A gile Project Management Best P r acti c es and Essays

A gile Project Management: Best P r acti c es and Methodologies WHITE P APE R A gil e Project Management: Bes t P r acti c e s and Methodologies 1. The Art of Project Management 2. Traditional Project Management Methodologies 3. Agile Project Management Methodology 4. Agile Frameworks 4.1 Scrum: roles, sprints and artifacts 4.2 Kanban: comprehensive solution to handling work in progress 4.3 Lean: eliminating waste in software engineering 5. Agile Software Engineering Best Practices: Extreme Programming Conclusion References 1. T he Art o f Project Management Regardless of the industry, project management has proven to be a crucial element of a company's efficiency and its eventual success. In fact, projects are usually 2.5 times more successful when proven project management practices are used [1] . As defined by Gartner , project management is "the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements" [2] . Being an integral part of software engineering process along with the business analysis and requirement specification, design, programming and testing, the project management has been a matter of considerable debate for years. Regardless of the scope, any project should follow a sequence of actions to be controlled and managed. According to the Project Management Institute (PMI) , a typical project management process includes the following phases: 1. Initiation; 2. Planning; 3. Execution; 4. Performance/Monitoring; 5. Project close. Used as a roadmap to accomplish specific tasks, these phases define the project management lifecycle. Yet, this structure is too general. A project usually has a number of internal stages within each phase. They can vary greatly depending on the scope of work, the team, the industry and the project itself. In attempts to find a universal approach to managing any project, humanity has developed a significant number of PM techniques and methodologies. 2. T r aditional Project Management Methodologies Based on the above-described classic framework, traditional methodologies take a step-by-step approach to the project execution. Thus, the project goes through the initiation, planning, execution, monitoring straight to its closure in consecutive stages. Often called linear , this approach includes a number of internal phases which are sequential and executed in a chronological order. Applied most commonly to the construction or manufacturing industry, where li ttle or no changes are required at every stage, traditional project management has found its application in the software engineering as well. Known as a waterfall model , it has been a dominant software development methodology since the early 1970s, when formally described by Winston W. Royce : Ther e ar e tw o essentia l step s commo n t o al l computer progra m developments , regardles s o f siz e o r complexity. Ther e i s firs t a n analysi s step , followe d secon d b y a coding ste p .. . Thi s sor t o f v er y simpl e implementatio n concep t is i n fac t al l tha t i s require d i f th e effor t i s sufficientl y small an d i f th e fina l produc t i s t o b e operate d b y thos e who buil t i t - a s i s typicall y don e wit h compute r program s for interna l use. W a t er f all Model Waterfall model has a strong emphasis on planning and specifications development: it is considered to take up to 40% of the project time and budget . Another basic principle of this approach is a strict order of the project phases. A new project stage does not begin until the previous one is finished. The method works well for clearly defined projects with a single deliverable and fixed deadline. Waterfall approach requires thorough planning, extensive project documentation and a tight control over the development process. In theory, this should lead to on-time, on-budget delivery, low project risks, and predictable final results. However, when applied to the actual software engineering process, waterfall method tends to be slow, costly and inflexible due to the numerous restrictions. In many cases, its inability to adjust the product

