This document provides an overview of the initial planning process for software capabilities and releases between the first and second Product Authorization Committee (PAC) meetings. It defines key terms like PAC, plans, schedules, projects, capabilities and releases. The purpose of initial planning is to identify high-level capability use cases, requirements, resources, risks and timelines to create a release proposal for review. Next steps include managers guestimating scales for capabilities and identifying high-level risks to build the proposal to review with product management. Tools and upcoming training sessions are also noted.

1. GLOBAL SOFTWARE
Initial Planning Next Steps
June 2013

2. INTRODUCTION
» Purpose:
• Review capability initial planning steps between PAC1 and PAC2
• Clarify frequently used terminology
• Set expectations for next steps

3. OVERVIEW
» Current CDP
• Concept (Ends with PAC1)
• Feasibility (Ends with PAC2)
• Development (Ends with PAC3)
• Validation (Ends with PAC4 – release of product)
• Sustaining (Ends with PAC5 – end of life)

4. TERMS
» PAC: PAC stands for Product Authorization Committee. The PAC is required to
review completion of each phase of the release and allow it to move to the next
phase.
» Plan vs. schedule (WBS, estimate, resources)
• A Plan is a written document describing each necessary element of the
process. In the IEE Release Process, a tiered plan structure is used where
a Release Plan is at the highest level, a Capability Plan is subordinated to
the Release Plan, and a Task (or department) Plan is subordinated to a
Capability Plan.
• A schedule is a component of a plan that uses the Work Breakdown
Structure (WBS) and applies start dates, durations and resources to
accomplish each task in the WBS. Schedules will be located on Project
Server and be available as a Gantt chart to show current status of each
WBS level.

5. TERMS
» Project vs. capability vs. release
• For the IEE Release Process, the word ‘project’ is used to describe the
collection of administrative functions for running a Release or Capability
effort.
• A capability is the lowest level of requirements and planning. A capability
could be delivered alone or with a group of related capabilities.
• A release is a collection of capabilities designed and tested to meet market
requirements.

6. INITIAL PLANNING
» Purpose is high level, not getting into detailed planning
» Capability use cases are identified by Product Management
» Requirements are still being developed
» Time/Resource/Risk are all ballpark
» End result is a Release Proposal which includes a yes/no list of
capabilities with a timeframe for release.

7. NEXT STEPS
» Managers review capability list and provide guestimate
• If capability is not understood, request meeting with PLM
• Guestimate will include the number of resources and a
small/medium/large scale (1-mo/2-mo/3-mo)
» Managers review capability with guestimates and identify high level risk
(schedule, resources, etc.); Identify risk and probability
» Once the list is completed, review for yes/no to move forward (proposed)
» Review list (now a release proposal) with PLM

8. TOOLS
» Guestimate template

9. TOOLS
» Project Web App Risk List
» TFS Risk Item Type coming later this
month

10. UPCOMING
» Full process rollout session
» Risk workshop

11. Questions?

12. THANK YOU
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