Is Project Manager the Boss in a Software Development Team?

Is Project Manager the boss in a software development team

The Project Manager may seem like a boss in the software development team, but there are some reasons why he or she isn’t. Some of the major problems include not having a formal education, not being part of the project, and ruining the efforts of another team member.

They’re responsible for the success of the entire project

Project Managers are a crucial part of any successful software development project. They are accountable for every facet of the project, from defining its scope to resolving any issues. They ensure that deadlines are met and that everything goes according to plan. They will also oversee the work of internal and external stakeholders.

The role of a project manager is similar in all industries. It involves making a plan, coordinating all team members, tracking the project’s progress, and ensuring that the overall strategy meets the business’s goals. It also involves providing support and encouragement to the team, setting up a positive working environment, and rewarding top performers.

A good project manager will be a problem-solver, a motivator, and a mentor. They will help the team maintain a positive, open atmosphere, and they will track progress and make adjustments as needed.

They don’t have formal education

There are many different kinds of project managers. These people are responsible for overseeing and managing projects that are key to an organization’s success. They are also responsible for maintaining a clear focus on an overarching vision. They are the people who make sure that each project is properly aligned with a business’s overall strategy.

Although there are no hard and fast rules for becoming a project manager, there are a few things to consider. For example, you’ll need to be able to effectively manage people with various personalities. You’ll also need to establish a good rapport with your team members. This will help you delegate tasks and build a better working relationship.

Getting a formal education is a good way to boost your career, and you’ll want to consider a bachelor’s degree. A master’s degree may also be a good idea, particularly if you’re looking for a job as a project manager.

They’re disconnected from the project

There are a few reasons that project managers are disconnected from a software development project. These reasons can be caused by a variety of issues, such as a lack of connectivity or job roles. The best way to resolve these issues is to identify them and understand what is causing them. Then, there are different strategies for removing the disconnect.

One of the biggest reasons that project managers are disconnected from a project is a lack of understanding of the process. They are not involved in the decision-making process and may feel overwhelmed. This can lead to problems and even conflict. When this occurs, team members start to doubt the leader’s ability to make sound decisions. If this is the case, it is crucial to take the time to improve communication between the two parties.

They’re the first ones to be questioned when a project goes off track

Managing a project is a stressful task. Whether you are dealing with a software development team or a construction site, a project requires you to manage your time, your resources, and your tasks. In addition to ensuring your projects are on track, you’ll need to deal with issues such as personality clashes, conflicting priorities, scheduling snafus, and more. Fortunately, there are tools that can help you handle your projects.

The first thing to do when planning a project is to map out your external dependencies. These might include assets and resources from outside the organization. You’ll also need to note when you’ll be available, who will be responsible for executing your project, and what you’ll need from the team.

The next step is to build a self-sufficient, collaborative, and efficient team. To accomplish this, you’ll need to identify each member’s role and assign them their tasks. You’ll also need to provide them with regular feedback and the appropriate tools for effective collaboration.

Software Project Management Tools

What are the software project management tools

There are a number of software project management tools that you can use to manage your resources. These tools can help you plan and organize resources, and can also help you develop resource estimates.

Gantt chart

A Gantt chart is one of the many software project management tools available. They are used for tracking project schedules, but they are also useful for project planning, budgeting, and team collaboration.

The Gantt chart is similar to a bar chart, with the horizontal axis indicating the total amount of time the project will take. The vertical axis represents the tasks that will need to be completed within that time frame. Each task is assigned a start date, end date, and duration.

In order to create a Gantt chart, the first step is to map out the tasks that need to be done. This can be done in either a workflow diagram or an Excel table. The chart can be easily printed for easier reference.

You can also delegate certain tasks to team members to help them finish the project on time. This is an important step to ensure that your projects stay on track.

To-do list

To-do list software is a useful tool for a busy professional. These apps allow you to create and organize a task list, set deadlines, and keep track of your work. It is also a great way to share your to-do lists with your team. If you are considering getting a to-do list app, it is important to pay attention to the features and design of the tool.

Todoist is one of the most popular to-do list applications. It has a clean user interface that is easy to use. It also has different to-do list options for different platforms. For example, it has iOS and Android apps. You can set recurring dates for tasks and manage multiple users.

Memorigi is a new to-do list application. It offers a wide range of features, including weather integration, reminders, and an all-in-one platform for productivity. Despite its relatively new release, it has already helped millions of people to become more organized.

