Monday 18 February 2008

Documentation - Software Projects

I'm currently writing technical documentation for a $2.6 million dollar software project. Most people you ask about what this documentation should include and what format it should be in will have a different answer for you.

So I guess the first step is to talk to who you are writing the documents for and see what they want, are there existing templates being used in your organisation? Are these templates relevant for your project?

Thursday 14 February 2008

Tools and Utils - System Information

BGInfo is a little tool that displays a load of your system information as a bmp on your desktop. Follow the link for more information

BGInfo

Excel Training - Small Tips - Pasting

Some small tips when using Excel.

On pasting you get smart tag next to the newly pasted cell where you can select to maintain existing formatting.

Excel Training - Small Tips - WorkSheet Size

Some small tips when using Excel.

There are 256 columns in default sheet to get to last column CTRL + {right arrow}
There are 65536 rows in default sheet to get to last column CTRL + {down arrow}

Excel Training - Small Tips - Password

Some small tips when using Excel.

To enforce a password when opening or modifying your spreadsheet.

File - Save As - General Options.

Excel Training - Small Tips - Insert Comments

Some small tips when using Excel.

To Insert a comment, select your cell then right click and Select Insert comments.

Excel Training - Small Tips - Entering Data

Some small tips when using Excel.

You can enter the same data to multiple cells by highlighting them, enter your data, then hold down CTRL when pressing Enter.

Or.
On selecting a cell, move your mouse over thick border, you get big 4 way arrow, click and drag to move the data to another cell.

Or.
On selecting a cell, move your mouse over bottom right corner get smaller 4 way cross, click and drag to copy to data to new cells. At this point you can also select the smart tag and select Fill Series to generate series of data.

Excel Training - Small Tips - Undo Button

Some small tips when using Excel.

Next to the Undo button in the toolbar there is a little down arrow. When selected you can select and undo multiple previous steps.

Excel Training - Small Tips - Default Data Entry

Some small tips when using Excel.

To change the default direction of cell selection after entering data, then pressing Enter, goto Tools - Options - Edit

Thursday 7 February 2008

Agile - Scrum for Team Systems.

I'm starting on a new project at the moment and we are going to use Scrum for Team Systems as a project management methodology. More info on here.

• SCRUM
• SPRINT

Sprint is duration of work.
Scrum is meeting to discuss this duration of work

Product Backlog – list of activities eg
• Create install doc
• Implement AD security
• Create LOA workflow

Prioritise and Precedent your list

Add length of time to each activity.

Create Sprint of 1 month say this equals 160 hours.


Team MemberHoursTime AvailableDrag CoefficientTotal
Donald160 0.80.8103
Carlos160 0.50.216
Jim 160 1.00.9144
Michael1601.0 0.9144
407


Pick items from Product backlog for Sprint Backlog.

Expand each item from product backlog to have more detail and give each item length of time eg between 2 and 16 hours.

Get to your total of 407 hours and this what your going to do complete in the Sprint.


SCRUM is daily or regular meeting that is around 15 minutes long and has 3 questions.
• How did you go with yesterdays tasks
• Are any impediments stopping you from completing tasks
• What are you going to do today.

Have ‘burn graph’
Y axis max is 407 min 0 and is hours in sprint
X axis min is 0 to 15 days in sprint.

Ideally you will follow linear line down to 0 hours left…. But realistically you will have visual indication how sprint is progressing and you can react to it…

Wednesday 6 February 2008

Excel Training - Templates on Office Online

I'm just flicking through some xls training videos and was reminded of this link which can be found in Excel when you go File > New Workbook - Templates on Office Online.

Friday 1 February 2008