Abstract
M.Ing.
The competitive world of commercial software development exacts unremitting regeneration, innovation and adjustment from each and every company that chooses to perform this function. The said regeneration, innovation and adjustment could result either from the proactive decisions of a company, or from its reaction to certain changes, such as changes in the market place and changes in available technologies. Should the business model fundamental to the software development of a company, however, fail to be adjusted for technological innovation (for example, object-orientated development), the chances of such innovations culminating in actual improvements in productivity are, however, greatly diminished.
The principal aim of the present research study is to investigate the project-management and product-development processes within a specific organization selected as a case study, and, if possible, to propose improvements to these processes. Rubico, the selected company, has decided on account of observed marketing opportunities to focus on the development of software components and patterns for the financial-services sector. In order to realise the said focus, some of the current and envisaged activities of the company, for example, marketing and project delivery, have been outsourced to third parties. The Rubico Products Company (hereafter called Products) and Rubico Delivery Services (hereafter called Delivery Services) utilise a formalised methodology of interaction in order to find software solutions for their clients.
Products is responsible for developing software components and software solutions, whilst Delivery Services specifies the said components and solutions with the client, in addition to reselling them to other clients. Products has entrusted the management of software products and patterns to product architects, whilst Delivery Services have employed project managers to manage the delivery of the said products and patterns. The golden thread that ties together the activities and roles of these two divisions is the product-delivery methodology to which both divisions subscribe. Proposals for the improvement of project management and product architecture are made not only in terms of a new definition for and in terms of the execution of the said processes, but also in terms of the responsibilities implied by these two roles. The present dissertation, however, contains merely the author’s opinions and conclusions in this connection, and does not necessarily reflect the vision and opinions of Rubico Company.