In terms of project management, issue is the base unit of the project. Somebody may find a bug or may want to cast an idea. It is an issue, which could act as a fertilizer. People involved would try to solve any problems or to make it real. Finally it nurtures the process and gets rid of confusion.

What if there is a project which is going without that kind of tool? Well.. it would go fine except that it takes much more time – that is, by wasting your time. For example, the manager and team members get many time-breaking meetings when something has been changed. Working not understood puts a collide in. I cannot exaggerate that this would obfuscate the matter.

The tools like Trac, Bugzilla, Redmine are great. Sharing should be promoted that every members could get the issues and make the project healthy.

The purpose of feedback is to redirect and rearrange the project. As many projects bump into uncertainty, the manager should make it clear and look for the right direction. And here are some tips which I suggest for feedback operation.

• The proper term of regular feedback is about 1~2 weeks.
• Unless it’s emergency, do not make any extra-feedback.
• The feedback meeting should have all members involved (possibly).
• Check the works going around and list the exposed problems (and explicit changes).
• Discuss the solution and reassign the task together.

With the simple by-law, the feedback would not be under way in confusion.

Validation of Web Standard (W3C Validation)
The main reason of this phase is that many browser vendors have made their programs so differently. Keeping web standard may help your service shown identically regardless of browser environment. W3C, who enacts the web standard offers a service to validate online. (http://validator.w3.org) Insert your site address and click Check button to conduct validation. If you meet some errors or warnings, you’d better remove them all.

Optimization
Optimization is important to improve the performance of the service. According to the statistics from Amazon.com, 0.1 second speed-up brings 1% revenue increment. There are some issues about the method so you can consider them. Here is a list of optimizing stuffs.

- Locating inline script and stylesheet(CSS) properly.
- Deferred script.
- Gzip compression.
- Seeing how CSS selector operates in browser.
- Optimization of images (GIF, JPEG, PNG, etc)

Security Manners
It is essential to sanitize user’s input. You’ll get a big trouble by hackers who targets at the core information in your site unless missing security managing process. That is, the personal data and information could be divulged or manipulated. The range of security is broad but you can see the following issues primarily.

- XSS (Cross-site script) attack.
- SQL injection.
- Intercepting user session.
- Exploiting vulnerabilities of browser.

Do you think that the refactoring process can be deferred while a thought that the quickness of development is the most crucial matter in business prevails? And if you answered YES to the question, are you sure that you never lose anything or less than another choice from your decision?

Considering that human brain has its limit, in the other words, memory is volatile. It can easily go away. And most projects are complex far enough to be lost in the mid. Then someone might say that using mnemonics like post-it would help to recollect the factors.

Now it’s time to think about backlogs because it’s strongly related to motivation. As the time goes by, the task becomes loose and slack. For example, suppose that you have a homework for class and you procrastinate it until a day before due date. Now you should do it but may feel troublesome for you lose your mind. That is the same as to the project. Deferred process would not be getting done clearly losing the motivation unless other incentives are given. It is a kind of waste!

Refactoring right after the development is truely important. Though it may take some time and seems wasteful, the project manager should cover the nuts and bolts.

CDD resembles TDD (Test-Driven Development) but is a little bit different on its soundness. As TDD generates code fastly and concisely otherwise CDD constructs the code on the strong ground. That is, CDD generates the code slower than TDD, but it can prevent most critical bugs in advance. Let me explain it further.

It focuses on checking and removing duplications including data dups and proc dups. You can check them in a ROUND. In every round, there are three steps to do:

1. Construct a small, unduplicated structure and test it within initial, medium and final state.
2. Search for dups out of the round.
3. Remove dups and replace it with better abstraction.

It seems like making a decision. When we have a meeting about some agenda, we firstly set a goal of the meeting. That really helps and propels the discussion but something would be missing: repetition of the same thing uselessly. Even though one thing is determined, that can be changed by other agenda (because we normally miss the relation among the subjects and they crash in some time).

I hate duplication and hope you too. Duplication may incur the breach of security rules and damage integrity. And I could avoid lots of dup-problems by CDD and couldn’t find any problem in it except keeping-deadline problem. In some business, it may not be a proper solution but I convince that it is a sort of cool methods to develop application.

