Tag: #consulting

User Acceptance Testing (UAT), or application testing, is the final stage of any software development or change request lifecycle before go-live. The list below is not exhaustive, and every project will be different according to the nature of the project, circumstances and stakeholders.

FACTORS FOR SUCCESS

Have a clear testing programme. Random testing gives random results and sampling may be good in the early stages of development but you really need complete, comprehensive and detailed testing if you are relying upon a system for your business.

Having well documented tests and processes allows for repetition, for example when redoing test or after an upgrade where you want to be clear what worked OK in the past still works OK.

Be very clear what is a minor fail (cosmetic issues), a significant fail (must be fixed within a few weeks after go-live) and what is a major fail (meaning you cannot proceed). 

Ranking tests, results and what is acceptable or not up-front avoids contract or commercial disputes of scope, quality and function, and what constitutes success. And in some cases, payment or withholding payment.

Make sure your have a Test Manager / Leader to organise the testing and manage the feedback. This is important so that if 50 people have the same problem you only report one issue and don’t confused issues with duplication, error or omission.

Make sure your Test Manager / Leader has a deep and wide knowledge of systems and processes so that they understand where in issue is with the person, product, process, or procedures. This means being able to work with a whole range of people and not wasting time alerting the software supplier for something that may be a training issue or vice-versa.

Make sure your testing team has sufficient knowledge of systems and processes, and the time and capacity to do the job well, which includes accurate reporting of issues. Moreover, the testing team need to represent all aspects of the product and all areas of the business. What may be OK for Sales may not be acceptable for Compliance and what suits one jurisdiction or office may not be adequate for the other. 

Have at least 2 ideally 3 or possibly 4 test-cycles of test, report, fix, retest. Nothing is perfect first time and not allowing sufficient time to learn, improve, correct and retest may mean that you simply don’t have time enough to address defects.

THINGS TO AVOID

Avoid testing before the systems are ready for testing! Do not proceed with UAT Testing (of functionality, config, design, operation) until you have approved the config / design and the data is 100% correct  (where data-migration from old to new systems is a key element). To test a product that has config or data errors before you start is not productive and creates a bad experience for users which may impact on their engagement and adoption, as well as their ability to later train the end-uses.

Avoid doing testing when key stakeholders are absent, for example technical people to fix issues or senior people to offer guidance. You really want all the stakeholders and experts available so as to be able to address issues quickly and successfully.

Avoid using novice or part-time testers or those with significant business-as-usual opportunities which mean they cannot fully do the testing, understand the results and support the diagnostics and remedy. 

Do not allow random testing at odd hours which undermines communication and coordination. Aim to have an organised plan for each day and an agreed time to review and feedback so that results can be understood as a whole and actions coordinated. A 20min stand-up meeting at the beginning and end of the day is a great way to set the agenda and review the progress.

Tim Rogers

Tim@AdaptConsultingCompany.com Mob 447797762051 

We offer #consulting, #coaching, #mentoring, #facilitation and #mediating to support individuals, teams and organisations. 

#jersey #timhjrogers #prince2 #agile #waterfall #pmo #projects #lean #training #programmes

Every project is different according to the nature of the project (technology, premises, culture, processes or M&A) or circumstances (scale, timing, funding, sector).

Here are some things to think about at project close or hand-over

• Support Arrangements
• Roles to be Transferred
• Key points for the Support Team(s)/ Knowledge Transfer
• Customer Expectation Management/ Communication
• Business Continuity/ Disaster Recovery
• Training Requirements
• Product List (including SLAs)
• Supporting documentation
• Security Aspects
• Security Officer Sign Off 
• Acceptance from Support Team

Generally the key steps might be

*Project close or hand-over tasks

• User documentation
• Admin documentation
• System documentation
• Hand-over roles & responsibilities

*Stakeholders / Functions

• Confirm what is done and what is outstanding
• Confirm Business Continuity and/or Disaster Recovery
• Confirm support arrangements
• Sign Off / Acceptance  where relevant (e.g. Compliance or Security)
• Remove access (where appropriate )
• Archive data (where appropriate )

*Project Board / Governance

• Project Update / Review
• Benefits Review
• Budget Review
• Lessons Learned
• Next steps

As a PRINCE2, Scrum and Agile Coach I can offer tools, tips and templates to support your project or act as Project or Quality Assurance to review and report.