Integrated suite applications

A project management app is a must have. For one thing, they allow you to keep track of all your projects in one centralized location. You’ll also be able to collaborate with your peers and managers across time zones. They can also help you save time and money. Some of the more popular project management applications include Microsoft Office, Lotus Notes and Google Drive. While each may be a different beast, they all offer similar features. For instance, Microsoft Office and Google Drive have similar document sharing and collaboration capabilities, allowing you to work on multiple projects at the same time. You’ll also find that they have similar security features and a similar interface. Plus, they are also compatible with other productivity tools like Outlook and Lotus Notes.

Open-source software

Using the right tools and techniques for your next coding and debugging project can turn out to be the most productive experience of your life. Fortunately, the open source software project management tools on the market today can be counted as part of your arsenal. The best ones are vetted and tested by hundreds of thousands of developers, engineers, and other coders of all stripes. The most important part of the process is identifying which one is the best for your needs. After all, if your goal is to deliver software coded in a scalable fashion, then you are going to have to pick a winner from the crowd. And the competition is stiff. So, how do you go about choosing the top picks? Well, there are a few tricks of the trade to keep in mind.

Industry-specific software

Project management software is a great way to keep track of a variety of tasks. It helps teams collaborate and manage costs. It can also help to assign tasks and communicate with stakeholders. It can facilitate all stages of a project, from planning to completion.

There are many different options on the market, and you may need to try a few to find the right fit for your needs. These options are designed for a wide variety of industries and organizations, so you should have no trouble finding a solution that suits your team’s needs.

JIRA is a project management tool that offers advanced features for software development teams. It started out as bug tracking software, but now it has grown into a full-featured project management platform. It has a clean interface and offers several reporting options.

What Makes a Software Development Project a Failure?

There are many things that can cause a software development project to fail. Lack of communication, leadership, missed opportunities, and unexpected problems are just a few of the reasons. When these factors are left unchecked, the result can be a disaster.

Communication

Communication is a crucial part of any project. If it is not done properly, it can be detrimental to the project’s success. Regardless of the tools used, it is important to know how to communicate.

If you have been involved in a project, you have likely noticed that there are often problems with communication. When this happens, the project can go off course and end up failing. However, there are ways to prevent this from happening. You should also be aware that there are a few common reasons why this happens.

First, there may be a lack of involvement or misunderstanding. For instance, if the client has not provided sufficient information, the developers might not know what to do. In addition, if there are no clear roles and assignments, there can be a domino effect.

Misunderstandings

Misunderstandings about software development can lead to a slew of issues. These misunderstandings can occur for several reasons, including poor communication and over-delegation. Luckily, these problems can be easily addressed.

A project management consultant can be a helpful partner. He or she can help you to understand the best ways to communicate and delegate your duties. You might also want to consider hiring a consultant to do a more comprehensive requirements analysis and model. The consultant may even be able to suggest improvements to your current processes.

The software development process is often confusing and inefficient. This is a consequence of a lack of communication between project stakeholders. This leads to miscommunication and delays. It can also cause you to miss out on important milestones. Having a clear communication path between project members will not only ensure that all of your requirements are met, but that the software developed is of the highest quality.

Lack of leadership

There are many reasons for a software project to fail. A lack of leadership is one of them. However, the good news is that there are measures that you can take to ensure that your software development projects don’t turn into a nightmare.

A well conceived project plan paired with quality leadership can make or break your project. The most effective way to achieve this is to make sure that you have all the necessary components to succeed. The key is to be clear, organized, and disciplined. It is also important to understand that you are not alone. If your project involves several different members, then you may have to put up with some frustration as they struggle to keep up with the pace.

Having the right team is one thing, but you also have to be able to manage them. The best way to do this is to create an environment that is conducive to learning. You want your team to be motivated, excited, and inspired.

Missed opportunities

A software development project is a complex undertaking. In order to successfully complete it, you need a strong project execution strategy. This strategy involves defining the business problem, managing stakeholder expectations, and identifying the technical aspects of the project. If you fail to address any of these aspects, the project will most likely fail. But there are ways to prevent this from happening.

The first step to avoiding failure is to make sure that you communicate with your clients. You can do this through email, social media, or even in person. Communication is important, because it inspires team members and eliminates doubts about the project. In addition, it is also essential for receiving feedback. Once you receive feedback, you can address the issues immediately and resolve them.

Unexpected problems

If you are planning to do a software development project, then you need to have a well-defined plan in place to ensure that it is delivered with no errors. If you have not properly defined your scope, then you may experience delays, cost overruns and a poor quality product.

The most important feature of a successful software project is the ability to effectively communicate with the client. It is important to receive timely feedback and acknowledge any issues immediately. This will not only inspire team performance, but also improve employee morale. In order to accomplish this, you can use social media channels, email, phone calls, and even in-person meetings. By establishing communication channels early, you are able to avoid failures down the road.

