Experience Report: Working with "codeBeamer Requirements Management“
May 15, 2012
At our recent „Intland TechDay“, Alexander Bourgett, Manager Software Development at our customer S1nn GmbH, presented his working experiences with our brand new codeBeamer Requirements Management (cBRM) tool for development of automotive infotainment systems.
We appreciate to share S1nn’s experiences with you:
What were your reasons for implementing cBRM at your company?
S1nn GmbH is a Tier 1 automotive supplier with business segments in Audio, Connectivity and Engineering. Functionality of automotive infotainment is defined by customer requirements - that's why an effective Requirements Management system is indispensable for our precise project development processes as
• the complete requirements package has significant impact on technical concepts to be considered,
• „neglecting“ of requirements might result in commerical risks or even in project failure / collapse,
• vague and missing requirements lead to higher risks if the need for additional functions arise at a later stage; this would finally result in higher costs and project delay.
Our constraints were a high software share that should be adjustable to Automotive SPICE, V-process and traceability. Consequently, we decided in favour of codeBeamer Requirements Management .
How did you manage your processes prior to introducing cBRM?
Our requirements definitions were administrated in files (PDF, Word, Excel...); performance and requirements specifications were kept manually in Excel documents, and also our work package planning. For configuration management we used a central repository, and for bug tracking a central ticket-tracking-system. Our first approach to convert the work package planning into a ticket-tracking-system was successfully executed for the stability phases (bug fixing); however, we did not apply this for the implementation phases as links to requirements within the systems were not established. Furtheron, traceability was revealed too complex outside the system.
Which improvements have you achieved so far by implementing cBRM?
We started with cBRM’s Beta-Release in January 2012, and so far we pursue a rather agile conversion, i.e. „what serves most, comes first“. Currently, not all codeBeamer functions within projects are yet exploited to their full extent, e.g. ‚old projects’ remain on the old platform. We initiated an operating guideline structure to
• set-up defined workflows to evaluate requirements and features
• import / export evaluated requirements
• generate updated document lists
• and linking requirements / features to work packages
Let me state some practical examples:
Workflow definition for requirements tracker ✔
We defined an evaluation cycle for requirements in which all essential conditions of performance and requirements specification processes are displayed. In addition, role-based transitions shall be enabled.
Requirements import from Excel, Word, XML, HTML ✔
CSV/Excel import by codeBeamer on-board tools is not used; imports are done by own adapter programmes that use codeBeamer Remote API via Java and Python:
• source data like Excel, Word, XML/HTML, PDF
• generating tracker items with source data content
• iterative performance and requirements specification processes with updates are enabled
Requirements Management per item view ✔
Displaying attributes to requirements.
Requirements Management per document view✔
Creating, arranging, selecting of requirements as well as revealing further information to each requirement/feature.
Feature Status Report – automatically generated ✔
Feature progress’ interchange between S1nn and our customers is a key element in progress tracking during implementation phases (contrary to bug tracking in stability phases). Within codeBeamer, the feature progress is always online available for internal purposes, whereas the export of current status is necessary for customers. Prior to codeBeamer, we had a high manually workload for tracking and reporting – today, our life is much easier with the automized status export in Excel via Remote-API.
Document lists - connecting to document management ✔
Customer information about new documents is reasonable when several customer departments deliver requirements separately.
Reports via documents (incl. versions) to Excel ✔
Attributes to documents in codeBeamer enable an extension of own documents versions. A selection of baselines for creation of document lists via remote-API would be appreciated.
Traceability - linking of requirements – DevTask ✔
Requirements refer to work package (DevTask). Directly visible in the requirements decscription, indicated with fulfillment degree.
What will be your next steps to exploit all codeBeamer functions?
For further progress in our customers projects we are planning to
• establish traceability between requirements and associated tests
• automatically generate Dev-Tasks of requirements and features after import
• integrate document generation in codeBeamer’s Wiki, to economize external applications for reporting
• transfer from Subversion to Git
• connection to DOORS, if required by customers
-----------
If you consider to speed-up your projects with codeBeamer Requirements Management just contact us for further info.
We appreciate to share S1nn’s experiences with you:
What were your reasons for implementing cBRM at your company?
S1nn GmbH is a Tier 1 automotive supplier with business segments in Audio, Connectivity and Engineering. Functionality of automotive infotainment is defined by customer requirements - that's why an effective Requirements Management system is indispensable for our precise project development processes as
• the complete requirements package has significant impact on technical concepts to be considered,
• „neglecting“ of requirements might result in commerical risks or even in project failure / collapse,
• vague and missing requirements lead to higher risks if the need for additional functions arise at a later stage; this would finally result in higher costs and project delay.
Our constraints were a high software share that should be adjustable to Automotive SPICE, V-process and traceability. Consequently, we decided in favour of codeBeamer Requirements Management .
How did you manage your processes prior to introducing cBRM?
Our requirements definitions were administrated in files (PDF, Word, Excel...); performance and requirements specifications were kept manually in Excel documents, and also our work package planning. For configuration management we used a central repository, and for bug tracking a central ticket-tracking-system. Our first approach to convert the work package planning into a ticket-tracking-system was successfully executed for the stability phases (bug fixing); however, we did not apply this for the implementation phases as links to requirements within the systems were not established. Furtheron, traceability was revealed too complex outside the system.
Which improvements have you achieved so far by implementing cBRM?
We started with cBRM’s Beta-Release in January 2012, and so far we pursue a rather agile conversion, i.e. „what serves most, comes first“. Currently, not all codeBeamer functions within projects are yet exploited to their full extent, e.g. ‚old projects’ remain on the old platform. We initiated an operating guideline structure to
• set-up defined workflows to evaluate requirements and features
• import / export evaluated requirements
• generate updated document lists
• and linking requirements / features to work packages
Let me state some practical examples:
Workflow definition for requirements tracker ✔
We defined an evaluation cycle for requirements in which all essential conditions of performance and requirements specification processes are displayed. In addition, role-based transitions shall be enabled.
