- How to identify, quantify and contain the uncertainties that threaten software success
- Methods for exposure calculation, mitigation strategy and risk blocking
- Five major risks and how to manage them
The Challenge:
Building and maintaining software is a risky business. Since software controls so much of everyday enterprise (and its products), lateness, cost excess, and failure to perform can have far-reaching consequences. A common response to such risk is to ignore it entirely. We justify this as "positive attitude." But when real risks turn into real problems that threaten our software projects, we see that positive attitude as little more than denial. Risks also are overlooked due to inexperience or lack of a structured risk management strategy. There must be a better way!
The Solution
Instead of running away from risk, we need to school ourselves to approach it... but very carefully. Since high benefit endeavors are always risky, we have to employ ways to discover lurking risks, estimate their impact, optimize our response, and monitor for change. These are the essentials of Risk Management.
The purpose of this seminar is to prepare participants to apply the emerging discipline of Risk Management to software efforts. Learn to identify and quantify the specific uncertainties that threaten project success and to contain, mitigate or eliminate their impact. Discover how to manage risks that lead to missed deadlines, budget excesses, and unacceptable product quality.
You Will Learn
How to identify and quantify risks that threaten project success.
Methods for exposure calculation, mitigation strategy, and risk blocking.
How to contain the impact of specific risks.
Who Should Attend
This two-day seminar is intended for software managers, senior developers, project leaders, those responsible for software process and methods, and anyone taking on the challenge of an aggressively scheduled software effort.
2-Day Course Outline
Overture
The statistical inevitability of risk
The link between risk and opportunity
Creating a no-fault attitude toward risk
Managing software projects by managing risks
Risk aversion
Building a risk base
Role of the post-project review
Example: Denver Int'l Airport
Mechanics of Risk Management
Building a census of risks
Separating resultant and root-cause risks
Object analysis of risk
Quantitative analysis of each risk
Exposure calculation
Tracking for transitions
Mitigation strategies
Simple scheme for risk declaration
Pre-Empting Risks
Three steps to risk discovery
Roles of the discovery process
Performing backward root cause analysis
Making risk discovery safe for all hands
Alternate strategies: the spiral win-win model, risk and win-win conflicts, linking risks and requirements
Tools and Procedures
Spreadsheet methods
VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) tools
Survey of available commercial tools
Starter toolkit for risk management
Five Major Risks and How to Manage
The common risks of software development efforts
The risk management database
Sources of tailored risk data
Coming up with a risk-based schedule
Conflict and Resolution
Conflict as a source of risk in software projects
Building conflict detection and resolution skills
Detection and resolution skills
Common conflict scenarios and how to play them out
Negotiation and mediation
Mediation within the project
Leading from a position of no power
Bringing Risk Management to Your Organization
Coping with the risks of risk identification
Using risk analysis to tailor project plans and form a modified process
Safety issues
Risk management and process improvement
A Dynamic of Risk Management
Using a modified earned value metrics to track closure
Risk blocking
Progressive commitment of risk mitigation cost
Five major risks and how to manage them
Mid- and late-project derail strategies