Another important feature of a successful software project is effectively managing the resources you have available. This includes properly defining the project scope and properly managing the resources to complete the project on time and within budget.

How Important Is Project Management in Software Development?

How important is project managment in software development

Project management is a critical factor in the process of developing software. It helps in avoiding problems with the quality and cost of the product. It also plays a vital role in the coordination of team members. In addition, it is a vital tool that can be used to identify potential risks and bottlenecks in the project.

Communication

Communication is a key part of project management in software development. Without proper communication, a project can fail. However, effective communication can enhance productivity and enhance your company’s competitive advantage. There are several methods to use to make this happen.

The most basic form of communication is face to face interaction. Whether in person or virtual, face to face communication is a good way to keep everyone on the same page.

Depending on the scope of the project, there are a variety of communication methods. Each offers its own advantages. The key is to find the method that works best for your business and your team.

Meetings are a useful tool when updates are needed. A face to face meeting is a good way to ensure that all the team members have a common understanding of the current state of the project.

Cross-collaboration

Cross-collaboration is a buzzword of the modern workplace. This type of collaboration is important in project management in software development because it can improve the overall collaborative culture of the organization. It can also enhance the productivity of the workforce and ensure that teams are on the same page when it comes to solving problems.

Getting your teams to work together is not an easy feat. However, there are several steps you can take to make it happen. Creating a shared vision for the company and setting shared goals are two important first steps. The next step is to develop a set of procedures that allow your teams to work together effectively.

Using the right tools is a good way to ensure that your team can communicate with each other effectively. For example, you might want to create a central file sharing channel that everyone in the organization can access.

Workflow management

Workflow management helps to automate, streamline, and enhance your business processes. It aims to eliminate wasteful activities, unnecessary tasks, and other problems that can hinder productivity. It also provides a clearer picture of your operations.

Traditionally, business processes progress through predetermined task sequences. However, changes in market trends can require companies to adapt to new situations. Having a workflow can allow businesses to respond more effectively to these changes. It also ensures important processes are completed on time and in the correct manner.

While there are many ways to improve your business’s processes, you should choose one that fits your company’s goals. Selecting the right solution will ensure efficiency and increase profitability.

When choosing a workflow management system, make sure you select a solution that has collaborative features. This will allow employees to easily communicate and share information. It should also provide flexible reporting options.

Identifying potential risks and bottlenecks

Identifying potential risks and bottlenecks in software development is a crucial part of getting your project moving. These problems can cause backlogs, delays, and cost your company’s productivity and revenue. But there are steps you can take to prevent and solve them.

When it comes to identifying bottlenecks, you can look for two different types. Performer-based bottlenecks occur when employees and teams don’t perform well enough to meet demand. These bottlenecks can be caused by inadequate performance, a tight team, or even an overloaded workload.

Another type of bottleneck is a systems-based bottleneck. This is caused by an outdated system or an inefficient process. This type of bottleneck may be traced to old servers, slow applications, or even raw materials.

There are a variety of ways to detect bottlenecks, but the best approach is to map out your workflow. This allows you to see where your tasks are spending the most time. You can then redistribute your resources to help avoid creating a new bottleneck.

Downsides

The project management industry is a fast-paced and highly competitive one. With a constant flow of new innovations and technology, the industry can be stressful and even a bit overwhelming. But there are some good reasons to use project management. It can be a great way to streamline the development process, while also reducing risk and maximizing efficiency.

Software is an extremely complex industry. It involves a variety of different software systems, and many of these are often interrelated. So, a project manager needs to be aware of how to properly integrate these pieces of information.

In addition, the software industry is a competitive one. Companies compete to win customers and service level agreements. With new technologies, and customer demands changing regularly, it’s a constant race to get ahead.

Software Development Vs Project Management

Software development versus project management

Software development and project management are two distinct approaches to achieving software success. The primary differences lie in the methods used, the risks involved, and the goals of each. It’s important to understand both approaches so that you can make the right choice for your organization.

Product management vs project management

Project management is a common term used to describe the process of leading a team of workers toward a specific goal. The process involves a set of processes, methods, and skills to achieve the desired outcome. The resulting product may be a physical object or a software program.

Although the processes are similar, there are some distinct differences. A product manager leads a development team to develop a product or service. It is also his or her job to ensure that the product meets industry standards and customer expectations.

The term project is used by many large organizations to refer to a specific endeavor. A project is a temporary endeavor designed to create value. The PMI defines it as the application of a specific set of skills and knowledge to a predefined set of requirements.

