Configuration Management

Purpose

1. It describes the characteristics and status of any item, which is part of the project's assets.
2. This allows the control any change to its properties. Therefore, changes are made only with the agreement of appropriately named authorities.
3. To record and report the modifications to the item and its implementation status.
4. The audit of every item to verify the compliance to requirements.

Reason

• Protect the assets from any damage (the system provides a back-up/disaster recovery).
• Avoid mistakes due to lack of updated information.
• Make the more complete audits available, which can include matching production with compliance (e.g. coding and bug presence).

The correctness of the status assigned to each item has a paramount importance. Therefore, the assets' evaluation can be based (for example) on the following criteria:

1. Readiness
2. Compliance
3. Time elapsed from estimation to the effective delivery.

Business

Each document produced by the project is an asset. This document provides guidelines for supplying all users with the updated version of these items.

Project

Its purpose is to set usable guidelines for setting and maintaining each output in the best conditions. The system grants the correct access to the user in relationship with their rank and function.

Scope

The "blue-print is created at company's level, then specific needs (either for the program or the project) can be dealt within the existing frames (tools and processes).
The specific settings (e.g. users' access profiles) are set by the Project Manager in accordance with the Stakholders' Analysis (Communication Management Strategy).
The activities will be planned considering the necessary skills for configuring the tool (e.g. Sharepoint, Joomla etc). This will be done considering the availability of the technical people, that could include the training of an administrator.

Visibility

The document itself is rather sensitive. This suggests a visibility limited to the Snr Management

Negotiators' profiles

Consumer

Everyone who uses a project document.

The meaningful extention of this concept could increase the involvement of stakeholders. An example, some screenshot of the prototype could be posted for enticing the familiarity with the new product.

Producer

The technical manager responsible for setting up and maintaining the system.

Centralization

At program level it allows big economies both on technical (one single server) and organizational.

Elements benefitting from the system

Deliverables

All the products (usually code) forming the outputs

Documentation

Both the documents (reports and diagrams) used for the project's management and those used for completing the outcome (e.g. manuals)

Issues and risks

The "corrispondence" between the stakeholders and the PM

Versioning & back-up

The safe/filing cabinet where the items are safely stored

Common features

Management

Tracking modifications in order to keep control. Therefore the selection of packages (e.g. complete products or updates).

Status control

Maintaining and informing the status (e.g. readiness) of the item

Issues and risks

Lodging, tracking and filing all the Project's Issues

Roles

1. Executive (Ex)
2. SME at company's level. (SME )
3. Project Manager (PM)
4. Business Analyst (BA)
5. Stakeholders (SH)

RACI

1. Consulted
2. Accountable
3. Responsible
4. Consulted
5. Informed

(Notes for) Mandates

1. Either for budget reasons or organizational issues.
2. Strategic implementation.
3. Setting and managing.
4. Domain saviour.
5. List of involved people.

Assessment of the situation:

1. Logistic arrangements
2. Technical issues
3. Users' profile

C

A

R

C

C

Planning the "Configuration Management Register".

C

R

A

C

C

Verifying that all necessary information is consisted with the company’s current standards.

C

R

A

C

C

Approving

C

I

A

I

I

Manning / updating the system

I

R

A

I

I

The policies (from which arrangements can be set for specific situations – e.g. localization for security reasons) must be consistent with the corporate or program strategy.

The operational rules will be checked against the existing / proposed reality. These are the involved subjects and the interested areas:

Technical / Operational

1. This includes storage / retrieval, network and disaster recovery.

2. Evaluation of the tools for versioning; either already available or to be acquired.

3. Mapping any area which could be considered sensitive from company’s security policies.

4. Verification that all necessary structures (e.g. network and storage) are available and the staffs are properly trained for managing any situation (i.e. disaster recovery).

Business / Organizational

1. Obtain the full acceptance of the plan from all stakeholders. Namely, check that any organization involved can cope with the proposed system; both from the organizational viewpoint and the eventual burden (required cost and time) for fulfilling all the stated rules.
2. Full compliance to the existing (pending) rules about safety (e.g. data integrity) and security (accesses profiling).
3. The system for retrieving elements – either items (e.g. code) or documents – is deemed accessible to anybody has the right to carry out the defined operations. An example of this kind of process is the mail merge to be used for creating reports.
4. Auditing policies and related processes are set up and reports on reviews are approved as per Communication Strategy Management document.  Moreover, any suggested modification to the existing company’s policy has to be justified and approved by the Project Board.

Versioning System

Any modification of the "document" (either code or any other item stored in the system) is traced and highlighted.

Managing release pack

Every time a new version of a component (much more important when dealing at system level) has been released, all references to the previous version - including items (e.g. libraries) must be deleted. These operations should be carried out automatically by the successfull builds; thus, the correctness of the new relase is confirmed by tests.

Managing documentation

Beside the advantage of a standard method for revising and tracing the documents' status, the system grants the automated versioning of each release.

Configuration Management Strategy

• Is the software regularly updated and currently maintained?
• Is there a specific agreement for maintenance of the whole system (i.e. network and hardware) ?