Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 22:29:06 -0500 From: Withall Subject: SPIN Meeting Announcement - Tuesday, March 19, 2002 6:30pm-8:30pm Our meeting location is at The MITRE Corporation! Because of security concerns, you'll need a Picture ID. And it's best to leave all carrying bags, backpacks, and briefcases in your car. Any items you do bring with you will be opened and inspected when you arrive. Topic: Software Process Improvement and e-Business: An Oxymoron? Speaker: Donna Johnson When: Tuesday, March 19, 2002. 6:30pm-8:30pm 6:00-7:00 SIGs 6:30-7:00 Networking and Round Tables 7:00-7:10 Announcements 7:10-8:10 Presentation 8:10-8:30 Questions and Answers Where: The MITRE Corporation 202 Burlington Rd. (Rt. 62), Building S Bedford, MA 01730 More Info: See our web page, www.bostonspin.org Boston SPIN meetings are free. No RSVP is necessary. Directions are at the end of this announcement. Who: Everyone (Industry, Government, Academia). Boston SPIN meetings are free. No RSVP is necessary. For SPIN info: Contact Linda McInnis, LindaMcInnis@yahoo.com Cancellations (including weather cancellations): Starting at 3pm, we'll notify you via email to the SPIN distribution list, we'll post the notice on the SPIN web page, and we'll send the cancellation announcement to Channel 7 TV and WRKO AM 680. ________________________________________________________________________________ SPEAKER Topic: Software Process Improvement and e-Business: An Oxymoron? Speaker: Donna Johnson Abstract: When discussing software development in an e-business environment, industry literature emphasizes the need for e-business projects (e-projects) to be flexible and responsive to change. In order to meet this need, some people advocate that process has no place in an e-business environment; while others recognize the need for process, yet advocate the use of light process methodologies, such as Extreme Programming (XP), in lieu of heavy methodologies, such as the Capability Maturity Model for Software (SW-CMM or CMM). This presentation examines the characteristics and environment of an e-project to determine the role that software process, including the CMM, can play in solving many of the problems being experienced by e-projects. The speaker interviewed 18 organizations engaged in the development of e-business software, many of which are using structured processes in their development efforts. Examples will be drawn form these organizations to show the benefits that they derive from following structured processes.ality. About the Speaker: Donna Johnson Donna Johnson is President of LOGOS International, Inc. Since 1991, she has been consulting, conducting training and assessments, and performing research related to software process improvement (SPI), specializing in process improvement in small organizations and on small projects. She is co-author of the book, The LOGOS Tailored CMM for Small Businesses, Small Organizations, and Small Projects, which is used in organizations world-wide. Her other areas of focus include the return-on-investment for CMM-based SPI, project management, requirements analysis, and e-business software development. She has published articles in leading industry magazines and for Cutter Consortium and regularly presents at conferences on SPI issues. She is a co-founder and past Chairperson of the Boston SPIN. =============================================================================== SPIN Sponsors: MITRE Corp., Bedford, MA http://www.mitre.org Raytheon Corp., Lexington, MA, http://www.raytheon.com Edelman & Associates, http://www.edeltech.com Quality Search, Inc., http://www.qualsearch.com We thank the Computer Science department of UMass-Lowell for providing support and hosting our web page. ________________________________________________________________________________ ROUNDTABLES To be announced. ________________________________________________________________________________ BOOK CLUB Are Your Lights On? : How to Figure Out What The Problem REALLY Is by Donald Gause and Gerald Weinberg Buy this book at Amazon.com This powerful little book will help make you a more effective problem solver. Are Your Lights On helps you figure out what is really wrong, and also what is just as important, what solutions are viable options. It provides humorous anecdotes on problems you may have already encountered and then provides helpful and valuable advice to help with these problems. Anyone involved in product and systems development will appreciate this practical illustrated guide, which was first published in 1982 and has since become a cult classic! With their characteristic clarity and insight, authors Don Gause and Jerry Weinberg instruct on ways to improve your thinking power. Are Your Lights On offers such insights as "A problem is a difference between things as desired and things as perceived" and "In spite of appearances, people seldom know what they want until you give them what they ask for." This book describes four steps to figure out what the problem REALLY is: 1. Identify the true problem 2. Determine the problem's owner 3. Identify the source of the problem 4. Decide whether or not to solve it Come join us on March 19 and let's talk about if and how Are Your Lights On changed the way you view the world. ________________________________________________________________________________ SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS To be announced. =============================================================================== Directions: Directions are attached to this message to ensure that you get our location. A map can be found on our web site - www.bostonspin.org. Coming from 128 South or North 1. Take Exit 32A onto Route 3 North. 2. Proceed two miles on Route 3 North and take the first Exit 26 (for Route 62 Bedford). 3. Go down the ramp to the traffic signal. Continue straight across Route 62 onto Crosby Drive. 4. After a short hill, take the first right into the MITRE campus. 5. Follow the driveway, which bears left and then right and turn right into the parking lot (immediately after the third speed bump). 6. Walk into the courtyard between Buildings K and S and enter the S lobby to sign in. From New Hampshire 1 Take Route 3 South to Exit 26 (for Route 62 Bedford). 2. Turn Left on Route 62. 3. After going under Route 3 take a left at the traffic signal onto Crosby Drive. 4. After a short hill, take the first right into the MITRE campus. 5. Follow the driveway, which bears left and then right and turn right into the parking lot (immediately after the third speed bump). 6. Walk into the courtyard between Buildings K and S and enter the S lobby to sign in. From Logan Airport 1. Go through tunnel to Route 93 North. 2. Take Route 93 North eleven miles to Exit 37B (Route 128 (I-95) South). 3. Take Route 128 (I-95) South six miles to Exit 32A (Route 3 North). 4. After a short hill, take the first right into the MITRE campus. 5. Follow the driveway, which bears left and then right and turn right into the parking lot (immediately after the third speed bump). 6. Walk into the courtyard between Buildings K and S and enter the S lobby to sign in.