A product manager may lead a small or large team, or a single person. He or she works to streamline the software development process. This includes defining a roadmap, and engaging with other teams.

A project manager is responsible for the development and delivery of a specific project. They are de facto leaders. They have a broader view of the organization and can help bring order to complex undertakings. Their job is to make sure that the project is delivered on time and to the right quality.

Incremental and iterative approach to software project management

If you are considering a large software development project, you may be interested in using an iterative and incremental approach. This methodology helps you to manage the changes that occur throughout your project. You can also use it to keep defects from building up in your product. It allows you to make the necessary changes before the final iteration of your product.

The iterative and incremental approaches to software development were developed to replicate the assembly line model used in factories. However, software design is not very similar to manufacturing physical goods.

The iterative and incremental approach to software development has gained wide acceptance over the years. It is a method that allows developers to take advantage of the learning that occurs early in the system development process.

Unlike the traditional waterfall method, this technique divides a large project into a series of iterations. Each iteration is a mini project that includes the implementation of a subset of system requirements. Each iteration also includes the addition of a new functional capability. This process will enhance the larger version of the system.

The iterative and incremental approach is used to develop a complete, finished product, but this does not mean that the total cost of the project will be lower. Instead, it is more costly in the long run.

Risks associated with software project management

Software project management is a complex task that requires a strong understanding of risks. Moreover, it requires a risk mitigation approach that enables project teams to make sound design choices.

Despite the importance of a risk management plan, many projects fail to do so. For the most part, the task of mitigating risk falls to a few individuals, but the success of a project depends on the effective communication between team members.

A detailed project charter is necessary to allow for risk identification at every stage of a project. It must also include objectives, scope, deliverables, and other important aspects of the project. It can be helpful to start by creating a concrete threat model for a software project.

Several categories of risks are associated with software project management. These include operational, budget, schedule, and technical risks.

The management of schedule and operational risks can affect the development of a project. This may result in a slippage of the timeline, a failure to develop or implement the project, or an underestimation of the cost.

Managing these risks requires a careful evaluation of the business and technical environment. As such, project stakeholders must work to identify, assess, and manage the risks. Creating a risk management plan can help to mitigate these risks, and the likelihood of project success increases as the project progresses.

Can a Software Developer Be a Good Project Manager?

Can a good software developer be a good project manager

If you are a software developer, you might wonder if you are a good project manager. This article will explain some of the most important elements that you should consider in order to become a good project manager.

Develop a clear understanding of the project objectives

If you’re looking to improve your chances of becoming a great project manager, you’ll want to develop a clear understanding of the project objectives. Fortunately, there are several methodologies you can employ to make your job that much easier.

The best way to do this is to enlist the help of a technical expert. A tech-savvy person can spot the little things that might have otherwise gone unnoticed. For instance, he or she will be able to suggest fixes to any holes in your documentation. This might be the only way you’ll be able to prevent downstream delays.

Another project management must-have is an effective work breakdown structure. Essentially, this is the simplest way to break down your project into smaller, more manageable tasks. When done correctly, this will result in a more streamlined workflow. The more complex your project is, the more detailed you’ll need to get.

Identify potential risks

The success of any software development project depends on the amount of risk that is associated with every activity. When you know the risks in advance, you can plan for the worst cases and save time when implementing mitigating strategies.

Knowing about the risks of a project gives you the opportunity to set up your team for success. A risk management plan helps you identify, prioritize, monitor, and respond to risks. This helps you and your team minimize the impact of risks and improve overall project performance.

When managing risk, make sure you take into account the customer’s needs. Ensure that you have sufficient resources, and determine the best developers for your project. A good risk management plan includes benchmarks and regular monitoring.

It is also important to consider the impact of the project. For example, if the project is delayed, it can impact the budget, the delivery date, and the timeline.

Gather requirements

A good software developer and project manager should know how to gather requirements. They’re a crucial part of the development process, and a lack of proper planning can make for a failed project. A comprehensive requirements document should cover the scope and resources needed to complete the project phases.

The best way to gather requirements is to have all team members involved in the discussion. This allows them to ask questions and get an overall sense of the project. They can also review the documentation before the meeting.

The most important part of the process is to have buy-in from all team members. Getting a signed off document is a clear indication that development may begin.

The best software developers and project managers will use the information gathered to ensure the project has the maximum chance of success. To do this, it is helpful to follow an established process.

