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Glen Alleman

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An industry leader in program planning and controls for space, defense, and software intensive system of systems.Research and writing focused on Root Cause Analysis, Programmatic and Technical Risk Management, and Increasing the Probability of Program Success.

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The Open University

Loughborough University

Marco de Angelis

University of Liverpool

Micah Mukungu Mukolwe

Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology

filippo bignami

Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera italiana

Jessore University of Science & Technology

University of Rostock

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Papers by Glen Alleman

Chapter 7 -Connecting the Dots Chapter 7 -Advanced Topics in Risk Management Page 1 of 40 Risk Management Managing Tomorrows Threats to Project Success Today Chapter 7 -Advanced Topics in Risk Management

A Handbook for Managing Tomorrow's Threats to Project Success Today, 2024

Continuous Risk Management (CRM) is a set of principles, concepts, and functions providing soluti... more

The Practices of Risk Management

Auerbach Publications eBooks, Jan 16, 2024

Risk Management

Risk-Handling Plan

Auerbach Publications eBooks, Jan 16, 2024

Risk Identification

Auerbach Publications eBooks, Jan 16, 2024

Advanced Topics in Risk Management

Auerbach Publications eBooks, Jan 16, 2024

Nine Best Practices The Software Management Framework

The management of software development is fraught with risk: technical risk, market risk, require... more The management of software development is fraught with risk: technical risk, market risk, requirements risk, and financial risk. This paper describes nine (9) key management principles for guiding software project development. These principles are not original. They are taken directly from the work of Norm Brown, the founder and executive Director of the Software Program Managers Network (SPMN). SPMN is a consortium of Department of Defense Program Managers dedicated to improving the practice of managing software acquisition and development projects in both commercial and government domains. Full credit for the nine principles is given to Mr. Brown and the SPMN.

Mathematical Tour of EM Field

A MATHEMATICAL TOUR OF THE ELECTROMAGNETIC FORCE from Michael Faraday to Quantum Field Theory, 2001

We see the effects of force all around us. The force of gravity, the electric and magnetic forces... more We see the effects of force all around us. The force of gravity, the electric and magnetic forces of natural and manmade objects, and the mechanical force of machines all have well-known effects. In pre–twentieth century science, natural philosophers asked many of the same questions that are asked here — why does nature behave in the way it does?

Project Success: The Basis of the Five Immutable Principles

The Public Manager, Sep 22, 2014

A time study in numerical methods programming

With the digitial c o m p u t e r firmly established as a research tool used by the scientist and... more With the digitial c o m p u t e r firmly established as a research tool used by the scientist and engineer alike, a careful examination of some of the techniques used to solve the problems faced by the scientific user is warranted. This paper describes a test undertaken to determine the effectiveness of two different programming languages in providing solutions to numerical analysis problems found in scientific investagation. Some of the questions asked were; i) Can APL compete with a batch processed FORTRAN job in solving common numerical analysis problems? 2) Is it useful to trade execution speed for code density or vice-versa? 3) Is APL an easier language, from the viewpoint of the novice user, in which to code his problem? 4) Can APL be cost effective in an environment where large "number-crunching" problems are an everyday event. These questions were asked with the hope of clearing up some of the false ideas held about both FORTRAN and APt amoung scientific programmers. The FORTRAN c o~u n i t y holding that a fast object module is well worth the coding and compilation expense, while the APL advocate stating that compact on-line solutions provide faster resolution of the users problems. The test results may be interpretered in many ways and it is hoped that the results will lead to more exploration of this field of computing; i.e. the cost effective solution to a specific numerical problem.

Making agile development work in a government contracting environment-measuring velocity with earned value

Before any of the current "agile" development methods, Earned Value Management provided informati... more Before any of the current "agile" development methods, Earned Value Management provided information for planning and controlling complex projects by measuring how much "value" was produced for a given cost in a period of time. One shortcoming of an agile development method is its inability to forecast the future cost and schedule of the project beyond the use of "yesterdays weather" metrics. These agile methods assume the delivered value, "velocity" in the case of XP, is compared with the estimated value-this is a simple comparison between budget and actual cost resulting in a Cost Variance. No Schedule Variance process is directly available in XP. Earned Value Analysis provides a means of predicting future schedule and cost variances through three measurements-budgeted cost for work scheduled, actual cost for work performed, and budgeted cost for work performed (earned value). This paper describes the use of Earned Value in conjunction with Agile Development on a mission-critical, high-security, government project.