Requirements import from Excel, Word, XML, HTML ✔
CSV/Excel import by codeBeamer on-board tools is not used; imports are done by own adapter programmes that use codeBeamer Remote API via Java and Python:
• source data like Excel, Word, XML/HTML, PDF
• generating tracker items with source data content
• iterative performance and requirements specification processes with updates are enabled
Requirements Management per item view ✔
Displaying attributes to requirements.
Requirements Management per document view✔
Creating, arranging, selecting of requirements as well as revealing further information to each requirement/feature.
Feature Status Report – automatically generated ✔
Feature progress’ interchange between S1nn and our customers is a key element in progress tracking during implementation phases (contrary to bug tracking in stability phases). Within codeBeamer, the feature progress is always online available for internal purposes, whereas the export of current status is necessary for customers. Prior to codeBeamer, we had a high manually workload for tracking and reporting – today, our life is much easier with the automized status export in Excel via Remote-API.
Document lists - connecting to document management ✔
Customer information about new documents is reasonable when several customer departments deliver requirements separately.
Reports via documents (incl. versions) to Excel ✔
Attributes to documents in codeBeamer enable an extension of own documents versions. A selection of baselines for creation of document lists via remote-API would be appreciated.
Traceability - linking of requirements – DevTask ✔
Requirements refer to work package (DevTask). Directly visible in the requirements decscription, indicated with fulfillment degree.
What will be your next steps to exploit all codeBeamer functions?
For further progress in our customers projects we are planning to
• establish traceability between requirements and associated tests
• automatically generate Dev-Tasks of requirements and features after import
• integrate document generation in codeBeamer’s Wiki, to economize external applications for reporting
• transfer from Subversion to Git
• connection to DOORS, if required by customers
-----------
If you consider to speed-up your projects with codeBeamer Requirements Management just contact us for further info.
Meet Git-Expert Julius Plenz at our Git DVCS InfoDay
May 11, 2012
Happy to announce that Julius Plenz, co-author of
Git Verteilte Versionsverwaltung für Code und Dokumente will speak at our upcoming GIT event on June 28, in Stuttgart!
Julius will explain functions and architecture of Git distributed version control system and demonstrate some application scenarios in software development processes.
Date & Location: June 28, c/o Intland Software in Stuttgart.
Detailed agenda will be available in the next days.
Do not miss this exciting event and send your registration to contact us.
Julius will explain functions and architecture of Git distributed version control system and demonstrate some application scenarios in software development processes.
Date & Location: June 28, c/o Intland Software in Stuttgart.
Detailed agenda will be available in the next days.
Do not miss this exciting event and send your registration to contact us.
Git DVCS + Requirements Management: InfoDay @ Intland Software
May 08, 2012
Just a first notice to introduce our info event about the successful implementation of Git DVCS in software development:
Besides our own belief in Git, more and more of our customers such as Allianz, S1nn, Skoda Electric .... meanwhile adapted this "hot technology". Grab in-depth information from Git leaders, learn in experience reports e.g. from Allianz about "Transition from CVS to Git with codeBeamer" or "UML with Enterprise Architect and codeBeamer" by LieberLieber and get introduced to how efficient requirements management software can optimize your business processes.
Date & Location: June 28, c/o Intland Software in Stuttgart.
Detailed agenda will be available in the next days.
Send your registration to contact us.
Meanwhile, enjoy our latest video and get inspired!
Besides our own belief in Git, more and more of our customers such as Allianz, S1nn, Skoda Electric .... meanwhile adapted this "hot technology". Grab in-depth information from Git leaders, learn in experience reports e.g. from Allianz about "Transition from CVS to Git with codeBeamer" or "UML with Enterprise Architect and codeBeamer" by LieberLieber and get introduced to how efficient requirements management software can optimize your business processes.
Date & Location: June 28, c/o Intland Software in Stuttgart.
Detailed agenda will be available in the next days.
Send your registration to contact us.
Meanwhile, enjoy our latest video and get inspired!
Webinar: Git Management and Integrator Workflow with codeBeamer ALM
May 03, 2012
Webinar: Git Management and Integrator Workflow with codeBeamer ALM
Webinar date: May 09, 2012
Time: 3:00 PM (CEST) / 9:00 AM (EDT)
Presenter: Intland Software
More and more companies are moving their software development from centralized version control systems (CVS) to decentralized version control systems (DVCS).
Git, the open-Source DVCS plays a major role in this movement.
codeBeamer is the Jolt award-winning Requirements (RM) and Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) platform that extends Git with repository management, security, collaboration & browsing.
It helps software development teams using Git to manage their repositories and processes to reach high software quality from requirements to release.
In this webinar you will learn:
- Setup and manage Git repositories
- Fork, clone, edit, commit and merge with Git and Integrator Workflow
- Manage tasks, defects, bugs, tests and assign them to code commits
- Collaborate with your team and customers on code, tasks and changes
The Integrator Workflow demonstrates how every member of your development team can contribute to a project and at the same time code quality can be maintained.
The live presentation will use codeBeamer ALM and Git version control system.
Audience:
Software Developers and Architects, Project Managers, Business Analysts, Requirements Engineers, Risk Managers, Quality Assurance and Testers.
Want to join the Webinar?
It is easy, just click on the following link to register:
Want to have a free web presentation of codeBeamer especially for you and your company?
Please contact us to set up an appointment!
Best Regards,
Your Intland Software Team