Working Across Borders Working Across Borders Overcoming - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Working Across Borders Working Across Borders Overcoming Culturally-Based Overcoming Culturally-Based Technology Challenges in Student Technology Challenges in Student Global Software Development Global Software Development Olly Gotel
Olly Gotel (ogotel@pace.edu) Vidya Kulkarni Christelle Scharff Longchrea Neak http://atlantis.seidenberg.pace.edu/wiki/gsd2007
Motivation
Background
Project description and setting
Global project teams and their process
Tooling for engineering and communication
Findings
Summary
Balanced first-hand view of Offshore Outsourcing:
Exposure to realities of global supply chain management:
parties to work on across time zones and cultures?
Understand BOTH technical and ‘softer’ skills:
2 years of Global Software Development Projects:
(www.du.ac.in)
curricula
Students:
Particular issues and challenges to focus on in 2007:
MultiLIB - ITC Computer Science Department Library Management System:
CD-ROMs, E-books, videos and students’ reports)
3 sub-components:
Globalization Software engineering
USA Managers Developers Auditors Mentors CAMBODIA Clients Testers INDIA Sub-Contractors Mentoring and auditing Communications Technology RFP
12 hours time difference 9.5 hours time difference
3 teams of India
2 auditors 1.5 mentors 2 auditors US Grads
4 developers US UGs 4 in all roles 5 clients / testers 4 clients Cambodia Innovation Librarian Student
Student side Librarian side Innovation Mentors Auditors Subcontractors Profs
Set-up
Initialization of communications and team bonding with gifts and videos (1 week)
Requirements (5 weeks)
Design (4 weeks)
Mid-semester presentations
Implementation (3 weeks)
Testing (1 week)
Final presentations
Through-life (all 14 weeks):
Activity Tool
Rationale and tasks supported
MS Word
Requirements gathering, elicitation and validation.
Chats
Synchronous communication.
Asynchronous communication.
Design SmartDraw UML or similar
To model design options and achieve a better understanding of how the system should behave and correspond to client needs; To facilitate communication with database designers in India; To produce an ERD.
Eclipse
To take advantage of the IDE features, JUnit and Subversion plugins, and the externalization mechanism.
Java/JSP
To encourage students to build on their Java / JSP skills.
Apache Tomcat
To use an open source servlet container that would be easily deployable in Cambodia.
MySQL
To use an open source DBMS that would be easily deployable in Cambodia.
JUnit
To automatically run unit tests and validate units of the software.
Java.net
To validate software; clients and developers used the Issue Tracker facility of java.net to report, then fix and manage bugs respectively.
Configuration Management Subversion
To facilitate code sharing, change and version management.
Wiki
To contain all documents and software artifacts; To increase milestone visibility and awareness; To agree on shared architecture, approve database design, gain feedback
user interface mockups, clarify deployment environment, communicate responsibilitie
Blog
To allow problems to be addressed by the teams and instructors.
MS Word
To write RFP and acceptance / rejection letters with justifications.
To solicit bids, manage RFP process and select winning design.
Chat
To clarify RFP requirements.
Video
To get to know each other and put a face on a name.
Chat
To get to know each other and facilitate spontaneous conversation.
Mentoring Face-to-face
To provide technical and team management assistance.
Wiki
To review artifacts produced and check compliance.
Face-to-face
To conduct interviews.
Wiki
To monitor progress and deliverables.
Blog
To address problems and have students elaborate on particular questions asked by instructors for assessment purposes.
Survey
To gather students’ perception on project, about RFP process, mentor / auditor experience and overall experience.
Requirements Implementation Testing Project Management RFP Process Socialization Auditing Instructor Oversight
Activity Tool
Rationale and tasks supported
MS Word
Requirements gathering, elicitation and validation.
Chats
Synchronous communication.
Asynchronous communication.
Design SmartDraw UML or similar
To model design options and achieve a better understanding of how the system should behave and correspond to client needs; To facilitate communication with database designers in India; To produce an ERD.
Eclipse
To take advantage of the IDE features, JUnit and Subversion plugins, and the externalization mechanism.
Java/JSP
To encourage students to build on their Java / JSP skills.
Apache Tomcat
To use an open source servlet container that would be easily deployable in Cambodia.
MySQL
To use an open source DBMS that would be easily deployable in Cambodia.
JUnit
To automatically run unit tests and validate units of the software.
Java.net
To validate software; clients and developers used the Issue Tracker facility of java.net to report, then fix and manage bugs respectively.
Configuration Management Subversion
To facilitate code sharing, change and version management.
Wiki
To contain all documents and software artifacts; To increase milestone visibility and awareness; To agree on shared architecture, approve database design, gain feedback
user interface mockups, clarify deployment environment, communicate responsibilitie
Blog
To allow problems to be addressed by the teams and instructors.
MS Word
To write RFP and acceptance / rejection letters with justifications.
To solicit bids, manage RFP process and select winning design.
Chat
To clarify RFP requirements.
Video
To get to know each other and put a face on a name.
Chat
To get to know each other and facilitate spontaneous conversation.
Mentoring Face-to-face
To provide technical and team management assistance.
Wiki
To review artifacts produced and check compliance.
Face-to-face
To conduct interviews.
Wiki
To monitor progress and deliverables.
Blog
To address problems and have students elaborate on particular questions asked by instructors for assessment purposes.
Survey
To gather students’ perception on project, about RFP process, mentor / auditor experience and overall experience.
Requirements Implementation Testing Project Management RFP Process Socialization Auditing Instructor Oversight
Activity Tool
Rationale and tasks supported
MS Word
Requirements gathering, elicitation and validation.
Chats
Synchronous communication.
Asynchronous communication.
