DICE development projects - ktd

Management Reports from the RT system

boss — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 15:45:36 +0000

Project ID:

Current stage:

0_Pending

Manager:

ktd

Unit:

us-unit

What:

Description: The RT response tracker system holds a lot of data about tickets and statistics distilled from this data would be valuable management information. The aim of this project is to create a system that can deliver accurate, timely and relevant management information from the data held in the RT database.

Deliverables: Database reports for generating management information from the RT system that would be helpful to the management of the User Support Unit; details of what statistical data is available and what would be useful are to be determined as the first stage of the project.

Why:

Customer: The User Support Unit management.

Case statement:

Suitable data from the RT system could measure some aspects of the effectiveness of user support provided by the User Support Unit and others. It could also point up issues that needed to be looked at, possibly leading to changes in procedures for handling RT tickets.

Performance data could be published so that users had a better understanding of how well or otherwise the user support function was being executed.

When:

Status:

Timescales:

Priority: Medium to low.

Time: It should be possible to produce something useful in a matter of days for someone with the right skills.

How:

Proposal:

Resources: The person doing the project requires a knowledge of sql and some knowledge of relational databases, specifically mysql.

Plan:

Other:

Dependencies: None.

Risks: If the management information was not extracted from the RT system then it would be much more difficult or time consuming to obtain objective data on which to base policies and procedures for handling user requests.

Milestones

Proposed date	Achieved date	Name	Description

Inventory System

boss — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 15:45:32 +0000

Project ID:

Current stage:

5_Completed

Manager:

ktd

Unit:

us-unit

What:

Description: An inventory system to replace the existing mysql inventory and orders database with web/cgi interface.

Deliverables:

A system that has all the positive attributes of the existing system, few if any of its negative attributes and additional features as determined by the requirements capture.

Documentation and training materials for the Computing Support Officer (Administration) for data input and for other computing staff for running queries and reports.

Why:

Customer: A properly functioning inventory of equipment is a legal requirement for the School/University but the main users of the system will be computing staff.

Case statement: It would be helpful for management to have a more flexible query and reporting mechanism than exists on the current system.

When:

Status:

Timescales: Main development work in the February - April 2007.

Priority: Medium to high (presumably could however make do with existing inventory system until this project resourced).

Time:

How:

Proposal:

Resources:

Requires understanding of and experience in databases and user interfaces to same.

Estimate a requirement of about 3-4 full weeks of a person with the above skills (but depends on outcome of requirements capture).

Plan:

Carry out a proper requirements capture exercise before proposal can be firmed up.
Evaluate alternative technologies (database engine mysql, postgres, ingres etc) and the extent to which they can be integrated into existing structures (e.g. TEC database GUI, authentication, LCFG managed)
Set up server for database (or use existing server if appropriate)
Set up/create user interface for loading data.
Bulk load existing data for testing.
Write documentation and training materials.

Other:

Dependencies: No dependencies on any existing projects.

Risks:

URL: http://www.dice.inf.ed.ac.uk/units/user_support/projects/inventory_syste...

Milestones

Proposed date	Achieved date	Name	Description
2007-03-05	2007-03-07	requirements ca	Requirements capture by end of year
2007-05-02	2007-05-02	proposal	Propose details of how the new inventory system will be implemented.
2007-07-31	2007-08-01	Define tables	Define database table changes/additions to support new inventory system.
2007-10-15	2007-10-15	Database change	Implement changes/additions to database tables.
2007-08-28	2007-09-05	Old -> New	Synchronise file records in old and new formats. Creation/change to old format record triggers creation/change to new format record.
2007-10-02	2007-10-03	Input mechanism	Develop new input mechanism creating new format file records and trigger to create /change corresponding old format file record.
2007-11-06	2007-11-07	New format load	Develop loading of new format records into database.
2007-11-20	2007-12-03	Bulk load	Bulk load all historical records and set up syncronisation of new format file records with database.
2008-03-28	2007-12-12	Command line sc	Create command line scripts for common data updates e.g. change of location.
2008-11-04	2008-10-31	Documentation	Complete documentation.
2007-11-20	2007-11-22	hosttoinfdb	Get the ordershost updating the informatics database when either custom format or xml format records are created/updated.
2008-08-31	2008-05-07	Clean data	Work to clean data so that a higher percentage of the data currently held in profiles is transferred to the database.
2008-09-30	2008-09-30	exportheaders	Export inventory data from the Informatics database as header files for each host for inclusion in LCFG profile.

Project Management System

boss — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 15:45:29 +0000

Project ID:

Current stage:

5_Completed

Manager:

ktd

Unit:

us-unit

What:

Description:

A tool to be used for managing
all stages of the project process, including:

Dissemination of information about projects, including proposals, current state, and previous history.
Tracking of project progress, including identification of late projects.
The ability for users to comment on projects.
The generation of various summaries, suitable for managing the overall project process.

It is important that the tool is easy and lightweight to use, at the
same time as providing the necessary information.

Deliverables: Software and documentation.

Why:

Customer: The convenor of the Development Meeting.

Case statement: The remit of the Development Meeting is to manage development
projects, and to make this process transparent and accessible
to users. It is not possible to do this efficiently without
some supporting automation.

When:

Status: The service has been moved to an FC5 rack-mounted server running with fcgi.

Timescales:

Priority: High.

Time:

How:

Proposal: Implement software using rails web service development framework. Use a mysql database as the backend. Use apache 1.3 as the web server so that we can use our normal means of authentication, initially KX509.

Resources: The initial evaluation requires a good understanding of the project requirements and an
ability to download and evaluate potential software. If the evaluation indicates that some local software development is required, then software development skills will be necessary. 2-3 person-weeks are estimated as necessary for the initial requirements gathering and evaluation phase. Implementation effort cannot be
estimated until this is complete.

Plan:

Requirements capture (DevMeetManageSoftwareRequirements).
Investigation of potential existing candidate packages.
Recommendations to use imported package and/or develop local software.
Possible software development.
Production system implementation.
Evaluation in production and possible refinement.

Other:

Dependencies: No dependencies on any existing projects.

Risks:

URL:https://wiki.inf.ed.ac.uk/DICE/DevelopmentMeetingSoftwareProject

Milestones

Proposed date	Achieved date	Name	Description
2006-10-20	2006-10-20	basic	Implement a basic service with the agreed functionality on an FC3 machine. User documentation for basic use of the service will be written
2006-11-28	2006-11-15	refined	Make all agreed changes following the review of the project after the previous milestone
2006-11-06	2006-11-08	project load	Project leaders to enter data on all projects at stage 1 or later.
2007-01-16	2006-12-15	faster	Make performance improvement changes using mod_fcgi and mod_ruby (if not already made).
2007-02-05	2007-02-07	pending data	Project leaders to transfer data on all pending projects to this system.
2007-03-06	2007-03-07	service docs	Document the devproj service to the extent that its components are described and how it can be restarted, recovered from backup etc.