Assignment 2
1. What do you think are the advantages of having such an evolutionary team structure for software development?
With reference to the above diagram, the structure of the software project team is hierachy in nature. The architecture, development and assessment teams come under the charge of the management team at the top of the hierachy. The management team ensures proper coordination of efforts and communication between different teams and leads to higher productivity and thus teams meeting targeted datelines for their projects.
2. What are the inherent problems in such a structure?
The structure is not without flaws. The first targets the assignment of weightages (involvement) required by various teams in the life-cycle of a software project. In theory, the figures may be feasible but it does not reflect the unforseen circumstances that are inherent in the life-cycle of a software project that requires the involvement of several teams concurrently. Thus, the assignment of the weightages may not reflect the actual situation accurately.
The second flaw is the architecture, development and assessment teams acted as stand-alone units, without any proper communications between each other. In the evolution of a software, the lack of communication causes conflicts, leading to human-errors and delay of projects.
3. Modify the diagram and show how you would improve the team structure.
The above structure is proposed. The structure is ego-less in nature implying that there are communications between every team. With a network, teams will be able to communicate effectively, reducing conflicts and improving productivitiy. The software management team which is highlighted in red will be the brain of the structure, by distributing tasks according to individual capabilities and coordinating efforts. This helps to optimise resource allocation and enhances productivity. |