Characther Essay For Lamb To The Slaughter Essays - Fiction

Characther Essay For Lamb To The Slaughter Essays - Fiction Characther Essay For Lamb To The Slaughter Character Essay Characterization, a method that an author chooses to develop his/her character, is a very important element in a story. In Lamb to the Slaughter, Roald Dahl, effectively develops the protagonist both directly and indirectly; however, the use of indirect characterization is more dominant because it reveals her actions and how she deals with her conflict, her words, and creating a dynamic character with her words, and her personality. First, she seems like a typical house-wife longing for her husband to return, but something is odd about this particular day; There was a slow smiling air about her, and about everything she didwas curiously tranquilthe eyes, with their new placid look, seemed larger, and darker than before (108). It was almost as if she is expecting something unusual to happen, and that she is preparing for that specific moment. In addition, her actions change from being a wife-pleasing-husband, to a self-conscious woman that knew all of a sudden, exactly what to do, as if she had been prepared for months. Also, in the beginning of the story she is described as a inoffensive, harmless person, but immediately after her husband reveals his burden, she becomes unstable and almost naturally she hits her husband. She simply walked up behind him and without any pause she swung the big frozen leg of lamband brought it down as hard as she could (111). And as strange as it looks, she goes somewhat through a metamorphoses, from being a content house-wife, to a maniac, possessed woman, to the point of killing her husband. Second, she reveals through her words, her duplicity and deceitfulness by exterminating all the evidence left. When the police arrived she trying to hide evidence, asks for her husbands whiskey, Jackwould you mind giving me a drink?You mean this whiskey?Yes, pleaseWhy dont you eat up that lamb that is in the oven? (115,116), and the reader realizes that she tries to convince others with her deceitful lies, and with a concrete set of credible words, she gets away easily; She tried a smile. It came out so peculiarThe voice sounded so peculiar tooShe rehearsed it several times more (112). Mrs. Maloney, had thought about it even before the incident happened, for she tries to look as normal as possible, by acting it out her daily routine. Finally, her personality creates in her a dynamic characterization, and as the reader observes it when she is talking to the shopkeeper, by saying something very odd: I got a nice leg of lamb from the freezerI dont much like cooking it frozenbut Im taking a chance on it this time. You think itll be alltight? (112). What she was really referring, was what she had done just minutes ago. But when she said , at the end, to him if itll be allright? she revealed a weak, fragile nature as if she had been pulled out of a protective coat all of a sudden and left naked, for she is described by the narrator as a loving and faithful wife, who is willing to do anything for her husband. Moreover, at the end when she offers the leg of lamb to the officers, she does another extraordinary act; And in the other room, Mary Maloney began to giggle (116). And by doing so, she was declaring that she was indeed independent, and was mature enough to make her own decisions based on what she thought was the b est, not others. Roald Dahl, developed the protagonist successfully in Lamb to the Slaughter, through a way that is important in this short story. Where indirect characterization is the most predominant in the protagonists actions, words, and how the author creates a convincing dynamic character, which reflects it in the body itself.

Google (unionization) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Google (unionization) - Essay Example The only indication of employee unrest surfaced on one occasion when Google employees discovered that the Company had been secretly monitoring their activities using concealed cameras on desktop PCs.(Khouieri,2007) but this was easily and quickly dissipated with an offer of increase in pay. From the perspective of key stakeholders however, the lack of unionization is beneficial, especially because it ensures that company operations are unlikely to be held up for too long due to strikes or similar collective action by employees. In a global online environment, that requires constant employee input in updating and maintaining sites and processing applications, any hindrance in the continuous progression of work could be disastrous and affect consumers, advertisers and Google’s partners all over the world. In a competitive environment, consumers have been increasingly discriminating and demanding, thereby requiring employees to be constantly vigilant in developing new products and services. Employees also need to be vigilant in dealing with problems such as the development of viruses and/or impediments in the smooth operation of software applications associated with Google’s search engine, Adsense programs and other technological applications. A strike by employees brought on by unions demanding higher pay or better working conditions for example, would cause these activities to grind to a halt and adversely affect the interests of consumers, many of whom are heavily dependent upon the online environment in their day to day work activities. Any impediment in the work of employees would also hinder the interests of vendors and suppliers who are liable to lose any cost advantages they may be currently enjoying in their relationship with Google. Where management is concerned, the scope for profits of the Company would also be severely affected, because in a competitive online environment, any impediment to employee inputs could result in

Financial Analysis of Bluescope Steel Ltd and Onesteel Ltd Australia Research Paper

