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Subject:Re: Lead time between code freeze and release From:Scott Turner <sturner -at- airmail -dot- net> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 08 Dec 2000 08:45:01 -0600
Ok, I've seen the other replies, I will give a reply based upon my experiences.
Software involved was a proprietary, pc-based distributed control system for
HVAC (heating, ventilation and airconditioning controls). The system was written
in C++, was built upon old 8-bit code that resembled spagetti in the way it was
constructed. It therefore had the one redeeming feature that when a project
touched more than one area (which it invariably did) the new code would break
something that used to work. This increased the test and repair phase and always
extended the release date farther into the future.
Our process was to begin immediately with what we knew. Document from the
specification as far as possible, then when working code was built and released
for test, document by discovery.
We lived in the test engineer's back pockets. We were each others best friends
in the process. We supported them, they supported us. Allies. We were both QA
for the software engineers.
I always estimated that by the time the last iteration of test was completed,
then we would need 2 to 3 weeks of time to complete documentation.
This could be extended if there was only one writer, since we did both the
manuals and the help system.
Rule of thumb was 2 to 3 weeks, extended by 2 weeks if no other help was
available for Help systems. This usually allowed us to also get the manuals
printed for shippment.
Scott
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