Performance-Based Project Management: Increasing the Probability of Project Success

Improving DOE Project Performance Using the DOD Integrated Master Plan - 12481

DOE O 413 measures a project's progress to plan by the consumption of funding, the passage of tim... more DOE O 413 measures a project's progress to plan by the consumption of funding, the passage of time, and the meeting of milestones. In March of 2003, then Under Secretary, Energy, Science, Card received a memo directing the implementation of Project Management and the Project Management Manual, including the Integrated Master Plan and Integrated Master Schedule. This directive states "the integrated master plan and schedule tie together all project tasks by showing their logical relationships and any constraints controlling the start or finish of each task. This process results in a hierarchy of related functional and layered schedules derived from the Work Breakdown Structure that can be used for monitoring and controlling project progress." This paper shows how restoring the IMP/IMS paradigm to DOE program management increases the probability of program success in ways not currently available using DOD O 413 processes alone.

Parameter validation for software reliability

Sigplan Notices, Jun 1, 1978

This paper presents a method for increasing softwar e reliability through parameter validation. E... more

Agile management - an oxymoron?

Self-directed team" is one of the mantras of Agile Methodologies. Self-direction means that the t... more Self-directed team" is one of the mantras of Agile Methodologies. Self-direction means that the team's manager is relegated to a facilitator role with little or no influence over day-today activities. For example, Kent Beck has written that the manager of an XP project can do four things: ask for estimates on cost and results, move people around among projects, ask for status reports, and cancel the project. Agile literature in general says that managers shouldn't be directly involved in analysis, design, coding, testing or integration. They may (but only occasionally!) facilitate the process between the customer and the developers − and it would be nice if they provided food and toys to keep the team happy. It appears, then, that the agile manger is expected to hover on the fringes of a project asking a few questions and throwing in goodies-but with ultimate power (cancellation) in her hip pocket.

Comments on "Managing Projects Involving External Threats"

American Society for the Advancement of Project Management

In a recent issue on the American Society for the Advancement of Project Management’s web site ar... more In a recent issue on the American Society for the Advancement of Project Management’s web site articles, www.asapm.org, a paper was published describing an important concept. In “Managing Projects Involving External Threats,” the impact of the likelihood of an external event could occur that would negatively impact the success probability of a project. Is described. Such an event is neither expected nor predictable. The suggestion from the paper is that the sooner the project – or any subtask of the project – is completed, the less the likelihood of an external event impacts the project.

Agile project management

Communications of the ACM, 2005

Agile project management lets software project managers and employees alike adapt to changing cir... more

A Work in Progress

Abstract: Traditional project management methods are based on scientific prin-ciples that would b... more Abstract: Traditional project management methods are based on scientific prin-ciples that would be considered “normal science, ” but lack any theoretical basis for this approach. [33, 34, 65] These principles make use of linear step–wise re-finement of the project management processes based on a planning–as– management paradigm. Plans made in this paradigm and adjusted by linear feedback methods cannot cope with the multiple interacting and continuously changing technology and market forces. They behave as if they were is linear closed loop control system. This paper suggests that adaptive control theory may be a better foundation for a model for project management. Using closed loop adaptive control system rules, parallels are drawn between control systems and agile project manage-ment. From these parallel, a comparison can be made between project man-agement practices and adaptive control algorithms. Finally a control systems view of the project management practices is provided wi...

Agile project management methods for IT projects

The Story of Managing Porject: An Interdisciplinary …, 2005

Agile project management methodologies used to develop, deploy, or acquire information technology... more

Fault-Tolerant System Reliability In The Presence Of Imperfect Diagnostic Coverage

Fault-Tolerant System Reliability In The Presence Of Imperfect Diagnostic Coverage, 2000

The development and deployment of computer systems for the control of mission critical processes ... more The development and deployment of computer systems for the control of mission critical processes has become the norm in many industrial and commercial markets. The analysis of the reliability of these systems is usually understood in terms of the Mean Time to Failure. The design and analysis of high reliability systems is now a mature science. Starting with fault–tolerant central office switches (ESS4), dual redundant and n–way redundant systems are now available in a variety of application domains. The technologies of microprocessor based industrial controls and redundant central processor systems create the opportunity to build fault–tolerant computing systems on a smaller scale than previously found in the commercial marketplace.

