geek. My sincere apologies. However modern vernacular often defines a geek as a lover of technology, a software developer or someone with an intense love of mathematics. I consider myself a geek. And my friend Paul Glen makes his living by “leading geeks.”
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.
Acquisition Reform (WSARA) Webinar Discusses Lessons Learned and Way Forward
If you are interested in government acquisition reform be sure to register for this webinar.  Bob Hunt, Galorath VP of Services, was a senior Pentagon official the last time around and will share both what was learned from before and how to apply these to the current WSARA (Weapons System Acquisition Reform Act).  Here is the webinar invitation.
Acquisition Reform (WSARA) And How It Impacts Your Estimations: Looking Forward And Lessons Learned
Weapons systems acquisition reform has been a recurring topic within the Department of Defense for many years.
Mr. Bob Hunt, Galorath’s V.P. of Professional Services, was a Senior Pentagon official during the previous Acquisition Reform initiatives. He has since been active in the contractor community.  Mr. Hunt will offer a unique perspective on how these acquisition reforms will impact both the Government and the contractor estimating communities.
This WebEx will discuss the unique implications of the latest reform on the cost and schedule estimating process, including:
 Cost Assessment & Program Evaluation
Directors of DT&E and Systems Engineering Performance Assessments & Root Cause Analysis
 Assessment of Technology Maturity
 Trade-Offs in Cost, Schedule and Performance
 Critical Cost Growth in MDAPs
 Earned Value Management
Required Reports
 Cost Assessment & Program Evaluation
 How some of the SEER applications can be advantageously applied for Pre-milestone A estimates
 And much more!
Much (or some) of this has been tried before, e.g. Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986; also discussed in The Cost Analysis Improvement Group: A History by Srull, Margolis, and McNicol. WSARA is being driven by the continued and sometimes surprising growth in the cost and schedule of Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAPs).
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Date and Time
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March 9, 2010
8:30 am, Pacific Standard Time (GMT -07:00, San Francisco)
11:30 am, Eastern Standard Time (GMT -05:00, New York)
4:30 pm, London, England
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Presenter
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Bob HuntVP of Services, Galorath Incorporated
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To register for the online event
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This complimentary event requires registration with a corporate email address.
1. Go to https://galorathevents.webex.com/galorathevents/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=669660618
2. Click “Register”.
3. On the registration form, enter your information and then click “Submit”.
Once the host approves your enrollment, you will receive a confirmation email message with instructions on how to join the event
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.
Dan Speaking at Detroit CAI Seminar
I will be speaking on 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.
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.
Costs & Benefits of Software Quality
Rick Spiewak from The MITRE Corporation and Karen McRitchie, Galorath VP of development published a paper in the Crosstalk journal showing how increasing quality using basic quality principals during software development can reduce costs while also reducing defects. The abstract follows:
“Software can be considered a product whose production is fundamentally similar to other products. Improving the quality of software can be approached using the same basic principles espoused by quality pioneers such as W. Edwards Deming, Philip B. Crosby and Harold F. Dodge. These principles can form a practical framework for ensuring that appropriate requirements are set for software development projects. By connecting established software engineering practices to the objective of defect prevention, we can apply the principles of quality management to software development. Using modeling techniques, it is possible to predict the potential cost savings and defect reduction expected”.
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.
Project Prediction Infographic
