Software Teams & Tools1

Software Engineering Teams

Most projects are too large for a single s/ware professional

Employing teams helps projects to be delivered in less time

Allows experts to be focused on s/ware production activities.

Software Teams & Tools2

Factors affecting Team Performance

Effective management Right mix of skills and personalities Technical competence Motivation

– XY Theoretical Model – Renis Likert Theoretical Model– Maslow Theoretical Model– Performance Reviews (PRs)

Software Teams & Tools3

XY Model Theory X managers believe

that all workers are lazy and must be driven. This approach uses punishment to get things done.

XY & Renis Likert Theoretical Models

XY Model Theory Y managers believe

that people really want to achieve something.

The managers’ role is to develop the potential in the employees to help them release that potential towards common objectives.

Renis Likert Stresses participation (e.g. in

decision making) as the key to employee motivation.

Software Teams & Tools4

Maslow Theoretical Model

The literature identifies several types of needs that human beings have including –:

– Basic (physiological) needs (such as food, clothing, shelter etc.)

– Personal needs (such as respect, self-esteem)

– Social needs (need to be part of and recognized by the group)

– Self-actualisation (need to be all that I can be)

Software Teams & Tools5

Performance Review I

When employed correctly the performance review is a powerful motivational tool. – If motivation is directly linked to performance, can

such an assessment method help the current WI team (i.e. the leaders, players and management) improve ?

Software Teams & Tools6

Performance Review II

To illustrate the effect of PRs on motivation lets consider the following scenarios:

– You are a very hardworking student who has recently completed your first test after many weeks of total social sacrifice and focused academic preparation. The test was not too difficult, but you are unsure of your performance. The test results finally come back and in your opinion:

The assessment is inaccurate and you receive very low grade The assessment is accurate and you receive very low grade The assessment is inaccurate and you receive very high grade The assessment is accurate and you receive the grade that you

believe you deserve.

Which (if any) of these will have a positive effect on your motivation?

Software Teams & Tools7

Performance Review III

Using a similar concept, managers can utilise a mixture of pay incentives and performance reviews to produce a motivation increasing formula. The relationship between performance review, pay and motivation can be summarised by the following formulas:

– Inaccurate Performance Review + No Pay Increase = Decreased Motivation

– Inaccurate Performance Review + Pay Increase = Decreased Motivation

– No Performance Review + No Pay Increase = Decreased Motivation

– No Performance Review + Pay Increase = Decreased Motivation – Accurate Performance Review + Pay Increase = Motivation – Accurate Performance Review + No Pay Increase =Motivation

Software Teams & Tools8

Team Size and Organisation

Maximum of 8 members on a team Communication is key to team success

Software Teams & Tools9

Factors affecting Group Communication

Status Personalities

Sexual Composition Channels

Software Teams & Tools10

Two Main Team Approaches

1. Informal Team (Democratic team)

2. Chief Programmer Team

Software Teams & Tools11

Informal (Democratic) Team

No single leader Decisions made by consensus Tasks allotted based on member’s skills Promotes ‘egoless programming’

Software Teams & Tools12

Chief Programmer Teams

1. Highly Skilled individual designated “Chief Programmer”

2. Supportive Backup Programmer

3. Librarian Team interacts with other system specialists

Software Teams & Tools13

Working Environment

Private Workspaces Outside view Work Area

Personalisation Communal meeting

areas Health and Safety Issues Access to resources

Software Teams & Tools14

Tools & Techniques (1)

Step-wise refinement Cost-Benefit Analysis Software Metrics Software Tools (CASE)

Software Teams & Tools15

Common Software Metrics

1. Size ( SLOC, KDSI, # of conditional statements, etc…)

2. Cost (in dollars)

3. Duration (in months)

4. Effort (in person-months)

5. Quality (in number of faults detected)

Software Teams & Tools16

CASE tools & terms

CASE software normally does not completely automate the software process.

CASE tool normally assists in one aspect of the production of software

CASE workbench supports a set of related activities.

CASE environment support most process activities.