Recognize the accomplishments of the development team

The software development lifecycle has its fair share of pitfalls, but the rewards are well deserved. A well laid plan and some good old fashioned elbow grease can go a long way. One of the best ways to do this is to engage your team members in the process. You are sure to learn more about your peers, and better yet, you will get more done. Besides, it is hard to deny the fact that a happy team is a productive one. This isn’t to mention the positive psychological effects in a wholesome work environment, which you presumably want to foster. The best part is, the reward is a sense of accomplishment and camaraderie that will stick around long after the project is over. So if you’re looking to improve your chances of snagging the big prize, here are some proven techniques to boost your odds.

Earn more by being a project manager

If you want to earn more as a software developer, you may want to consider becoming a good project manager. As a manager, you’ll be responsible for ensuring that projects are successfully completed. You’ll be helping to guide and coach teams, and you’ll also be bringing in necessary professionals to complete the work.

For many people, being a good project manager is a much more enjoyable way to earn money than developing software. However, you’ll need to put in some effort to become one.

You’ll need to earn a degree, get the right training, and gain experience. You’ll also need to build your resume. The more years you have in the field, the more money you’ll make.

As a project manager, you’ll work closely with clients, technical leads, and other members of your team. You’ll evaluate the needs of the project, determine the best strategies to carry it out, and then execute your duties.

“Heavy” software explanation

Of course, “heavy” software is a lot of organizational work. The most important skill is the ability to take data and turn it into lines of technical specifications. The ability to think for the customer in terms of what will happen next after implementation and solve problems that would inevitably appear in the future. Long, painfully complex agreements are part of our job. Standards, step-by-step documentation, certification, a ton of paper per project – too. We need to keep track of thousands of things, and we, of course, automate these processes within the company for ourselves. There are also all sorts of features, such as controlling the work of loaders with the server, where the butt will spin – too, otherwise they will drop it, and the implementation will be postponed for 2-3 months.

Of course, the process rarely stops at implementation. Customer requirements change, the environment changes, new features and improvements are needed, bugs pop up in very non-standard situations – in general, a complete set.

It’s hard, but worth it, because when the output is a working product, everyone is happy

Most product development managers strive to deliver projects on time and on budget. They never have enough resources and their bosses demand predictable schedules and results from them. Therefore, managers force their teams to be more lean, write detailed plans, minimize schedule deviations and waste of resources. But this approach, which has the right to life for implementation in manufacturing enterprises, can harm product development.

Although many companies treat development as industrial production, there are fundamental differences between them. In the world of manufacturing physical objects, tasks are repetitive, actions are predictable, and manufactured products can only be in one place at one time. When developing software, many tasks are unique, the project needs to constantly change, and the resulting product is information that can be in many places at the same time.

Failure to see these differences leads to errors that interfere with planning, executing, and evaluating software development projects. The authors of this text have collectively spent more than 50 years studying and advising engineering companies, and we’ve seen similar mistakes in a wide range of areas including semiconductors, automobiles, consumer electronics, medical devices, software, and finance. In this article, we describe these misconceptions and how to work around the problems they create.

Misconception 1: Increasing Resource Utilization Will Increase Work Efficiency

Too many companies are trying to fully utilize their development resources. The average product manager maintains a resource utilization rate of 98%. The logic is clear – projects take longer to complete if people aren’t 100% busy, so a busy organization will run faster and more efficiently than one that doesn’t use all of its human resources as well.

In practice, this does not work. We’ve seen the speed, efficiency, and quality of projects go down when managers push developers to their limits. High utilization has bad side effects that managers underestimate for three reasons:

They do not take into account the variability of the work of the developer

Many aspects of development are unpredictable – when projects will appear, what tasks they will require, how long it will take for people who have not done such things before to complete them. But companies are most familiar with repetitive processes, such as manufacturing or transaction processing, where the work doesn’t change and there are few surprises. Such processes run on schedule and resource utilization increases. To complete 5% more, it will take 5% more time.

Non-persistent processes behave quite differently. With an increase in resource utilization, delays increase sharply. Add 5% more work and it can take 100% more time to complete. But few people understand this. From our experience with hundreds of development teams, we know that most of them work more than they need to. To complete all projects on time and on budget, some of the organizations we worked with would require 50% more resources.

Of course, some inconsistency comes from a lack of discipline, and some project development tasks (development of aircraft components or clinical drug trials) consist of repetitive tasks. But even if some of the work is predictable, when combined with unpredictable work, it will give scheduling problems.

They don’t understand how queues affect cost-effectiveness

High resource utilization inevitably creates queues of projects. When unfinished work freezes in anticipation of the release of the necessary resource, the overall duration of the project grows. Queues delay feedback, causing developers to take the unproductive path longer. It’s getting harder for companies to adapt to growing market needs and find weaknesses in products before it’s too late. Ironically, this is exactly what managers try to avoid by utilizing resources 100%.