Financial Analysis of Bluescope Steel Ltd and Onesteel Ltd Australia - Research Paper Example Today, millions of shares are traded every day on the world's stock markets. (Penman, 2003). Most often, investors see valuation as the first step toward intelligent investing. It has been argued (e.g. Penman 2003) that an investor can make informed decisions about where to invest once the value of shares are determine based upon the fundamentals. This is so because, without this value investors can either buy high or sell low Investors who trade on these stocks are often forced to ask themselves whether they are buying or selling at the right price. (Penman, 2003). In the face of this situation and their quest for an alternate answer, investors turn to various media including internet chat rooms, printed press, and "talking heads" on television and financial networks, who often voice opinions on what they feel the stock prices should be. (Penman, 2003). In addition, investors consult investment analysts who provide an almost endless stream of information and recommendations to sort out. There are often claims that some shares are undervalued and vice versa. (Penman, 2003). Faced with too much information, Investors at times get confused with no clear indication of what the true prices of stocks should be. (Penman, 2003). Under such circumstances, the investor either make decision based on his or her instinct, such investors according to Penman (2003) are intuitive investors while others who make their decision based on capital market efficiency are referred to as passive investors. Penman, (2003) further argues that in making their decision, passive investors assumed that the market price is a fair price of the shares quoted. These investment mechanisms appear to be very simple, as they do not require much effort. (Penman, 2003: pp 3). How ever that is not the case as neither passive nor intuitive investor turn to be better off in the face of their decision. This is so because these sets of investors can either pay to high or sell too low. Having said that, in the sections that follow, I will discuss analysis and valuation of Bluescope Steel Limited and One steel Limited in Australia including their products, employees, management, and corporate governance. I have also highlighted in a passing the methodology used in valuating the company. In the last section, I will make a conclusion and recommendation to prospective investors. 1.1BlueScope Steel Limited According to the Company 2008 report, BlueScope Steel

Overview on coral reef re-plantation in X-Sea port area Essay

Overview on coral reef re-plantation in X-Sea port area - Essay Example In many parts of the world, the coral population has undergone a massive reduction due to various human factors. The health of the coral reefs has been steadily declining over the past few decades. Environmental pollution and rampant destructive fishing practices damage the delicate corals. Nutrients seeping into the sea from agricultural areas cause the algae in the sea to increase in volume. This causes smothering of the corals and leads to decrease in size of coral reefs. Quite recently, the decrease in the coral populations has been attributed to a dozen or more deceases that attack corals. Many of these diseases were unknown until recently. Coral reefs have also been affected by bleaching. Bleaching is the discoloration or loss of symbiotic zooxanthellae. In 1979 and 1980, several incidents of coral bleaching occurred at reefs around Okinawa, Easter Island, northeast Australia, and the Caribbean Sea. Outbreaks of bleaching also occurred in 1982 and 1983, including reefs off east Africa, Indonesia, and the west coast of Central and South America, and from 1986 to 1988 in areas such as Taiwan, Hawaii, Fiji, Mayotte Island, and the entire length of the Great Barrier Reef. The most extensive bleaching episode ever documented occurred in 1998 and affected reefs in the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and Caribbean Sea. In some areas 100 percent of the corals were bleached and more than 70 percent of the corals died. (Smith 2003) Taking the rapidly declining coral population and the vulnerability of corals various measure are being taken in many countries to prevent further damage to the corals. Some of these steps include strict vigilance on fishing practices, artificial plantation of corals etc. Methods of coral community rehabilitation included coral transplantation and translocation, reattachment of coral fragments, providing artificial substrata, coral cultivation, prevention measures, and mitigation of damaged coral reefs. (Yeemin No

