[ale] Save the FED your Money / I need Advice / The Zero Defect Methodo logy

[Hogg, Russell E.]

Perhaps it's obvious from my email address, but I'm currently employed as
Contractor for the Federal Government.
I'm doing my piece here trying to get the way the Fed Gov does software
systems to have some rhyme or reason.

Basically most of the horror stories you've all heard about the way things
are done within the G is true.

There are a lot of folks working hard to change it though.  
I've been here long enough now that people are starting to listen to me.  So
I intend to use my influence.
The release I'm currently working on is going to go live May 8th
(https://www.mypay.dfas.mil).  
Yes it's presently .NET and IIS but that's really not the issue.  
The issue is how the projects are organized and run.

Shortly after go-live there will be a kick off meeting for our August
release, I intend to go to that meeting armed.  
Armed with DOC and ideas and suggestions for what ails us.

I'm hoping for some advice on selling concepts to non-technical people.  
In particular the ZERO DEFECT METHODOLOGY.

I've had some discussions with several people on the list about this stuff
though I don't remember if any of them were on-list.  Grant, I know you and
I have had a conversation about these concepts back when we were employed
together.

If any of you have good links to articles or discussions on this stuff
(particularly with a non-technical slant)
Please send them on.  If I can make a strong enough argument then we will
start to move that way.  (slowly)
If I can get this system to run like it should then I could probably save
the American Tax payers thousands of dollars a week that are now spent with
support because of ill-design and ill-implementation.  Not to mention stop
carrying a pager 24 hours a day.  (I might make more ALE meetings)

Thanks,

Russ












____________________________________________
Russell.Hogg at OPM.gov
x2367




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