Reply to: Gap analysis

[escapeUK]

Hope they have gap insurance.

[DaveB]

Go to a cafe / bar in the early evening / after work period, they usually have a selection of free snacks to go with your coffee / beverage, usually ham, salami, bruschetta, grilled veg, salads etc, some of the spreads you'd pay a tenner for in the uk.

You'll get to have a proper espresso as well, Milan has the best in the world imo.

I love Italy.

You'll still get to have proper espresso I expect, they don't seem to tolerate anything less. I'd be surprised if they didn't insist on going somewhere nice for lunch as well, although it's hard to find bad food in Italy, they just won't put up with it. Definitely have their priorities right.

Did I mention I like Italy? Couldn't live there mind, bloody impossible to get anything done.

WDS +1

Wonderful place to live, awful place to work if you cant' deal with bureaucracy and a relaxed attitude to deadlines and deliverables.

Although the worst coffee I ever had was in Italy, Venice to be exact. Mind you Venice is a special case anyway. A whole city run with one thing in mind, separating tourists from their money.

[doodab]

Don't think I'm gonna see anything of Milan. Hotel/Office are 10 mins from Linate, and unlikely to get chance to venture further. But restaurant next to hotel has good reviews, so hopefully will get some good grub.

You'll still get to have proper espresso I expect, they don't seem to tolerate anything less. I'd be surprised if they didn't insist on going somewhere nice for lunch as well, although it's hard to find bad food in Italy, they just won't put up with it. Definitely have their priorities right.

Did I mention I like Italy? Couldn't live there mind, bloody impossible to get anything done.

[mudskipper]

Go to a cafe / bar in the early evening / after work period, they usually have a selection of free snacks to go with your coffee / beverage, usually ham, salami, bruschetta, grilled veg, salads etc, some of the spreads you'd pay a tenner for in the uk.

You'll get to have a proper espresso as well, Milan has the best in the world imo.

I love Italy.

Don't think I'm gonna see anything of Milan. Hotel/Office are 10 mins from Linate, and unlikely to get chance to venture further. But restaurant next to hotel has good reviews, so hopefully will get some good grub.

[doodab]

Still, at least I can look forward to some good pizza.

Go to a cafe / bar in the early evening / after work period, they usually have a selection of free snacks to go with your coffee / beverage, usually ham, salami, bruschetta, grilled veg, salads etc, some of the spreads you'd pay a tenner for in the uk.

You'll get to have a proper espresso as well, Milan has the best in the world imo.

I love Italy.

[mudskipper]

Ta

Just got 3 days in a room in an industrial estate outside Milan with 3 countries represented - one who developed the tool, the other two who are hoping to adopt. The workshop organiser now can't make it, and I'm the only 'systems' person, apart from the non-English speaking developer who is only there on day 3. AFAIK no-one has been nominated to lead the workshop, so has danger of veering around like an old lady driver on Suity's journey home unless someone keeps it focussed.

Plan at the moment is:

High level reqts down side, countries across top. Fill in boxes as I go (although my focus is on UK). I think that's probably as much as I can achieve given the format.

Still, at least I can look forward to some good pizza.

[Gonzo]

Depends what you mean by 'gap analysis'.

If you are doing what I would call a 'gap analysis' where you are assessing how closely a system fulfils the client's needs then Suity's response is spot on. You need a list of prioritised requirements and then you tick them off depending on whether or not the new system will meet them. Then you investigate the feasibility of enhancements for those requirements that did not get ticked off. The prioritisation will guide whether or not they can live without any particular enhancement, and hence total costs.

Getting the list together is where all the effort goes.

If the client has already decided that they want to go ahead with two things talking to each other and you are investigating the technical 'gaps' then that is something different that I am not so familiar with.

[suityou01]

No-one's ticked off, and European colleagues are our 'friends' - I think the biggest threat to success is that their developers don't speak English. Their system looks good and doesn't overlap too much with the system I built in the UK, which, if all goes to plan, they will adopt and we'll integrate the two into one beautiful process.

You're welcome

[mudskipper]

Couple of things to watch out for. Firstly you say there are no documented requirements, so you have nothing to gap against. First things first, retro-fit a requirements baseline from the stakeholders. Interview them separately. Then have a group session to ratify the baseline.

Then do your gap analysis, using you intuition and common sense. Remember gap analysis works both ways, anything the system does do that wasn't in the baseline is an over delivery, so you are seen to be thorough and give credit where it's due to your European contingent. Don't make enemies of them, you'll need them later.

Then get an idea of expended effort. Also try and independently get an estimate against your baseline and compare the two. Odds are they won't be even close.

Going on from this you'll probably want to prioritise the gaps, and look at a tactical solution for the short term, workarounds etc. Then deliver a strategic solution for long term. Deliver short and fast. Your stakeholders are already ticked off so throw them a bone, and quick.

This one could run and run. What a beautiful project to be leading. Where there's chaos, there's cash.

No-one's ticked off, and European colleagues are our 'friends' - I think the biggest threat to success is that their developers don't speak English. Their system looks good and doesn't overlap too much with the system I built in the UK, which, if all goes to plan, they will adopt and we'll integrate the two into one beautiful process.

[suityou01]

I'm attending a workshop next week to do a gap analysis between a system developed by European colleagues and client's UK requirements.

Are there any recommended approaches / methodologies, or do I go with my usual 'wing it and hope' approach? (Links would be useful)

The requirements aren't documented - I have a high level understanding, and am going with colleague who knows the business side.

Couple of things to watch out for. Firstly you say there are no documented requirements, so you have nothing to gap against. First things first, retro-fit a requirements baseline from the stakeholders. Interview them separately. Then have a group session to ratify the baseline.

Then do your gap analysis, using you intuition and common sense. Remember gap analysis works both ways, anything the system does do that wasn't in the baseline is an over delivery, so you are seen to be thorough and give credit where it's due to your European contingent. Don't make enemies of them, you'll need them later.

Then get an idea of expended effort. Also try and independently get an estimate against your baseline and compare the two. Odds are they won't be even close.

Going on from this you'll probably want to prioritise the gaps, and look at a tactical solution for the short term, workarounds etc. Then deliver a strategic solution for long term. Deliver short and fast. Your stakeholders are already ticked off so throw them a bone, and quick.

This one could run and run. What a beautiful project to be leading. Where there's chaos, there's cash.

[EternalOptimist]

mind the gap

[Mich the Tester]

I'm attending a workshop next week to do a gap analysis between a system developed by European colleagues and client's UK requirements.

Are there any recommended approaches / methodologies, or do I go with my usual 'wing it and hope' approach? (Links would be useful)

The requirements aren't documented - I have a high level understanding, and am going with colleague who knows the business side.

Oh sorry, I didn't realise you'd asked a question.

Erm, wing it and hope. Failing that, bluff it.

[doodab]

I never understood the whole white t shirt and khakis thing.

[speling bee]

I'm attending a workshop next week to do a gap analysis between a system developed by European colleagues and client's UK requirements.

Are there any recommended approaches / methodologies, or do I go with my usual 'wing it and hope' approach? (Links would be useful)

The requirements aren't documented - I have a high level understanding, and am going with colleague who knows the business side.

Google is your friend. I ran a lessons learnt workship this week. After 10 google directed minutes and some writing on flip charts they thought me a genius.

[Mich the Tester]

I thought this thread would be about sex.