Guoping Rong, He Zhang, Dong Shao

Nanjing University, Chinaronggp@software.nju.edu.cn

Applying Competitive Bidding Games in Software Process

Education

Content

Challenges in software process-specific project practicing

The bidding game: course design Lecture phase Practice phase

Preliminary results of the courseConclusionSeeking for collaborations

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Challenges in software process-specific project practicing

difficult to find suitable projects for practicing software processes, technical details VS. process awareness.

a developer’s perspective may limit students’ capability to meet expectations of senior management and customers.

time limits for implementing these projects is highly constrained.

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Course Design -Lecture phase

two phases, i.e., the lecture phase and practice phase Lecture phase

6-8 hours Topics including estimation, planning, quality

management, risk management and team dynamics.

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Course Design -Practice phase

Practice phase Role-play bidding game Scenario

“……, every team should develop a project plan, and present the plan in public, and the best team will win the project (determined by the senior management).The marketing department has finished the draft version of the requirements specification of the online exam supporting system. Meanwhile one person in the marketing department mentioned that four weeks later, there would be a certification exam in local region. If we could seize this opportunity, the influence of the online exam supporting system can expand rapidly. So the management really expected that the project could be

finished in four weeks. Your team (four people include you) has three days to make a project plan and then present the project plan on the 4th day. You should put all the useful materials into the project plan and support your team to win the project. ” 5

Course Design -Practice phase

Project kick-off meeting Teacher could brief the tasks and requirements Students could inquire necessary information, e.g.,

requirements, expectations, etc.

Project planning Students develop a solution(plan) to meet expectations

from stakeholders, in this case, the teacher.

Plan presentation Students present their plans Teachers and TAs could ask questions about the plan

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Suggested materials included in the project plan

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Questions for the team

Typical work productsSize and time estimationTasks and schedulesEfforts and resourceAlternative solutionsQuality issuesRisksReuse

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Evaluation Criteria -1

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C1 The overall performance of the team

C2 Confidence and persistence for the plan

C3 Deep understanding of the project context

C4 Team-working of the team leader

Evaluation Criteria -2

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C5 Thinking highly of quality

C6 Being thoughtful about the project

C7 Trying hard to meet expectations from the senior management

C8 Requirements for senior management

Three classes

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Course results -1

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Criteria Team One (Part-time Students)

Team Two (Full-time Students)

C1 One team member was absent. However, the rest team members had been very supportive during the presentation.

All the team members were present.However, some students did not concentrate well during the presentation.

C2 quite confident about the estimation results and insistent on the schedule.

Not quite confident about the estimation results;Quite optimistic about the resource hours each week.

C3 alternative feasible plans were provided

Only provided one aggressive alternative plan.

C4 Not well, the team leader made some team commitments in a personal way.

Not well, the team leader made many team commitments in a personal way.

C5 achieving quality objectives through process, yet they still relied heavily on testing to remove defects.

At first, the team only put resource in testing activities. After some discussion, they seemed to understand that review and inspection could also improve quality.

Course results -2

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Criteria Team One (Part-time Students)

Team Two (Full-time Students)

C6 Identified 8 risks. However, they did not consider the reuse strategy. They mentioned that it was too early to consider the reuse strategy.

This team identified no risks, and also they did not consider the reuse strategy.

C7 quite confident about the estimation They showed greatest efforts to meet expectations from the senior management.

They also showed greatest efforts to meet expectations from the senior management.

C8 This team raised some requirements for senior management. For example, no staff changes, suitable team working places, no requirement changes, etc.

No requirements for the senior management.

Conclusion

could force students to focus on management aspects rather than technical details.

Could help students think from a more comprehensive perspective.

the duration of the course is usually within one week, which provides flexibility to find suitable slots in regular semesters.

to fosters communication among different roles

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Future work

To make comprehensive analysis on the difference of the performance between experienced students from the industry and inexperienced students from school.

To replicate the course in different context, e.g., industrial, different culture, etc.

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Q&A

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