13:00 - 16:00
Evaluating COTS Using Function Fit Analysis
Author:
Steven Woodward, Q/P Management Group of Canada
Today many organizations are attempting to reduce software development effort and schedule by purchasing off-the-shelf solutions rather than developing them from scratch. This strategy can be very cost effective if the COTS solution meets the customer requirements. Unfortunately in numerous situations, the extent to which COTS solutions satisfy requirements is not quantified. This can result in overall higher priced COTS solutions or selection of COTS when "make" is actually a more cost-effective alternative.
Conducting complete and accurate quantified assessments of "COTS fit" and not relying on vendor claims of high compatibility can improve probability of successful COTS selection and project completion. This tutorial will provide attendees with practical examples on Function Point Analysis, plus "Functional Fit Analysis" techniques that have proven to be successful for US DoD and other large projects in identifying the compatibility of COTS products to customer requirements. The technique called "Function Fit Analysis" is based on function point analysis (FPA). Function point analysis is the decomposition of an existing or planned system based on the customer perspective of functional requirements. Function points therefore can be used to evaluate various COTS solutions, select the best solution and determine the degree of enhancement work required to meet customer requirements.
This session will provide attendees with specific details of the process, including a Function Point Analysis overview, plus practical examples and cases utilizing the Function Fit Analysis process. The following topics will be addressed by this session.
- The Function Fit Analysis Process
- Function point analysis of requirements
- Rules of FPA
- Examples/ Cases of applying FPA rules
- Evaluation and Quantification of COTS
- Function gap analysis
- Calculating COTS fit
- COTS project estimation
- The Make/Buy/Punt decision
- Leveraging the Information in Various Scenarios
Function Fit Analysis has been successfully used by the US Navy and a number of government agencies in the US and Canada to evaluate and select specific COTS solutions. The attendees will benefit by gaining practical knowledge of how to make the process operational for use on their own projects in order to ensure successful implementation of COTS projects.
MSG/ESS ITSEP
Authors:
Gail Brown, MSG/ESS, Billie Common, MSG/ESS (BTAS), Todd Trickler, MSG/ESS (BTAS) and David Bentley, MSG/ES (SCRA)
The Integrating Technology by a Structured Evolutionary Process (ITSEP) is a powerful and straightforward approach to selecting, fielding, and supporting Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) and other reuse solutions in complex environments. ITSEP provides a framework to develop, field, and support a solution composed of an integrated assembly of hardware and software products, required custom code, linkage to enterprise architecture, and end-user business process changes. ITSEP uses concurrent discovery and negotiation of four spheres of activity that influence the solution. These spheres comprise: user needs and business processes, industry and the marketplace (including commercial and government), engineering and design, and programmatic constraints (including risk management). The Materiel Systems Group (MSG) has used ITSEP to develop solutions for several projects such as the Air Force Technical Order (TO) Concept of Operations, TO Transformation, Aircraft Battle Damage Assessment and Repair (ABDAR), Depot-X planning, Manufacturing Resource Planning II(MRP II)/Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO), and MSG Business Development.
The tutorial incorporates MSG's experience to date using ITSEP and will provide attendees with practical knowledge useful in developing and supporting COTS-based solutions. The tutorial consists of a four-part presentation that teaches the basics of ITSEP and relates the MSG's experience with the process. Part one of the tutorial covers an overview of ITSEP. Part two covers the practical application of ITSEP through a review of MSG projects. Part three covers more on practical application, this time focusing on marketplace evaluations; what the MSG has learned both good and bad; the mistakes made and the changes incorporated to avoid mistakes in the future. Part four continues with practical application of the process. This final part of the tutorial addresses the infrastructure support that needs to be developed and functioning before gaining the full strength and benefit of the ITSEP process.
Trouble spots, worthwhile efforts, and practical lessons learned will be presented throughout the tutorial. Customers or users, program and project managers, developers, commercial vendors, and anyone considering and/or involved with putting together a COTS-based solution will benefit from this tutorial. Since this conference is a forum to exchange ideas and results, discussion will be strongly encouraged as a component of the tutorial.
Marketing Principles for COTS Developers and Acquirers
Authors: Eileen Forrester, SuZi Garcia, Software Engineering Institute
One of the challenges inherent in the development of COTS-based systems is that marketing communications surrounding components is not effective at helping practitioners to make appropriate matches between available components and system needs. Basic marketing principles and practices could improve the rate of effective matches. In this tutorial, attendees will learn marketing ideas and techniques that will make them better at communicating attributes of components that make for better fit. Deployers of COTS-based systems can also use these principles and techniques to further the appropriate adoption of systems.