Agile management comprise 2 steps: Top view called “Release planning” and bottom view called “Iteration planning”. Each has its special mission. Release planning makes the fundamental sketch onto a paper. Iteration is a part of the paper and participants focus on the part for a certain period. This is the main process of agile project management.

The basic planning unit is STORY which is not in the perspective of the task but of the functionality. Participants could consider many stories of user experience like clicking the start button and launching the program for instance. They should depict the case people might meet while using and should represent the function definitely.

Each story has its own score of difficulty. But there’s no absolute rule to estimate the difficulty. If you took a story of 3rd level of difficulty, then you could rate other stories by comparing with the story. The keyword is, RELATIVE.

Release planning collects stories to develop as many as possible and rates their difficulty scores. Then the load of the project would be determined by the sum. Secondly, you should know the velocity of your team, that is, how much score the team can afford in an iteration. Suppose that there’s a project named Abra which total score is 124 and the team’s velocity is estimated as 20. Then the team manager would expect that the project would be released within 7~8 weeks including buffer period.

Iteration planning concentrates on stories either, but more specific matters. First of all, the team manager should know the proper term for an iteration. That could be a week or even a month, but I think 2 weeks are moderate. In the example of Abra, we can assume that the velocity 20 is in an iteration with 2 weeks period. Then list up the stories and choose some of them up to score 20. (It can be varied in a few)

In the midst of iteration, there should not be any variation. Additional demands can be discussed after the iteration has ended. Then the team can re-estimate the score and update the release planning and the next iteration. Of course additional tasks should be written in stories.

This method is far better than traditional project managing tools I think. It can show the midterm result in the intermission between iterations and would suffice who wants to see the developing process visually. And it could be adjusted though there are many variations from special offerings. Anyway, agile management is a trend.

Commentary - Choosing the right IT management software solution is a strategic decision that requires the careful planning and consideration of every IT department.

Many factors can influence your ultimate choice. High functionality is a must, but what about cost? Is the software portable and flexible? Is it user-friendly? Are there customization options for your specific needs? How long will it take to implement? It can sometimes be difficult to distinguish irrelevant factors from truly crucial ones. These considerations can be painstaking – after all, every IT management team dreads the risk of choosing the wrong software solution. Here are some essential criteria that industry experts have gathered to help you determine whether or not your software is getting the job done. 

1) Quick installation and implementation
Installing your IT management software should require minimal time and resource investment. After installation, implementation should be a quick and seamless transition into immediate use. The processes of deployment, customization, and setting configurations should take no longer than a few hours. If a program is so cumbersome that it takes months to effectively implement, you’ll have wasted valuable time and energy that could have been channeled towards meaningful productivity.

2) Simple interface that facilitates ease-of-use
All too often, your purchase of IT management software is immediately followed by a new challenge: how does the thing even work? If your software does not provide a user-friendly interface, you’ll have to invest more time and resources into learning the program’s basics. Even worse, you might miss out on important functionalities simply because you can’t figure out how they work – or can’t find them in the program to begin with. Your program should offer an interface that is so intuitive that even your less technically-inclined end-users can use it without needing a user manual.

3) Modular and integrated structure for centralized access to information
Effective IT management encompasses a wide range of components: helpdesk, asset management, monitoring, reports, projects, tasks, problem management, change management, and CMDB. Combining multiple tools can be incredibly complex, and your IT management software solution must not consist of “stand-alone” modules that isolate data into silos of information. Your software must provide a comprehensive and completely integrated range of tools. This unified approach provides centralized access to information and facilitates your success.

4) Low maintenance and upgrade costs
When evaluating the cost-efficiency of your IT management software, the price of your initial purchase is only a small component of your long-term investment. Many tend to overlook the pressing issue of hidden costs: how much is maintaining your software going to cost you? Maintenance fees can be surprisingly expensive, and if the program is complicated, you may need to hire private consultants every time you want to upgrade your system. As the effectiveness of your software depends on continued maintenance, you should have to pay no more than a small percentage of your initial purchase on an annual basis for continued maintenance.

5) Intuitive customization options
Customization extends well beyond implementation into the ongoing maintenance of your system. Choose IT management software solution that provides you with as many customization options as possible, and these customization options must be simple and straight-forward. You shouldn’t have to hire a team of consultants every time you want to make a customization. The point of customization is for the product to cater to your needs, and if the process takes longer than a few minutes to do on your own, it’s too complicated. Remember, you shouldn’t have to work for your software – it should work for you!