Tim Rogers

Tim@AdaptConsultingCompany.com Mob 447797762051 

We offer #consulting, #coaching, #mentoring, #facilitation and #mediating to support individuals, teams and organisations.  #jersey #timhjrogers #prince2 #agile #waterfall #pmo #projects #lean #training #programmes

Anyone with passing knowledge of DISC, MBTI or any other personality profile will note some people like decisions, others debate, and yet others details.

• Dominance–Person places emphasis on accomplishing results, the bottom line, confidence
• Influence–Person places emphasis on influencing or persuading others, openness, relationships
• Steadiness–Person places emphasis on cooperation, sincerity, dependability
• Conscientiousness–Person places emphasis on quality and accuracy, expertise, competency

COMMUNICATING ISSUES OF PEOPLE, PLANNING, PACE OR PROGRESS

Because of the above it can be hard to communicate in the right format and style for each audience.

For example it can be difficult to engage if the decisive senior executive approach is to simply ignore the issues and say “..just make it so..” (as if their command is enough to resolve or remove the problems). This is made worse if anything other than acceptance or agreement is likely to damage the relationship and so further undermine communication and trust. The mantra  “only good news” (the sign in Sheryl Sandberg’s former Facebook office) may superficially give the impression everything is OK, but is the type of Wilful Blindness that leads to an inevitable (but in retrospect avoidable) problems later.

Similarly the stakeholder who doesn’t engage, avoids meetings and emails but remains confident in on-going, work-in-progress can be a problem. If tasks are always ‘nearly done’ but never complete then they see themselves as busy and achieving, but the reality is nothing is done / complete and your project, process ror product is simply not ready or going to fail.

Typically in most projects the key issue is the late realisation of the volume of work, the busyness of the people and the lack of resources (competence, capability, drive and desire). To avoid conflict the problem is ignored, but this just makes things worse.

Imagine you expected to run 26 miles in 4 hours and after 3 hours you’ve only run 13 miles. It seems unlikely you’d do the next 13 miles in 1 hour (and still achieve the goal of 4 hours). Let’s be honest if it takes 3 hours to do 13 miles, it is going to take longer than 6 to cover 26 miles. This seems obvious, and yet the assumption in projects is frequently that the failures of the past (people, planning, pace or progress) can all be remedied without address of the fundamental problem, too much to do and an unrealistic goal.

It is time for a difficult conversation…

HOW TO ENABLE HAVING CONSTRUCTIVE CONFLICT

• The Leader has to acknowledge and confirm that he/she loves to see constructive conflict to become better and have better decisions.
• Virtual conflict is obviously more difficult. People experience virtual meetings more as presentations (one way conversations) and next to that you barely see body language. The least you can do is to ensure everyone turns their camera on.
• If your meeting is boring, it is lacking conflict. So do some checks now and then how the others experience the meeting. Boring? That should be a heads up!
• In case there was conflict: praise it. It has brought you further.

Taken from the book ‘The five dysfunctions of a Team’

• Absence of trust. Team members don’t dare to show vulnerability within the group
• Fear of conflict. The team prefers artificial harmony over constructive passionate debate, while the latter is required to create trust and openess
• Lack of commitment. Decisions are made, but sincere buy-in for group decisions is missing. This results in ambiguity throughout the organization
• Avoidance of accountability. Ducking the responsibility to hold each other accountable on agreed behavior. This behavior sets low standards
• Inattention to results. Team members focus more on personal success, status and ego before team success

See more

https://tomorrowsleadership.nl/how-to-overcome-the-5-dysfunctions-of-virtual-teams/

Tim Rogers

Tim@AdaptConsultingCompany.com Mob 447797762051 

We offer #consulting, #coaching, #mentoring, #facilitation and #mediating to support individuals, teams and organisations. 

