SERUM Software Engineering Risk: Understanding and Management

1
SERUM Software Engineering Risk Understanding
and Management

• COMM80 Risk Assessment of Systems Change
• Unit 15

2
Objectives of Session Coverage

• To gain an overview of the SERUM method.
• To understand the usage of SSM within it.
• To understand the usage of Evolutionary
  Development within it.
• To be able to compare it against other risk
  methods, for suitability of use and accessibility.

3
SERUM Method
4
SERUM

• Premise Change is inevitable for all commercial
  software systems
• For any application, there will be many potential
  changes.
• Approach tackle those changes that provide the
  best cost-benefit ratio.
• But there is risk associated with any change. In
  particular technical risk and development risk,

5
SERUM Change Priority

• Priority of change is expressed as a function of
  five variables.
• risk exposure in the current system,
• risk exposure in the proposed system,
• risk exposure in the implementation of a change
• cost of a defined change
• benefit of a defined change

6
Method Composition

• Soft Systems Methodology - Checkland
• used in step 1 through to step 5

7
Method Composition

• Evolutionary Development - Gilb
• used in steps 6-9 and afterwards (outcomes from
  steps)

8
SSM in SERUM Business analysis of the system

• provides a set of recommendations for change
  (organisational and/or technological).
• the recommendations define the gap between the
  current and the ideal model.
• may identify major changes to an existing way of
  working.
• Risk is associated with the disruption to the
  organisation.

9
Evolutionary development plan the implementation
of changes

• Parts of a system are implemented and delivered
  in phases.
• Each part is evaluated by the client
• The feedback is used in implementing subsequent
  phases.

10
Evolutionary development

• Development of measurable goals and attributes is
  crucial to this aspect.
• Development relies on understanding the
  requirements and goals of the customer.
• Gilb emphasises the need for
• explicit goals,
• measurable goals and
• best case/worse case analyses.

11
Evolutionary development

• Gilb emphasises the need for interaction between
  developers and
• customers,
• users,
• budget controllers,
• i.e. stakeholders

12
Evolutionary development

• No mechanism exists for ensuring
  correct/ appropriate requirements.
• But goals and measurements approach makes
  these more explicit and defined.
• Development projects typically affected by
  vagueness
• Gilbs approach requires developers to liaise
  with stakeholders to define goals and
  measurements.

13
SERUM and systems change

• Users/decision makers involved in
• SSM aspects
• not in Evolutionary development aspect.
• But
• to control project when using evolutionary
  approach ask for measurable goals from
  developers (whether internal or external).
• Should use a two way mechanism.

14
SERUM and systems change

• Is this more than an evolutionary development
  approach?
• Yes
• provides framework
• merger of SSM and evolutionary development
  strengthens Gilbs approach.
• Broader view of system than the software system.