6) Long-term support approach
In the months and years after you purchase, your software provider should demonstrate an unwavering commitment to your satisfaction. An excellent service experience means that every issue you report is taken seriously and quickly addressed. Personal attention should be more than lip-service – it should truly be a core tenet of your product provider’s support mission. Your purchase of an IT management software solution is largely motivated to by the desire to improve your IT service quality; why shouldn’t you expect the same quality of service from the company you purchase it from?

7) IT professional community
A true enhancement to any IT management software is access to an active online community of other IT professionals. Whether it is learning how to perform a remote reboot or how you can implement ITIL best practices in your organization, online community forums give you indispensable tools for better IT management. Your participating can help you get the most out of your software’s capabilities. An IT community also lets yourself compare yourself to other IT professionals – see what they’re up to, what they’re concerned about, and where you stand. Staying in-the-know on the latest trends is crucial in the ever-dynamic world of IT.

8) Strong references
A reliable indicator of your software package’s merit is what other customers have to say about it. When evaluating your IT management solution, ask for references and testimonials. Don’t hesitate to ask for references per industry or geography if this is meaningful to your evaluation. Feedback from other IT professionals is a trustworthy reference, and it can help you reach a conclusion about what the product can do for you. If they love it, ask why. A company that boasts an especially loyal customer base is doing something right – especially when those customers are IT pros, who don’t settle for anything less than excellence.

9) Commitment to feedback
As an IT professional, you know what tools and features you need to maximize your IT performance. The company that provides your IT management software should listen to your input and strive to implement your ideas in future releases. Your constructive feedback can – and should – help forge the future of the product, and you must feel that your ideas are valued. More than just demonstrating a commitment to user satisfaction, a company that incorporates your feedback into its product guarantees to deliver the kind of performance you need.

10) Strong vision and dynamic future
IT is a world of ever-evolving innovation and technological development. When evaluating your IT management software solution, you need to ask: is this company receptive to change and improvement? What is its past, and where is it going? How many new versions does it release a year? How many features does every new version introduce? Are these features significant additions to the product’s capabilities, or are they just minor patches and bug fixes? On the support page of your product’s website, check out its release history to evaluate its direction into the future. 

You shouldn’t have to settle for anything less than a superior IT management software solution. Believe it or not, you don’t have to.

Resembling problem are the most frequently approached case. What if both things are similar each other but little different? I like to write script code which fulfills the task automatically but sometimes it can’t. Once I’d got a same code block spreaded in various files and should modify something in the block, I integrated the block in a file and made refered files to include it. As you know, there’re various solutions case by case. The duplication problem can be divided into two categories: task dup and data dup. And here are the solutions I like the most.

Task dup
Task dup comes from misunderstanding or misleading. The case that someone misunderstands the requirement in accurate is a good example. I suggest three-step method to deal with this kind of duplication.

1. How to avoid? Should totally understand the problem, that is, should know the problem correctly.
2. How to deal with it? If the amount is big, try to automate to do such a task.
3. How to crack it? Record the reason and educate employees about the accident.

Data dup
Most data dups are trivial troubles. Script will help you. If paper record instead of electronic data is on the rise, no automatical way available. I can only show you an example of script-solved problem.

Example Case) A normal salary man John is working as an accountant. His daily work is to record finance many clients defray. One day, around the time to leave the office, he noticed that he’d got a mistake of inputting the client code incorrectly (he added 1 to all of the codes). So he asked his co-worker Ted, a good scripter, to modify mis-coded data automatically. Ted simply made a script for him as below.

def convert_client_code( miscode, other_args ):
if miscode > 0:
miscode = miscode + 1
# record the code into a file in a format

In the beginning of your project, you and your team may dispute to fix the name as its name would make the direction and lead the whole project. As you know, maybe, naming is not the only part of consumers but also of developers, designers, and related workers. That means it inspires them to converge into the project in volunteering with passion. You may make a deal from many opinions even though not unanimously (and actually impossible to suffice everyone). To name your project properly, check out them with the following rules and get rid of some which is not pertinent to them after listing the candidates of name.

