Goals of this Project

1
TASSCC 2008 Annual ConferenceAugust 11, 2008
How the Texas Project Delivery Framework Can
Chart the Course for All Your Application
Development
2
Purpose

• To illustrate the positive results gained by the
  Texas Lottery Commission after adopting the Texas
  Project Delivery Framework as the standard
  methodology for implementing all internal
  software technology projects regardless of size

3
The Agenda

• Introduction
• Where We Were
• Our Goals
• The Solution
• Questions???

4
Texas Lottery Commission

• East 6TH Street , Austin
• Comprised of Bingo and Lottery
• Lottery - Over 15 billion for State of Texas
  since inception in 1992
• Lottery Over 10 billion went to Foundation
  School Fund
• Lottery - Over 1 billion to Foundation School
  fund in 2007
• Bingo 18.1 million people played Bingo in 2007
• Bingo - 32 million in charitable distributions
  in 2007

5
A little about me Gary Mayes

• Worked extensively in software applications
  design and support for 20 years
• Started in IT in 1988 as a computer programmer
  with SPGSC
• Spent 10 years supporting Licensing Agencies with
  SPGSC and DIR
• Outsourced in 1998 to Northrup Grumman
• Hired by the Lottery in 1998 as a computer
  programmer
• Currently assigned as the Quality Assurance and
  Systems Analyst Coordinator

6
Where We Were What needed improvement

• Standards non-existent
• Systems Documentation yeah right
• User Documentation Its your system, dont you
  know how it works?
• Project Management - Who me, Im just a
  developer?
• Development Methodology hodgepodge of different
  views
• Stakeholder Trust - Thats not what I wanted
  and why did it take so long?

7
How did we get there?

• Small shop
• Differing skill sets
• Multiple hardware and software environments.
  Mainframe, MS servers, MS software applications,
  Oracle applications
• Stakeholders need it now mentality
• Single point of support ( analysis, development
  and production ) for each application with a Do
  it my way attitude

8
The Goals of the Project Charting the Course
for Success

• Adopt a standard methodology for software
  development
• Improve software standards
• Improve system documentation
• Generate user documentation
• Increase user involvement in their own projects
• Create an environment of trust with the project
  stakeholders
• Deliver projects more efficiently

9
IT management made a decision...

• Adopt the Texas Project Delivery Framework as the
  standard methodology for implementing all
  internal software technology projects.

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Why? What Were the Intended Benefits?
What course do we take?

• Scalable
• Affordable
• Project Management
• Systems Documentation
• User Documentation
• Change Control
• User involvement and acceptance
• Training
• Audit Requirements

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Scalable - How many masts does our ship need?

• We could adapt the needed framework gates
  according to the size of the project.
• Only use the gates necessary.
• From a dingy to a schooner, the right size for
  the right job.

12
Affordable Whats this trip gonna cost?

• Direction and framework training provided by DIR
• Able to reorganize current staff to meet the
  needs
• Quality Assurance and Systems Analyst team
• Two Development teams
• Web Design team
• Database Administrator team
• Transition of systems to integrated hardware and
  software platforms. Significant costs for
  hardware / software upgrades, but we needed this
  anyway.
• Staff development
• Used current training budgets
• Mentoring program
• Transition of the way we did business.
  Retrofitting existing projects caused some
  delays. Decisions had to be made.

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Project Management

• Required by design.
• Team leads became project managers.
• Attended Project Management training
• Mentored other staff
• Framework gates and document templates are
  stepping stones to good project management
• Provides a System Development Life Cycle guide
• http//www.dir.state.tx.us/pubs/framework/extensio
  ns/sdlc/sdlcguide/sdlc-guide.pdf

14
Systems Documentation

• Framework provided the tools.
• Templates modified to fit our needs
• Project Charter
• Project Plan
• Software Requirements Specifications
• Data Dictionary
• User Roles and Privileges
• Process Flow Diagrams
• Use Cases
• Screen Prototypes
• Report Prototypes
• Project Acceptance
• Others as needed

15
User Documentation

• Tweaked existing software requirements and test
  scripts to provide basic user documentation
• Turned these documents over to business analysts
  in the corresponding departments
• Business analysts added business rules to create
  functional user process flows.

16
Change Control

• Software requirements are agreed to and signed
  off by user project manager
• Changes to requirements are now obvious to the
  user

17
User Involvement and Acceptance

• Charter and Project Plan signed by users
• JADs user involvement, management and staff
• Budget
• Software Requirements Document
• Business Process Flows
• User Privileges
• Use Cases
• Screen Design
• Report Design
• Change Control
• User Acceptance Testing
• Signoff

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Meets Audit Requirements

• Documentation, documentation, documentation.
  Cant say it enough.
• Systems Security
• SRS document defines access and roles
• Separation of duties.
• Developers have no access to production
• DBAs move code
• Users must request system access in writing
• Approval of project documents in writing

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Training

• Sent Analysts to DIR Framework instruction
• Cross trained Quality Assurance Analysts and
  Systems Analysts
• Sent Analysts, QA Analysts, Developers and Users
  to Use Case Training
• Detailed User Acceptance Testing provides system
  training for the core user group ( Train the
  Trainer )
• The Trainer then trains the rest of the staff on
  new systems

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Summary Avoided most obstacles along the way
and reached our destination

• Accepted Life Cycle Methodology
• Standards
• Systems Documentation
• User Documentation
• Project Management
• Security Controls
• Meets Audit Requirements
• User Involvement
• 80-20 rule Efficiency

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Contact Info

• Gary Mayes
• QA/Systems Analyst Coordinator
• Texas Lottery Commission
• gary.mayes_at_lottery.state.tx.us
• [phone]