How the Texas Project Delivery Framework Can Chart the Course for All Your Application Development

1. TASSCC 2008 Annual ConferenceAugust 11, 2008 How the Texas Project Delivery Framework Can Chart the Course for All Your Application Development

2. Purpose: • To illustrate the positive results gained by the Texas Lottery Commission after adopting the Texas Project Delivery Framework as the standard methodology for implementing all internal software technology projects regardless of size

3. The Agenda • Introduction • Where We Were • Our Goals • The Solution • Questions???

4. Texas Lottery Commission • East 6TH Street , Austin • Comprised of Bingo and Lottery • Lottery - Over $15 billion for State of Texas since inception in 1992 • Lottery – Over $10 billion went to Foundation School Fund • Lottery - Over $1 billion to Foundation School fund in 2007 • Bingo – 18.1 million people played Bingo in 2007 • Bingo - $32 million in charitable distributions in 2007

5. A little about me – Gary Mayes • Worked extensively in software applications design and support for 20 years • Started in IT in 1988 as a computer programmer with SP&GSC • Spent 10 years supporting Licensing Agencies with SP&GSC and DIR • Outsourced in 1998 to Northrup Grumman • Hired by the Lottery in 1998 as a computer programmer • Currently assigned as the Quality Assurance and Systems Analyst Coordinator

6. Where We Were: What needed improvement • Standards – non-existent • Systems Documentation – yeah right • User Documentation – “It’s your system, don’t you know how it works?” • Project Management - “Who me, I’m just a developer?” • Development Methodology – hodgepodge of different views • Stakeholder Trust - “That’s not what I wanted and why did it take so long?”

7. How did we get there? • Small shop • Differing skill sets • Multiple hardware and software environments. Mainframe, MS servers, MS software applications, Oracle applications • Stakeholder’s need it now mentality • Single point of support ( analysis, development and production ) for each application with a “Do it my way” attitude

8. The Goals of the Project – Charting the Course for Success • Adopt a standard methodology for software development • Improve software standards • Improve system documentation • Generate user documentation • Increase user involvement in their own projects • Create an environment of trust with the project stakeholders • Deliver projects more efficiently

9. IT management made a decision... • Adopt the Texas Project Delivery Framework as the standard methodology for implementing all internal software technology projects.

10. Why? What Were the Intended Benefits? What course do we take? • Scalable • Affordable • Project Management • Systems Documentation • User Documentation • Change Control • User involvement and acceptance • Training • Audit Requirements

11. Scalable - How many masts does our ship need? • We could adapt the needed framework gates according to the size of the project. • Only use the gates necessary. • From a dingy to a schooner, the right size for the right job.

12. Affordable – What’s this trip gonna cost? • Direction and framework training provided by DIR • Able to reorganize current staff to meet the needs • Quality Assurance and Systems Analyst team • Two Development teams • Web Design team • Database Administrator team • Transition of systems to integrated hardware and software platforms. Significant costs for hardware / software upgrades, but we needed this anyway. • Staff development • Used current training budgets • Mentoring program • Transition of the way we did business. Retrofitting existing projects caused some delays. Decisions had to be made.

13. Project Management • Required by design. • Team leads became project managers. • Attended Project Management training • Mentored other staff • Framework gates and document templates are stepping stones to good project management • Provides a System Development Life Cycle guide • http://www.dir.state.tx.us/pubs/framework/extensions/sdlc/sdlcguide/sdlc-guide.pdf

14. Systems Documentation • Framework provided the tools. • Templates – modified to fit our needs • Project Charter • Project Plan • Software Requirements Specifications • Data Dictionary • User Roles and Privileges • Process Flow Diagrams • Use Cases • Screen Prototypes • Report Prototypes • Project Acceptance • Others as needed

15. User Documentation • Tweaked existing software requirements and test scripts to provide basic user documentation • Turned these documents over to business analysts in the corresponding departments • Business analysts added business rules to create functional user process flows.

16. Change Control • Software requirements are agreed to and signed off by user project manager • Changes to requirements are now obvious to the user

17. User Involvement and Acceptance • Charter and Project Plan signed by users • JADs – user involvement, management and staff • Budget • Software Requirements Document • Business Process Flows • User Privileges • Use Cases • Screen Design • Report Design • Change Control • User Acceptance Testing • Signoff

18. Meets Audit Requirements • Documentation, documentation, documentation. Can’t say it enough. • Systems Security • SRS document defines access and roles • Separation of duties. • Developers have no access to production • DBAs move code • Users must request system access in writing • Approval of project documents in writing

19. Training • Sent Analysts to DIR Framework instruction • Cross trained Quality Assurance Analysts and Systems Analysts • Sent Analysts, QA Analysts, Developers and Users to Use Case Training • Detailed User Acceptance Testing provides system training for the core user group ( Train the Trainer ) • The Trainer then trains the rest of the staff on new systems

20. Summary – Avoided most obstacles along the way and reached our destination • Accepted Life Cycle Methodology • Standards • Systems Documentation • User Documentation • Project Management • Security & Controls • Meets Audit Requirements • User Involvement • 80-20 rule & Efficiency

21. Contact Info Gary Mayes QA/Systems Analyst Coordinator Texas Lottery Commission gary.mayes@lottery.state.tx.us (512) 344-5311