Implementation of Global software development : a Structured approach.

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Implementation of Global software development : a Structured approach.

Abstract:

Globalization of software development is the strategy that organizations endeavoring to gain and maintain competitive advantage. This advantage is attributed to the benefits provided by labour arbitrage, which offers the opportunity for reduced development costs, which continues to be facilitated by the availability of well
educated and technically competent software engineers in low-cost centre's in Eastern Europe, Latin America, India and the Far East. The difficulties encountered include factors such as the problem of
understanding requirements, testing of systems, coordination, cultural and language differences, lack of communication, geographical and temporal distance from team members and the customer, different process maturity levels, development and testing tools, standards, technical ability and experience.

Distance has been identified as a key problem and by its very nature introduces barriers and complexity into the management of globally distributed projects
1. Geographical distance introduces physical separation between team members and management.
2. Temporal distance hinders and limits opportunities for direct con-tact and cooperation
3. Linguistic distance limits the ability for coherent communication to take place
4. Cultural distance negatively impacts on the level of understanding and appreciation of the activities and efforts of remote colleagues and teams Coordination, visibility, communication and cooperation are all negatively impacted with distance.

The paper explains the 10 key GSD factors needed to establish and facilitate the operation of globally distributed virtual teams. Each of these factors are implemented in five phases namely, Initiating, provisioning, establishing, managing, and leveraging.

Objectives of Paper:

1. To understand the opportunity for round the clock development facilitated by the temporal difference between remote development locations.
2. To come up with a strategy for the establishment, operation and the effective management of virtual software teams (GSD).
3. To understand the difficulties in GSD caused by cultural and language differences, lack of communication, geographical and temporal distance from team members and the customer, different process maturity levels, development and testing tools, standards, technical ability and experience.
4. Building up effective project management strategy, popular communication tool, effective coordination and control structure needed.
5. Achieving a motivated and cohesive team with a common purpose and shared goals and objectives in a globally distributed virtual team.

Motivation for Paper:

1. Understanding the GSD key factors enable us to achieve a simpler and structured approach in implementing GSD, which has complex barriers.
2. Change of Strategy in Implementation of an outsourcing needed than that of prior applying strategy of collocated software development.
3. Benefiting from competitive pricing and reduce time to market, thus enabling companies to compete more effectively in global market.
4. To study on facilitating collaboration and cooperation within the distributed team, Enforcement of trust between team members.
5. To study on the importance of investment in key infrastructure, pervasive risk management, investing time, effort and money in training.

Lessons learned through the Paper:

           There is a need to facilitate competitive pricing and reduce time to market, thus enabling companies to compete more effectively by gaining, expanding or maintaining their market share, when operating in what are increasingly dynamic and volatile markets.

The IDEAL-sm model presented a simple, but comprehensive framework on which the GSD Implementation Model could be based. The GSD Implementation Model had five phases with their constituent key factors. They are as follows:

INITIATING - Determine why, if and how the GSD approach is to be implemented.
1. Understand why and at what cost and risk the strategy is undertaken.
PROVISIONING - Ensure provision of effective infrastructure and documented process.
2. Provision of effective infrastructure, process and documentation
ESTABLISHING - Requirement to effectively establish the GSD teams.
3. Requirement to effectively establish the teams
MANAGING - Implementation of an efficient GSD project management strategy.
4. Implement an efficient distributed team project management strategy
5. Ensure the development of common goals, objectives and rewards
6. Need for the clear definition of roles and responsibilities
7. Address issues related to culture, communication, motivation and fear
8. Ensure provision of adequate training and knowledge transfer
9. Facilitate and monitor the operation of collaborative and supportive teams
LEVERAGING- Document and leverage lessons learned for existing and future projects.
10. Document and leverage lessons learned

Concluding Remarks

The GSD Implementation Model provides a process through which organizations can approach the implementation of a GSD strategy. Within its five phases it addresses the specific requirements of operating in a GSD environment,taking the ten GSD Key Factors which we identified into account. The required infrastructure, processes and supports are put in place, Senior management support, and an effective project management strategy based on the needs of the GSD environment is implemented. The documenting and leveraging of the experience gained during implementing is the key for long term success of this GSD approach.