Chapter 7 -Connecting the Dots Chapter 7 -Advanced Topics in Risk Management Page 1 of 40 Risk Management Managing Tomorrows Threats to Project Success Today Chapter 7 -Advanced Topics in Risk Management

A Handbook for Managing Tomorrow's Threats to Project Success Today, 2024

Continuous Risk Management (CRM) is a set of principles, concepts, and functions providing soluti... more

The Practices of Risk Management

Auerbach Publications eBooks, Jan 16, 2024

Risk Management

Risk-Handling Plan

Auerbach Publications eBooks, Jan 16, 2024

Risk Identification

Auerbach Publications eBooks, Jan 16, 2024

Advanced Topics in Risk Management

Auerbach Publications eBooks, Jan 16, 2024

Nine Best Practices The Software Management Framework

The management of software development is fraught with risk: technical risk, market risk, require... more The management of software development is fraught with risk: technical risk, market risk, requirements risk, and financial risk. This paper describes nine (9) key management principles for guiding software project development. These principles are not original. They are taken directly from the work of Norm Brown, the founder and executive Director of the Software Program Managers Network (SPMN). SPMN is a consortium of Department of Defense Program Managers dedicated to improving the practice of managing software acquisition and development projects in both commercial and government domains. Full credit for the nine principles is given to Mr. Brown and the SPMN.

Mathematical Tour of EM Field

A MATHEMATICAL TOUR OF THE ELECTROMAGNETIC FORCE from Michael Faraday to Quantum Field Theory, 2001

We see the effects of force all around us. The force of gravity, the electric and magnetic forces... more We see the effects of force all around us. The force of gravity, the electric and magnetic forces of natural and manmade objects, and the mechanical force of machines all have well-known effects. In pre–twentieth century science, natural philosophers asked many of the same questions that are asked here — why does nature behave in the way it does?

Project Success: The Basis of the Five Immutable Principles

The Public Manager, Sep 22, 2014

A time study in numerical methods programming

With the digitial c o m p u t e r firmly established as a research tool used by the scientist and... more With the digitial c o m p u t e r firmly established as a research tool used by the scientist and engineer alike, a careful examination of some of the techniques used to solve the problems faced by the scientific user is warranted. This paper describes a test undertaken to determine the effectiveness of two different programming languages in providing solutions to numerical analysis problems found in scientific investagation. Some of the questions asked were; i) Can APL compete with a batch processed FORTRAN job in solving common numerical analysis problems? 2) Is it useful to trade execution speed for code density or vice-versa? 3) Is APL an easier language, from the viewpoint of the novice user, in which to code his problem? 4) Can APL be cost effective in an environment where large "number-crunching" problems are an everyday event. These questions were asked with the hope of clearing up some of the false ideas held about both FORTRAN and APt amoung scientific programmers. The FORTRAN c o~u n i t y holding that a fast object module is well worth the coding and compilation expense, while the APL advocate stating that compact on-line solutions provide faster resolution of the users problems. The test results may be interpretered in many ways and it is hoped that the results will lead to more exploration of this field of computing; i.e. the cost effective solution to a specific numerical problem.

Making agile development work in a government contracting environment-measuring velocity with earned value

Before any of the current "agile" development methods, Earned Value Management provided informati... more Before any of the current "agile" development methods, Earned Value Management provided information for planning and controlling complex projects by measuring how much "value" was produced for a given cost in a period of time. One shortcoming of an agile development method is its inability to forecast the future cost and schedule of the project beyond the use of "yesterdays weather" metrics. These agile methods assume the delivered value, "velocity" in the case of XP, is compared with the estimated value-this is a simple comparison between budget and actual cost resulting in a Cost Variance. No Schedule Variance process is directly available in XP. Earned Value Analysis provides a means of predicting future schedule and cost variances through three measurements-budgeted cost for work scheduled, actual cost for work performed, and budgeted cost for work performed (earned value). This paper describes the use of Earned Value in conjunction with Agile Development on a mission-critical, high-security, government project.