Design SmartDraw UML or similar
To model design options and achieve a better understanding of how the system should behave and correspond to client needs; To facilitate communication with database designers in India; To produce an ERD.
Eclipse
To take advantage of the IDE features, JUnit and Subversion plugins, and the externalization mechanism.
Java/JSP
To encourage students to build on their Java / JSP skills.
Apache Tomcat
To use an open source servlet container that would be easily deployable in Cambodia.
MySQL
To use an open source DBMS that would be easily deployable in Cambodia.
JUnit
To automatically run unit tests and validate units of the software.
Java.net
To validate software; clients and developers used the Issue Tracker facility of java.net to report, then fix and manage bugs respectively.
Configuration Management Subversion
To facilitate code sharing, change and version management.
Wiki
To contain all documents and software artifacts; To increase milestone visibility and awareness; To agree on shared architecture, approve database design, gain feedback
user interface mockups, clarify deployment environment, communicate responsibilitie
Blog
To allow problems to be addressed by the teams and instructors.
MS Word
To write RFP and acceptance / rejection letters with justifications.
To solicit bids, manage RFP process and select winning design.
Chat
To clarify RFP requirements.
Video
To get to know each other and put a face on a name.
Chat
To get to know each other and facilitate spontaneous conversation.
Mentoring Face-to-face
To provide technical and team management assistance.
Wiki
To review artifacts produced and check compliance.
Face-to-face
To conduct interviews.
Wiki
To monitor progress and deliverables.
Blog
To address problems and have students elaborate on particular questions asked by instructors for assessment purposes.
Survey
To gather students’ perception on project, about RFP process, mentor / auditor experience and overall experience.
Requirements Implementation Testing Project Management RFP Process Socialization Auditing Instructor Oversight
Activity Tool US Cambodia India Requirements MS Word H H Chats H H L Email H H H Design SmartDraw UML or similar H H H Implementation Eclipse H L L Java/JSP H H Apache Tomcat H H MySQL M H Testing JUnit M L Java.net H H H Configuration Management Subversion M L Project Management Wiki H L H Blog H L M RFP Process MS Word H Email M M Chat L L Socialization Video H H L Chat H H L Mentoring Face-to-face H Auditing Wiki H Face-to-face H Instructor Oversight Wiki H L H Blog H L H Survey H L H
Activity Tool US Cambodia India Requirements MS Word H H Chats H H L Email H H H Design SmartDraw UML or similar H H H Implementation Eclipse H L L Java/JSP H H Apache Tomcat H H MySQL M H Testing JUnit M L Java.net H H H Configuration Management Subversion M L Project Management Wiki H L H Blog H L M RFP Process MS Word H Email M M Chat L L Socialization Video H H L Chat H H L Mentoring Face-to-face H Auditing Wiki H Face-to-face H Instructor Oversight Wiki H L H Blog H L H Survey H L H
Emails activities
20 40 60 80 100 120 January February March April May Total Month Emails exchanged Guest / student / Professor Librarian / Administrator Innovation Integration RFP India-Cambodia Total
Chats activities
5 10 15 20 25 January February March April May Total Month Number of chats Guest / student / Professor Librarian / Administrator Innovation India - US Total
Although supplied with webcams and audio headsets for voice
Activity Tool US Cambodia India Requirements MS Word H H Chats H H L Email H H H Design SmartDraw UML or similar H H H Implementation Eclipse H L L Java/JSP H H Apache Tomcat H H MySQL M H Testing JUnit M L Java.net H H H Configuration Management Subversion M L Project Management Wiki H L H Blog H L M RFP Process MS Word H Email M M Chat L L Socialization Video H H L Chat H H L Mentoring Face-to-face H Auditing Wiki H Face-to-face H Instructor Oversight Wiki H L H Blog H L H Survey H L H
Adoption of engineering technology is more influenced by cost and resource intensity (incl. time) than commitment to learn and trial
Different levels of exposure to the Internet and latest web2.0 applications influences willingness to use technology for communications and impacts perception of potential value:
training - not part of their everyday culture and society (yet)
Established social relations influences use of known applications:
comfortably; the Indian relation did not have the same attention so communicated indirectly
Curriculum emphasis on soft skills and teamwork influences student perceptions of what technologies are *worth* their investment:
was their focus -- no protocol for change notification
Facilitate bonding activities to overcome cultural barriers:
Present the working philosophy to be followed
Empower students at each location to contribute ideas (collaborative)
Ensure transparency and shared awareness
Get up to speed on the global project quickly
Improve progress monitoring and intervention (profs and grads)
Promote a better understanding of the software engineering process, practices and tools used in the project (coordination)
Increased productivity:
Self managing: “Update your Wiki morning, noon and evening” - learn to trust
Higher level of adoption of technology tools than communication tools, especially in countries where roles for professional software development are not emphasized - also where a lag in conveying the value of softer and social skills for computer science students
Need more attention to communication tooling than engineering tooling when background exposure to ‘everyday technologies’ is dissimilar - tech/engineering tooling looks after itself
Wikis acted as the coordination backbone
Blend of tooling important - need redundancy
Country/curriculum challenges:
evidence in the classroom
Students (ITC, Pace, Delhi)
Faculty (ITC, Pace, Delhi)
David Michael, United Business Media, New York
Cedric Mainguy, Asiaform, Phnom Penh
John Fox, Homeland Energy Inc., New York
Doug Tidwell, IBM Cyber-evangelist
Chris Nelson, IBM Senior Software Engineer
Gary Thompson, Sun Microsystems
NCIIA Grant 2006-2008
Seidenberg School of CSIS, Pace University http://atlantis.seidenberg.pace.edu/wiki/gsd2007