Even if managers know that they are creating queues, they rarely imagine the economic loss from them. Although the cost of everything can be calculated, most companies do not do this. Managers must compare the cost of queues and the cost of reclaimed resources to strike the right balance.

When developing software, what is in the process of development is usually not visible.

Manufacturing queues create physical objects. When the warehouse doubles, it is immediately visible. In the case of developing a software product, the warehouse consists of information – design documentation, testing procedures and results, instructions for building prototypes. There is no physical sign of this when the stock is doubled. And since this cost information is zero by accounting standards, the financial statements don’t show any progress either.

It is very difficult to deal with a problem that cannot be seen and measured. Consider a pharmaceutical company. A few years ago, a new director of drug development faced a dilemma. He tried to turn his scientists on a more innovative path. He wanted them to experiment more with new chemicals that could potentially become drugs, while getting rid of unpromising candidates as quickly as possible. At the same time, animal tests were the responsibility of another department that was not subordinate to it. This department was judged on how efficiently it used resources for testing, resulting in a need for high resource utilization. Naturally, scientists from the drug development department waited 3-4 months for the results of tests, which took only about a week to complete. The “good management” of the testing department interfered with the work of the development department.

Internet communication for software development

Adobe has already made Adobe Air, which solves this problem, a lot of other giants of the software market are developing similar solutions. This indicates the scale of the trend. Market leaders realized that very soon the Internet will be everywhere (due to the development and reduction in the cost of mobile access), and traffic will become free (or shareware), so it is easier and more convenient to offer users browser software.

Of course, at the moment the situation with high-quality and affordable Internet communication is not fully resolved – in some regions there are still problems. But trends in the market of provider services promise to correct this in the near future.

Today there are a lot of services running in the browser. These are photo editing, file conversion, slideshow creation and many others.

The trend was picked up not only by companies, but also by potential customers.

“Over the past year, the number of requests for the development of intra-corporate systems based on lightweight web technologies has tripled.

Improved customer awareness. Now they are firmly convinced that it is possible to provide joint work of offices through browser software, get the functions of a CRM or ERP system at a lower cost than with the implementation of traditional systems. At the same time, the cost of hardware will be minimal, and the functionality can be increased in unlimited volumes.

Even taking into account the possible increase in costs for the services of providers and network upgrades, such solutions, in the long run, turn out to be much more cost-effective. And thanks to the high level of usability and a clear interface, the transition to a new software product takes place in the shortest possible time and does not reduce the level of productivity.”

Should we say that by porting their software (within reason, of course) for the web, companies increase the popularity of their programs?

It is possible that someday Microsoft will release a “light version” of Windows for browsers.

Will AI-based software development services leave programmers out of work?

Save on staff?

Sber announced the registration of the Artificial Vision program, created using artificial intelligence. With its help, you can recognize and analyze objects in virtual reality. The neural network that wrote the program code was trained by the Sber AI team.

“It is still difficult to understand what exactly was done in this project: what was submitted for input, what kind of code was written, for what other type of tasks this neural network can develop a code,” the director of the Competence Center for Artificial Intelligence shared his opinion with RSpectr and Crayon data analysis Vladimir Eronin. According to him, the current state of affairs in the IT industry is still very far from getting strong AI that really works in an open (not test) environment.

Vladimir Eronin, Competence Center for Artificial Intelligence and Data Analysis Crayon:

As far as I know, no one has yet solved the task of writing code according to an arbitrary formulation of the task, and so far, it seems, it will not be solved soon. Therefore, I think it is too early to say that AI is already ready to develop arbitrary code.

But experts are already considering options for the development of the situation. According to the CEO of Avanpost Andrey Konusov, the use of artificial intelligence for writing programs will allow businesses to significantly save on personnel.

Currently, there is an acute shortage of IT specialists. Against this background, their earnings are growing at a rapid pace: in the first half of this year, the salaries of “IT specialists” increased by 9 percent. In general, a programmer’s income can reach several hundred thousand rubles a month, he recalls.

Andrey Konusov, Outpost:

Savings can be up to 6 million rubles a year. And this is only on the simplest projects, in which a maximum of three IT specialists participate. If their number increases to ten, the savings can reach 30 million rubles.

At the same time, the AI involved in writing programs needs to be controlled, and only specialists with a high level of expertise and extensive experience can do this, he emphasizes.

Masters and Apprentices

Artificial intelligence in the process of creating programs optimizes work and saves a person from routine operations, Yury Ledakov, head of the development of voice products and intelligent services at BSS, told RSpectr. According to him, by watching specialists, the machine accumulates a knowledge base, then selects and offers the most preferred version of a part of the code or even the entire program. The expert emphasizes that the neural network is a human assistant, allowing programmers to improve their professionalism as quickly as possible and reach a qualitatively new level, bypassing the path of trial and error.

