THE AUTHOR:
Project reporting is the practice of informing the client of project progress and discussing product-related issues that take place along the way of software building. This part of project development is a pure formality. But as much as it may kill the dev team, it is of utmost importance to the client as regular reports let them feel comfortable and calm.
Computools has elaborated its own optimal strategy for providing project updates to the client. It involves team-client interaction mediated by a Project Manager (PM) who is responsible for project reporting throughout the entire software development process.
The Process of Project Reporting in Computools Partnership
Most projects are Agile-based, so let’s consider it a standard approach to software development, looking at the project reporting practice below. These are the three basic elements of standard reporting employed in every solution-type project.
1. Sprint Planning
Sprint planning is the process of determining the key tasks to be performed within a set period of time (e.g. 2 weeks or more) or the so-called sprint. Each sprint is intended to complete one or another part of the software and engages a limited number of specialists to work on this part. Since the process of software development is usually time-consuming, digital product design may take 3 and more sprints before the client receives ready-to-use software.
Before starting the development, the dev team under the PM’s leadership defines the following:
· User roles: These are meant to name the major and minor users of the future software, their interests and ways of interacting with it.
· Design: It outlines the core software features to deploy at the early stages and functionality to define and implement later on. The PM creates a detailed plan with the full software development lifecycle, from the moment of team onboarding till the product release.
· Acceptance criteria: The QA assistant writes acceptance criteria that include the system requirements and functions to be provided by the end of the deployment stage. These criteria will serve as a guideline to rely on in every sprint.
At the end of sprint planning, the team of developers along with the PM knows what they should deliver and by which date. This careful planning allows minimizing project development risks and allows the dev team to deliver the product on time.
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Computools is a full-service software company that designs solutions to help companies meet the needs of tomorrow. Our clients represent a wide range of industries, including retail, finance, healthcare, consumer service and more.
2. Sprint Meetings & Product Demo
To present the dev team’s efforts, the PM arranges a call with the client every week. This frequency of meetings is considered most favorable: the client is able to keep track of project progress, while the team has an opportunity to make sure they proceed in the right manner.
Every new meeting starts with the PM’s reporting what has been done during the sprint. The PM tells about the finished tasks and whether it was successful and consistent with the schedule. If the team is faced with difficulties, the PM proposes a solution and with the client’s permission, the developers implement it in the next sprint.
Typically, each sprint is followed by a product demo or software demonstration during which the client sees the results of the dev team’s effort during the sprint. When the client is busy or the time-zone difference is not favorable for having real-time communication, the PM sends the recorded video with the product demo and the client gives their feedback and recommendations later.
Beyond that, the PM can arrange a call whenever the client or the team needs it, in addition to continuous connection in different messengers, such as Skype, Slack, email. These short calls help to maintain close working relations and achieve a good understanding of the vision of the product.
In brief, Computools partnership involves project reporting in written and oral form. While daily communication with the client allows clarifying minor issues and guiding the dev team in the right direction, regular reports are called to record the team’s results and present it to the client as a way to demonstrate consistency with the agreed plan.
3. JIRA Reporting
Some clients prefer choosing project management tools to be used in software development. Among the popular ones is JIRA, effective software for sprint planning, task assignment, and time tracking. The use of JIRA helps to monitor the project development processes and remain transparent in the client’s eyes as it is possible to show the tickets completed over a certain period of time.
Change Management Strategy
The Agile framework typically used in software design provides a flexible environment for creating smart digital solutions within the best possible timeframe. When the client willingly decides to make changes to the software functionality, the PM modifies the development plan with regard to the deadline and the team’s capabilities to implement those changes. With the client’s approval, every new change is displayed in sprint planning and subsequently in reports.
For further inquiry
Computools is a global IT partner in IT consulting services. If you are looking for an optimal way to get custom-designed software, contact the expert team e-mail: info@computools.com to be advised on technology solutions, digital strategic planning, software development frameworks, or any other aspect of software design and application that you can want to explore.
Computools was selected through an RFP process. They were shortlisted and selected from between 5 other suppliers. Computools has worked thoroughly and timely to solve all security issues and launch as agreed. Their expertise is impressive.