Change and Release Management for Applications & CMSG AGM

9:30 - 10:00

Registration Tea/Coffee

10:00 - 10:10

Introduction

10:10 - 10:55

Application Control
Geoff Thorpe, Royal Bank of Scotland

Geoff's Presentation

Geoff will present some apparently simple and yet powerful techniques for communicating configuration management principles to the organaisation.

What is the role of CM in communicating identification and status information to the rest of the organisation? Although it may not appear in your job specification, presenting some information based on standard CM principles can be a remarkably effective method of improving coordination within your ogranisations.

About Geoff

Geoff has 30 years experience in configuration management, and has also worked in performance and test management, most recently for Royal Bank of Scotland.

10:55 - 11:25

11:25 - 12:10

History Teaches Us A Lot, John E Abram, Monetical

Managing change or preparing the release of a new application can be significantly enhanced if organisations look into their past. Evaluating the performance of previous change cycles or application releases provide a real and true insight into potential challenges and opportunities. Unfortunately, organisations are too enthralled in current activities to help themselves. This paper shall demonstrate using real case examples, that investing just a little bit of time capturing both operational and commercial characteristics, including detailed root causes, organisations are able to build up their very own expert system, therefore reducing the need to call upon traditional management consultants to solve complex operational and commercial issues resulting in unplanned change or enhance their application release and support activities.

About John

John founded Monetical in 2006. Monetical is a ready-to-go global consulting software service providing programme managers with cost-effective access to the appropriate industry expertise, unique analytical capabilities and predefined programme workflows that help identify and understand key performance influences. John has 20 years experience working in the fields of product analyst, product management and consultancy at some of the worlds largest software organisations. John holds a MSc in Computing for Manufacturing, Management & Technology and holds a MBA from the Bradford School of Management and in 2008 was a BCS 'Consultant of the year' Finalist.

12:10 - 12:55

Configuration Management for Agile Teams - CM beyond check-out / check-in, Mark Roberts & John Owen, IBM UK

In today's economic climate, more teams are moving away from rigid processes, measured in the thickness of documentation, to Agile processes in which the development team has a greater part to play in the delivery of product requirements. How does software configuration management fit into this less formal approach to development ? In this presentation John Owen and Mark Roberts from IBM will explain how teams can use process and automation to support the creativity of Agile development, while maintaining the right amount of control over task management, configuration management and build management.

About John & Mark

John Owen is the Library Management and Rational Tools Lead, based at IBM's Hursley Park Software Development Laboratory. He has been providing Rational solutions to SWG UK manufacturing and development teams since 2004. His expertise is in Jazz technologies, ClearCase and ClearQuest. Previously he was a Development Manager for a Hursley based team that delivered two components into WebSphere using agile methods. His background is data architecture and management where he has worked with a number of clients (both within and outside IBM) in building, deploying and using databases.

Mark Roberts is the Rational brand Solution Offering Manager. In this role he is responsible for the creation of innovative solutions based on the use of Rational products and expert consultancy services, such that they rapidly deliver measurable business value to customers. Prior to this he has held roles including project office management, delivery team management and integrating the services business of the recently acquired Telelogic organisation. Technical work remains the key focus of interest for Mark and his background in software development and consultancy services with ClearCase and ClearQuest is now being extended into the new Jazz based offerings from Rational.

12:55 - 14:00

14:00 - 15:00

Workshop - How to Get Better Recognition for Change and Release Management?!

By popular request we have included this interactive workshop.

It will be run by David Cuthbertson and Robert Cowham and will allow delegates to better understand the challenges of communicating the value of what they do in order to increase recognition.

You can also bring your own particular challenges and ask for suggestions and help on the theme of change and release management for applications.

15:00 - 15:30

15:30 - 16:15

CMSG AGM

The AGM for the CMSG - free to attend just this session (but notify us by email chair@bcs-cmsg.org.uk ).

Agenda:

1.          Apologies for Absence
2.          Minutes of the last meeting
3.          Actions from the previous AGM
4.          Report from the Chair
5.          Treasurer's Report
6.          Election of Officers
7.          Membership
8.          Finance Discussion
9.          Future Events
10.        AOB

16:15 - 16:45