• Temporarily prevalent name should be avoided. For example, The name of TV program, drama , movie, etc.
• You should be careful to use acronyms. It may be hard to remember unless it has an impressive pronounciation. (Have you ever heard of CNA, ASG, WSF?)
• Search for the name on the web and domain, and check it has been already used by renowned.
• Easy to read is easy to remember.
• Phrase, which is comprised of simple words, cannot catch the eyes.
• Too long name expels the customers. Statistics say words which has more than 10 characters are not that feasible for the name of product.

By the rules, the examples of good names are Facebook, Amazon.com, Twitter, Microsoft, Google, McAfee, etc. After eliminating not-matched, you can take anything as you want. With your terrific name, I hope you go well.

There’re so many tools or methodologies to manage project. But they are not sufficient to judge whether the project goes well. Totally integrated data collection, measurement, analysis, and process would make it better. First of all, monitoring the trend of customers and interpreting it are the preceding task. (But never reveal them to the public as your data collection should keep their trust) That analysis can help estimate the project objectively trusted. Second, communication matters on the project while business is separated development or product line. (or vendor to customers) If one of them are bottle neck, then whole project would be delayed. Thus you’d rather share all the things of the project in your company so that project members can catch the narrow position. Lastly, you should avoid the following situations:

• Ambiguous or diffuse project ownership.
• Stakeholder complexity
• Conflicts of interest
• Inconsistencies (hardest to discern in advance)

Project management is not the easy one and the failed project is desperate. The best is not to start the project if it has less possibility or is in a bad condition.

 1. Ensure costs are understood and under control. You can’t achieve anything unless you understand your cost base so this has to be my number one. Once you have analysed the costs and dealt with any discrepancies, it is important to keep them under control. Also maintain reliable information on projected vs actual costs and the benefits of any IT investments.

2. Focus on the customer. Some people may say this should be number one. Don’t just consider your own company requirements but those that reflect the needs of your customer, otherwise you can become internally focused and your vision restricted by the walls of the company.

3. Create and follow a plan. You need to create a plan for your department so you have a direction. Strategic business and IT systems plans must be grounded in explicit high priority customer needs and must be aligned.

4. Engage the business. You need to obtain and maintain business buy-in and ongoing support. The business should have been working with you on the previous steps so there are no surprises. Make sure you get board approval, communicate directional changes/issues and keep the board informed. Find your supporters and nurture them. Position yourself as a senior manager to act as a bridge between top executives, line management and your IT professionals.

5. Cultivate partners and suppliers. A good supplier strategy can deliver a win-win for both parties. Suppliers can be an asset and a major weapon in your armory. Treat them with respect. Make sure they understand the challenges in your industry.

6. Manage IT. Focus on metrics that really drive the performance of the business. Apply best practice where possible. Manage resources and direct scarce resources to high value/high visibility projects. Support major cost reduction and service improvement efforts. Measure performance of key mission delivery processes and communicate them.

7. Be project-driven. Create a project portfolio and manage all IT projects as a program. Manage individual projects as investments, ensuring a sound business case as well as that benefits are identified and agreed and stakeholders are fully involved. Don’t be afraid to cut your losses and if necessary have an exit strategy if a project is not going to work out. Don’t forget to manage risk and when looking at implementation.

8. Think team. A motivated, knowledgeable team is a great step to success. Communicate so everybody knows what is happening and what is expected of them. You will be surprised how people react to being treated as responsible individuals.

9. Train the team. Ensure you have the right level of skills available to make things happen. Develop a skills matrix based on your functional needs and match your team’s individual skill levels to the matrix. Use this to highlight deficiencies and determine your training program. Developing your people will pay off.

10. Shout about your success. Let other people in the company and industry know what you are doing. Make sure communication is regular and use every opportunity to talk about your achievements in terms of business benefit.

Requirement is a kind of communication. Properly documented requirements help reduce the gap between stockholders (who mostly require). And understanding requirements from the start synchronize development group with business users and their needs. The following is the list of proper solutions.

• Document the requirements clearly.
• Set priority of each requirements.
• Record the trace of the requirements.
• Technical team should communicate to business users.
• If there lies any change, be clear about the implications for scope and cost.

These rules are not the essential conditions to get the project succeed. But they’re some of guidelines which can avoid project getting down into failure.