#jersey #timhjrogers #prince2 #agile #waterfall #pmo #projects #lean #training #programmes

7 WAYS TO INFLUENCE

Do it…

1.    Because you like me, and you’re like me

2.    Do it to reciprocate, repay past or future debt or promise

3.    Do it because everyone else is doing it

4.    This offer is good for a limited time only

5.    Do it to be consistent, with past, with values, with type

6.    You can believe me, I’m an authority

7.    Do it or else

7 WAYS TO AVOID INFLUENCE

No, because…

1.    I like you, but I don’t like this proposal

2.    Is this a favour? Are you looking for something in return?

3.    Just because everyone else is doesn’t mean..

4.    If I don’t have time to think, I don’t have time to buy

5.    I need to think about what I want, and be consistent with that

6.    If I were you I might, but I’m not you

7.    Please explain the “or else” slowly so I fully understand

How to react to negative feedback (possibly bullying)

1.    Ask for time to think – it should force a pause or moment of silence.

2.    Think about what you want to happen – don’t fight back, think forward.

3.    Get the bully to stop yelling – “Please speak more slowly, I’d like to understand” or (if on the phone) say nothing until they ask “Are you still there?”

4.    What ever you do don’t explain – think forward, don’t justify, recriminate, excuse or offer explanation. They’re looking to exploit weaknesses (-) not strength (+)

5.    Ask “what would you like me to do?”. If so challenged they will ask you for something more acceptable than what they want. This is your exit opportunity.

6.    Don’t take criticism personally – attacks on your team, your work, your values, etc are not attacks on you. Although it is hard to resist “fight or flight”

7.    Learn from criticism – if you wait 24 hrs before answering criticism it will demonstrate maturity, reasonableness and you may learn something!

As a ICF Coach, Mediation Practitioner and APMG Change Practitioner,  I can offer tools, tips and templates as well as facilitation and mediation to support communications and change.

Tim Rogers

Tim@AdaptConsultingCompany.com Mob 447797762051 

We offer #consulting, #coaching, #mentoring, #facilitation and #mediating to support individuals, teams and organisations.  #jersey #timhjrogers #prince2 #agile #waterfall #pmo #projects #lean #training #programmes

One of the biggest problems with projects is scope-creep: Adding additional features or functions of a new product, requirements, or work that is not authorized (i.e., beyond the agreed-upon scope). The result is extra time, effort, complexity and cost. So this should be avoided.

However at the opposite extreme, it is very often the case that people de-scope items in an effort to avoid extra time, effort, complexity and cost. The “What can we do without?” approach has its merits. It is taking an MVP approach. A minimum viable product, or MVP, is a product with enough features to attract early-adopter customers and validate a product idea early in the product development cycle. The aim being get the basics done and build on this baseline.

The problem with he “What can we do without?” approach may be achieving consensus over what is suitable, feasible and acceptable. 

Scenario 1

Supposing you are looking to fly to Edinburgh, but the pilot lands at Prestwick and says, I got you as close as I can wit the constraints (of time, money, resource). You’ll have to walk from here. The distance between Glasgow Prestwick Airport Station and Edinburgh is 63 miles. The road distance is 75.2 miles. Is this suitable, feasible and acceptable?

Scenario 2

Supposing you are expecting to have a car delivered. It may be suitable, feasible and acceptable that the roof rack, tow-bar and floor mats are delivered later. But what about seats, air-conditioning, or radio? I’m sure we’d draw the line at engine and wheels. 

If you are de-scoping to achieve delivery you’ll need stakeholder engagement and their participation and endorsement if you want the result to be accepted as “more to follow”, than a disappointment and failure and a high degree of cynicism over the next phase what was promised and not delivered in the first. 

In a lot of respects this is more about communication and stakeholder management than the late delivery of artifacts. It may demand mediation and negotiation to build the trust which is necessary over the bridging period between what has been delivered and what was promised. This is especially the case if the temporary short-fall means extra work from some people, or greater risk, or opportunity cost. 

Goodwill is like money and the bank. You can be granted an overdraft to remedy a short-term problem, but you will be expected to keep your promises to make-good, and be judged by your ability to do so.

As a ICF Coach, Mediation Practitioner and APMG Change Practitioner, I can offer tools, tips and templates as well as facilitation and mediation to support communications and change.

Tim Rogers

Tim@AdaptConsultingCompany.com Mob 447797762051 

We offer #consulting, #coaching, #mentoring, #facilitation and #mediating to support individuals, teams and organisations. 

#jersey #timhjrogers #prince2 #agile #waterfall #pmo #projects #lean #training #programmes