Model-driven assignment of work to a software factory

• US 8,660,878 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2011
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globalfoundries US Incorporated (GlobalFoundries, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bernardini, Fausto, Chaar, Jarir K., Chee, Yi-Min, Ratakonda, Krishna C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunham, Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): HATCHER, DEIRDRE D
• Application Number:
  US13/160,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20120323624A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.12, 705/7.13, 705 715- 717, 705/7.22, 717/101, 717/102, 700/108, 700/105, 700/109
• US Class Current: 705/7.16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations

Abstract

A computer implemented method, system, and/or computer program product assigns work to a software factory for implementing a project. A project model of a project is generated. Project model subcomponents are mapped to work packets that are available to a software factory, thus leading to the generation of a work plan for performing the project via an execution of the available work packets.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of assigning work to a software factory for executing a project, the computer implemented method comprising:

generating via a processor a project model from a process, wherein the project model is of a current project state that describes executable deliverables and states of the executable deliverables of a current project, wherein the project model is comprised of a set of model elements, wherein each model element is characterized by an element type, wherein each element type defines a set of element states, wherein each element state from the set of element states describes lifecycle states for a particular model element of the project model, and wherein each element state from the set of elements states describes a set of relationships that exist between the particular model element and other model elements in the project model;

mapping via the processor project model subcomponents of the project model to work packets that are available in a software factory, wherein each of said work packets comprises a header, wherein the header comprises a unique identification number, a description of said each of said work packets, a type description of said each of said work packets, an identifier of a parent object from which said each of said work packets has inheritance, and a checklist for returning said each of said work packets to the software factory after a customized deliverable unit of software has been delivered by the software factory;

determining via the processor which available work packets in the software factory are necessary work packets for executing the current project, wherein the determining is based on which work assignments are necessary for executing the current project;

generating via the processor an initial work plan for executing the project via an execution of the available work packets; and

in response to detecting changes to the project model, the processor displaying impacted work packets, wherein the changes to the project model comprise a new feature being added, an old feature being removed, and a new constraint being removed from the project model, and wherein the impacted work packets comprise work packets that are newly called, newly divorced, and newly modified for use by the software factory.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the project model comprises both executable and non-executable subcomponents.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

the processor converting the non-executable subcomponents into executable subcomponents before mapping the project model subcomponents to the work packets.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

the processor, in response to detecting a change to the project model, generating a new work plan.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the software factory comprises:

a software factory governance section that evaluates a project proposal for acceptance by the software factory; and

an assembly line and job shop that receive and execute the available work packets to create deliverable software.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the assembly line and job shop further comprise:

a published set of services and a published set of requirements for the assembly line and job shop, wherein the published set of services and the published set of requirements for the assembly line and job shop are published to a design center, and wherein the published set of services describes what assembly services for assembling work packets are offered by the assembly line and job shop, and wherein the published set of requirements describes what execution environment must be used by work packets that are provided by the design center for assembly in the assembly line and job shop.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 6, wherein the work packets include governance procedures, standards, reused assets, work packet instructions, integration strategy, schedules, exit criteria and artifact checklist templates for Input/Output routines.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 7, wherein the assembly line and job shop includes software that automatically recognizes a project type for a project proposal, and wherein the assembly line and job shop assemble the work packets into the deliverable software in accordance with the project type that is recognized by the assembly line and job shop.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein the assembly line and job shop conduct an integration test, a system test, a system integration test and a performance test of the deliverable software, wherein the integration test tests the deliverable software for compatibility with a client'"'"'s system, the system test checks the client'"'"'s system to ensure that the client'"'"'s system is operating properly, the system integration test tests for bugs that may arise when the deliverable software is integrated into the client'"'"'s system, and the performance test tests the deliverable software for defects as it is executing in the client'"'"'s system.

10. A computer program product for assigning work to a software factory for executing a project, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage media;

first program instructions to generate a project model from a process, wherein the project model is of a current project state that describes executable deliverables and states of the executable deliverables of a current project;

second program instructions to map project model subcomponents of the project model to work packets that are available in a software factory, wherein each of said work packets comprises a header, wherein the header comprises a unique identification number, a description of said each of said work packets, a type description of said each of said work packets, an identifier of a parent object from which said each of said work packets has inheritance, and a checklist for returning said each of said work packets to the software factory after a customized deliverable unit of software has been delivered by the software factory;

third program instructions to determine which available work packets in the software factory are necessary work packets for executing the current project, wherein the determining is based on which work assignments are necessary for executing the current project;

fourth program instructions to generate an initial work plan for executing the project via an execution of the available work packets; and

fifth program instructions to, in response to detecting changes to the project model, display impacted work packets, wherein the changes to the project model comprise a new feature being added to the project model, an old feature being removed from the project model, and a new constraint being removed from the project model, and wherein the impacted work packets comprise work packets that are newly called, newly divorced, and newly modified for use by the software factory; and

wherein

the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media and executed by the processor via the computer readable memory.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the project model comprises both executable and non-executable subcomponents.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

sixth program instructions to convert the non-executable subcomponents into executable subcomponents before mapping the project model subcomponents to the work packets; and

wherein the sixth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media and executed by the processor via the computer readable memory.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

[sixth program instructions to, in response to detecting a change to the project model, generate a new work plan that uses different work packets than those used by the initial work plan; and

wherein the sixth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media and executed by the processor via the computer readable memory.

14. A computer system comprising:

a processor, a computer readable memory, and a computer readable storage media;

first program instructions to generate a project model from a process, wherein the project model is of a current project state that describes executable deliverables and states of the executable deliverables of a current project;

second program instructions to map project model subcomponents of the project model to work packets that are available in a software factory, wherein each of said work packets comprises a header, wherein the header comprises a unique identification number, a description of said each of said work packets, a type description of said each of said work packets, an identifier of a parent object from which said each of said work packets has inheritance, and a checklist for returning said each of said work packets to the software factory after a customized deliverable unit of software has been delivered by the software factory;

third program instructions to determine which available work packets in the software factory are necessary work packets for executing the current project, wherein the determining is based on which work assignments are necessary for executing the current project;

fourth program instructions to generate an initial work plan for executing the project via an execution of the available work packets; and

fifth program instructions to, in response to detecting changes to the project model, display impacted work packets, wherein the changes to the project model comprise a new feature being added to the project model, an old feature being removed from the project model, and a new constraint being removed from the project model, and wherein the impacted work packets comprise work packets that are newly called, newly divorced, and newly modified for use by the software factory; and

wherein

the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media and executed by the processor via the computer readable memory.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the project model comprises both executable and non-executable subcomponents.

16. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

sixth program instructions to convert the non-executable subcomponents into executable subcomponents before mapping the project model subcomponents to the work packets; and

wherein the sixth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media and executed by the processor via the computer readable memory.

17. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising:

sixth program instructions to, in response to detecting a change to the project model, generate a new work plan that uses different work packets than those used by the initial work plan; and

wherein the sixth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media and executed by the processor via the computer readable memory.