Reaction time of visual response

Reaction time of visual response Data Collection and Processing In this experiment, the reaction time of visual and tactile response has been investigated by measuring how both hands reacted when eyes were open and then when eyes were closed. For a better comparison of the two, the averages have been compared as well. The rulers centimetres have been turned into time counted in seconds using the formula; Observations The tactile responses where faster to visual stimuli presented As time passed, the reflexes where becoming reasonably slower, however, at some point, it was easy to expect when the other student would let go of the ruler due to the many trials. Using the measurements obtained from the above tables, graphs have been organised so as to better comprehend the outcomes of this experiment. Observations; In general, the right hand seems to have a faster response to tactile stimulation than visual one. Some values seem to not comply with the rest of them, probably due to the existence of other factors affecting the outcome of the experiment. Observations; In general, the left hand seems to have a faster response to visual stimulation than tactile one. Some values seem to not comply again with the rest of them, probably due to the existence of other factors affecting the outcome of the experiment. Overall, the tactile responses seem to be faster than the visual ones, dependent nevertheless from factors such as left-handedness and/or right-handedness. Observations; The left hand had a faster response to the visual stimuli compared to the right hand Observations; The right hand had a faster response to tactile stimuli than the left hand. Bearing the previous observations into consideration, a relation could be made between different parts of processing the stimuli (spinal cord and brain) and the reactions of each of the hands and hence the brains functioning. From the graphs, it becomes evident that tactile responses are faster than the visual ones. Furthermore, from the averages, we can conclude that the two hands much varied in their performance of the visual and tactile responses. It has also been observed that some of the values do not comply with the general tendency of the other results, thus indicating the existence of other, uncontrolled, factors affecting the results. Conclusion and Evaluation As our literary sources command, the main function of our nervous system is the coordination of rapid responses to stimuli, including reflexes. A stimulus is a change in the environment which is detected by receptors. Once perceived by the organism, a certain response is elicited and a change in the organism occurs. In this experiment, we investigated the speed of a humans response to tactile and visual stimuli. The findings of this experiment agree to the fact that our tactile responses (performed with closed eyes) are considerably faster from our visual responses (performed with the eyes open). This happens because the signal transmitted from the sensory neurons of our eyes is directly processed by our brain, whereas the signal received from our skin, as the feeling of touch, is processed at the spinal cord and are involved with the local segmental reflexes. As the results of this experiment agree to the general knowledge given from various other literary sources, it can be characterized as reliable. Despite the many efforts to control for the confounding variables which might affect the very outcome of the experiment, some values have been observed to not comply with the general rule, generated by the rest of them. A number of factors could be responsible for this. In order to make the measurements of height, a ruler has been used, causing the possibility of error to rise. The possible error that might have been involved is that of a 0.05cm At times, the ruler was not caught at all by the participant and the trial was repeated until a positive number was achieved. It could be argued though that these times are important as well since the inability to react fast could be thought of as a visual or tactile response. External factors might have affected the results of this experiment. Even though it was conducted in a laboratory, noise or distraction could have occurred due to the other classmates. Ways to improve the methodology of the experiment A control of the external confounding variables, such as noise, could help the experiment acquire more focused results. A more precise ruler could have been used A second verification of the data would be beneficial to the better support of the results found. It would also be good if more participants were used as well. The participants to this study should not be aware of the theoretical points in biology, which would affect their performance due to biases. Future work Suggested future work, related to this study and its theoretical points, could involve the study of how fast a message is transported through the nervous system or how can this speed be affected by variables such as attention and stress or other neurological conditions. Moreover, individuals could be assessed with visual and tactile stimuli so as to test the different responses between the reaction time of their left and right hands, correlating the results to whether they are left-handed, ambidextrous or right-handed.

Working With Survivors of Trauma Essay -- Post-traumatic stress disord

Bio-psychosocial Assessment Presenting Issue Spartacus came to seek the help of a mental health specialist since he was experiencing a number of difficulties in his life after his service at the U.S. Army. He â€Å"felt different† on his return to home and found it exceedingly tough to blend in into the family life as he did before going to serve in the army. The emotional attachment he had with his family members such as the wife and the son had disappeared. Spartacus not attend to the son accordingly as a father should. Though he knew that this was not right, he could not bring himself to a solution and that is the reason why he sought specialized help. The problem had persisted for a while and Spartacus knew that the situation was getting worse. It was interfering with his day-to-day functioning. He wanted help so that he could revert back to his normal function just like in the period before living for the military. He could not sleep, he was constantly nervous, he felt less motivated and showed a general loss of ap petite. Demographic Information Spartacus is an African American male aged 25 years. He has served in the U.S. military for with multiple deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. He had returned to his home in U.S having suffered many physical injuries during one of the combats. He was (and is still) married to Tamika and they have a son who is three years old. Current Living Situation Spartacus spent most of his time in solitude, away from the wife and son. He easily got irritated and found comfort in smoking cigarette. In his loneliness, Spartacus could spend many hours replaying the scenes from his combat experience. He always felt jumpy. Birth and Developmental History Having been born 25 years ago... ... useful evidence that helped in coming up with the right treatment for Spartacus. Bibliography Chang, Y., & Hsiao, S. (2006). Quality of Life: Scaling with Maslow‘s Need Hierarchy. Gerontology, 52(6), 376-376. Hofmann, S. G. (2007). Enhancing exposure-based therapy from a translational research perspective. Behavior Research and Therapy, 45(9), 1987-2001. Kennedy, J. E. (2007). Posttraumatic stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder-like symptoms and mild traumatic brain injury. The Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, 44(7), 895-920. Resick, P. A., & Miller, M. W. (2009). Posttraumatic stress disorder: Anxiety or traumatic stress disorder?. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 22(5), 384-390. Taylor, S. (2004). Understanding and treating health anxiety: A cognitive-behavioral approach. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 11(1), 112-123.