Yuri Ledakov, BSS:

In the foreseeable future, the neural network will be able to act as a “translator” – when, for example, an analyst says what program with what functionality he would like to see output, and AI translates this “order” into a program code format.

But such developments will not become competitors of people, the expert is sure. In the future, they will identify and level errors caused by the human factor – fatigue, emotional instability, lack of knowledge of best practices and approaches in programming, Ledakov believes.

Software for public services

Now let’s take something “heavier”, for example, working with the data flow of a state-owned company. For state-owned enterprises, there are regulatory documents that define the list of services that need to be provided electronically. In 2012 and 2014, we won competitions from Rosavtodor for the implementation of such tasks. In short, the situation there is as follows: earlier it was necessary to make extracts from the unified register of highways EGRAD, and accept citizens’ appeals. The second one later dropped out of the list of public services, I suspect – because it was one of the few forms where one could write in the spirit: “I have been driving this road since 1987 and during this time it has never been repaired.” They wrote on all occasions, and according to the rules, the state body is obliged to consider any application and redirect it to the correct department.

As for requests for extracts, the architecture is as follows: requests are received on a single portal for interdepartmental electronic interaction, and then go to Rosavtodor in a formalized form. We accept and parse, put into the electronic document management system on the side of Rosavtodor, then we send the task to the electronic register of highways and process it, including receiving information about payment for the service from the State Information System on State and Municipal Payments. We made a decision – it goes in the reverse order to the public services portal through the connector. In the direction of travel – signed with an EDS, enters the applicant’s personal account.

Application form for extract from USRAD

According to the register of highways itself, there are more than 160,000 different organizations owning roads in our country. The order obliges to provide all information – about the condition, length, owners, etc. – on highways. Previously, this information was provided in paper form – and they were entered into the register by agency employees. Now the owner of the road is doing this himself, so the customer has freed up resources that no longer need to sort out by the house number next to the object, what kind of road it is and from where, and the risk of error has decreased – each info card is now signed with an EDS, and only after that it automatically enters to the register.

We have been working with this since 2003, and the subject area is well known. The customer appreciates.

One of the difficulties in such projects is the desynchronization of the actions of departments: for example, the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications is responsible for the form on the site, and we are responsible for the connector. Meeting deadlines often requires doing a lot of things ahead of time, and this is where understanding the domain is important. Of course, the customer speaks his own language – you need to constantly translate into the language of specifications and back from it. After each meeting – a protocol, what was agreed on in the functional part and what it means.

The most important part of development is to make sure that the customer and I understand each other correctly. Therefore, we use our own framework for workflow, where it is possible to assemble scary, but working prototypes on the fly. The correct GUI is pulled over the abstractions later, the main thing is that the customer sees that if you click on something, then the application in such and such a form will go into the workflow. Not only colleagues from Rosavtodor really like such insurance based on layouts of reporting forms.

But do not think that UI is the last thing. The end users of the system are not IT specialists, and for them everything needs to be very much and highly adapted. In the developer’s logic, you need to create attribute forms that describe all query parameters. In user logic, simple interfaces are needed, where elements are grouped not by the convenience of the developer, but by the convenience of the employee. To have controls in one group related to one theme object, the process was simple and understandable. We have tried a lot of things – even training does not give a great result. Therefore, simplified interfaces are specially made (for us, this is an additional work) – this greatly simplifies the implementation.

According to my practice, if you don’t do this with prototypes and GUIs, the solution will most likely go to the trash. You will get a product that formally meets the requirements, but is not suitable for everyday use. Perhaps that is why we have been on the project for so long. Other counterparties often change, new people often look at us with suspicion. Then they see what we are really doing, look at the results, understanding comes.

TaskList Integrator

And there is another class of tasks designed to automate automation, or to simplify the interaction of users with the company’s IT subsystems. For example, in recent years, another task of integrating subsystems has begun to appear. Here is our own solution, which, in particular, is used inside CROC.

The situation is this – the customer (and ours) often has a large zoo of IT subsystems. Tasks for an employee can come from different sources. For example, a new order has arrived in the workflow system, in BPM you need to move on to the next stage of the project, in the tracker the boss has set a new task, in CRM there is an urgent need to do something else, plus the personnel subsystem has woken up and a reminder about regular technical work. Hell.

All this is convenient and simply reduced to one system such as mail-tracker.