Performance-Based Project Management: Increasing the Probability of Project Success

Improving DOE Project Performance Using the DOD Integrated Master Plan - 12481

DOE O 413 measures a project's progress to plan by the consumption of funding, the passage of tim... more DOE O 413 measures a project's progress to plan by the consumption of funding, the passage of time, and the meeting of milestones. In March of 2003, then Under Secretary, Energy, Science, Card received a memo directing the implementation of Project Management and the Project Management Manual, including the Integrated Master Plan and Integrated Master Schedule. This directive states "the integrated master plan and schedule tie together all project tasks by showing their logical relationships and any constraints controlling the start or finish of each task. This process results in a hierarchy of related functional and layered schedules derived from the Work Breakdown Structure that can be used for monitoring and controlling project progress." This paper shows how restoring the IMP/IMS paradigm to DOE program management increases the probability of program success in ways not currently available using DOD O 413 processes alone.

Parameter validation for software reliability

Sigplan Notices, Jun 1, 1978

This paper presents a method for increasing softwar e reliability through parameter validation. E... more

Agile management - an oxymoron?

Self-directed team" is one of the mantras of Agile Methodologies. Self-direction means that the t... more Self-directed team" is one of the mantras of Agile Methodologies. Self-direction means that the team's manager is relegated to a facilitator role with little or no influence over day-today activities. For example, Kent Beck has written that the manager of an XP project can do four things: ask for estimates on cost and results, move people around among projects, ask for status reports, and cancel the project. Agile literature in general says that managers shouldn't be directly involved in analysis, design, coding, testing or integration. They may (but only occasionally!) facilitate the process between the customer and the developers − and it would be nice if they provided food and toys to keep the team happy. It appears, then, that the agile manger is expected to hover on the fringes of a project asking a few questions and throwing in goodies-but with ultimate power (cancellation) in her hip pocket.

Comments on "Managing Projects Involving External Threats"

American Society for the Advancement of Project Management

In a recent issue on the American Society for the Advancement of Project Management’s web site ar... more In a recent issue on the American Society for the Advancement of Project Management’s web site articles, www.asapm.org, a paper was published describing an important concept. In “Managing Projects Involving External Threats,” the impact of the likelihood of an external event could occur that would negatively impact the success probability of a project. Is described. Such an event is neither expected nor predictable. The suggestion from the paper is that the sooner the project – or any subtask of the project – is completed, the less the likelihood of an external event impacts the project.

Agile project management

Communications of the ACM, 2005

Agile project management lets software project managers and employees alike adapt to changing cir... more

A Work in Progress

Abstract: Traditional project management methods are based on scientific prin-ciples that would b... more Abstract: Traditional project management methods are based on scientific prin-ciples that would be considered “normal science, ” but lack any theoretical basis for this approach. [33, 34, 65] These principles make use of linear step–wise re-finement of the project management processes based on a planning–as– management paradigm. Plans made in this paradigm and adjusted by linear feedback methods cannot cope with the multiple interacting and continuously changing technology and market forces. They behave as if they were is linear closed loop control system. This paper suggests that adaptive control theory may be a better foundation for a model for project management. Using closed loop adaptive control system rules, parallels are drawn between control systems and agile project manage-ment. From these parallel, a comparison can be made between project man-agement practices and adaptive control algorithms. Finally a control systems view of the project management practices is provided wi...

Agile project management methods for IT projects

The Story of Managing Porject: An Interdisciplinary …, 2005

Agile project management methodologies used to develop, deploy, or acquire information technology... more

Fault-Tolerant System Reliability In The Presence Of Imperfect Diagnostic Coverage

Fault-Tolerant System Reliability In The Presence Of Imperfect Diagnostic Coverage, 2000

The development and deployment of computer systems for the control of mission critical processes ... more The development and deployment of computer systems for the control of mission critical processes has become the norm in many industrial and commercial markets. The analysis of the reliability of these systems is usually understood in terms of the Mean Time to Failure. The design and analysis of high reliability systems is now a mature science. Starting with fault–tolerant central office switches (ESS4), dual redundant and n–way redundant systems are now available in a variety of application domains. The technologies of microprocessor based industrial controls and redundant central processor systems create the opportunity to build fault–tolerant computing systems on a smaller scale than previously found in the commercial marketplace.