Input through connectors for interacting with other systems, output through the same connectors for updating data from outside. I made changes to TLI – I got changes in the system, you don’t even need to go into it. “Under the Hood” Tomcat, PostgreSQL and CentOS/RedHat, JAVA.

Tablets have offline mode and constant synchronization, very convenient for traveling top managers and engineers. In one state corporation, for example, this solution plus special protection is executive tablets (x509, GOST, smartcard entry, VPN, EDS, jailbreak wipe). There are iOS, Win and Android butt.

Tolerance of failures in software development

Many projects fall short of budget, schedule, and technical requirements. Of course, poor planning, inflexible processes, and weak leadership all play their part. But managers often don’t realize that their demands to “get it right the first time” also play a role. First-time success sends teams into the territory of less risky decisions—even if clients don’t see them as a significant improvement over what came before. Teams are not motivated to develop innovative solutions to user problems.

To avoid mistakes, teams prefer linear processes where every step is tracked in an overview gate. Work on the next step will not begin until the project has passed the gate. When a project moves along a linear path, a lot of effort is invested in it, and the cost of changing the project due to new ideas increases many times over. In the later stages, successful tests are encouraged, and surprises, even very valuable ones, are viewed as negative. Unfortunately, a linear process leads to project delays – because feedback slows down, teams hold on to bad ideas longer than necessary, and problems are not discussed until they become too expensive to solve.

The best strategy is to be tolerant of failures the first time around – let people complete iterations faster and learn from their mistakes faster.

Instructions for avoiding common mistakes:

Make queues and information flows visible

Estimate the cost of delays and account for it

Do not use resources at 100%, lower utilization where it is very high

Shift the focus of control systems from efficiency to response time

Reduce transaction costs so you can work with smaller batches and faster response times

Experiment with smaller batches. You can always return the way it was.

A development plan is a hypothesis that will evolve as new information becomes available.

Start projects only if all resources for them are fully available

Set yourself up for simplicity. Think about what can be removed, not just about what can be added.

Experiment earlier, faster and more often. Use computer models and physical prototypes.

Overlapping and iterative development is better than linear

Focus on accelerating responses, not success the first time

In a study of 391 custom chip teams, we found that those who took the iterative approach and tested as early and as often as possible were the ones who made the most mistakes. But because of the use of inexpensive prototyping, they outperformed (in terms of time and effort) those who tried to get it right the first time. Teams that had prototypes that were too expensive spent more time and effort on specification, development, and testing. And since their iterations took place closer to the end of the process, and their number was smaller, the discovery of serious problems with them occurred with a big delay.

Experimenting with different ideas is an essential part of the innovation process. When you experiment often and quickly, of course, you have to put up with the failure of many ideas. But it allows teams to quickly discard bad decisions and focus on more promising ones.

A classic example of the benefits of the “fail sooner and more often” approach is New Zealand’s surprise win at the 1995 America’s Cup in yachting. To improve the design of the keel, the team used two identical boats, one of which changed during the development process, and the second remained the control. Every day, the team simulated new hypotheses on the computer, applied the best of them, and then arranged a competition with the control boat and studied the result.

Their opponents, Denis Konner’s team, who also had more powerful computers, ran large sets of simulations every few weeks, and then tested the best solutions on the same boat. New Zealanders completed more cycles, got rid of bad ideas faster and won the regatta.

Experiments that fail are not necessarily unsuccessful. They give out information that could not have been foreseen. The shorter the cycle of an experiment, the more feedback it provides, which can be incorporated into new development milestones more quickly.

Creating such a development environment is a complex matter. Mistakes confuse people, show gaps in knowledge, which can undermine their self-confidence as a result. Consider how often managers are promoted and teams are rewarded for early detection of problems that lead to the death of a project – even if it was beneficial for the company to reallocate valuable resources early? It is especially difficult to work in this direction in organizations with “zero tolerance for failure.”

Thomas Edison understood all this, and in his laboratories everything was set up for quick and frequent experiments in which researchers could work closely with workers. The laboratories had extensive libraries with easily accessible information, stockpiles of needed spare parts, and a diverse workforce, from laborers to engineers and scientists. Edison wanted to be sure that as soon as a new idea appeared, it could be quickly turned into a model or prototype. He said that “success is measured by the number of experiments that can be squeezed into 24 hours.”

The development of IT (computer design, modeling, simulation) has already made it possible to take steps towards developing better products in less time and money. But many companies do not use the full potential of these tools, because their managerial thinking develops more slowly than technology. They still approach the development of an information product like a factory production. With the development of information technology, the opportunities to improve the product development process will become even greater – so there will be more risk for those companies that could not discern the differences between software development and factory production.