Configuration Management (CM) provides essential visibility into product configurations and changes, akin to navigating with headlights in fog. It facilitates informed decision-making, promotes efficiency, and minimizes risks by ensuring proactive compliance and collaboration among teams. The lack of visibility hinders decisions, while strong visibility drives innovation and effectiveness.
Configuration Management is Quality! Today let’s look at #Quality. Depending who you ask you will get a different definition of what quality is. Some would say it is whatever the customer says it is, but that makes it rather fuzzy. I prefer to state that Quality = Conformance to Requirements. Requirements are a good way to capture what the customer wants but also what your company wants to bring to… Read More »Configuration Management is… Quality!
The fourth edition of the CM+Agile series highlights a day in the life of a Configuration and Technical Change Manager at an agile car software company. It emphasizes the importance of reliable data in managing software releases, effective change management, and the critical role of Configuration Management in ensuring product quality and timely delivery, amidst challenges faced during development.
The importance of data ownership is emphasized as essential for effective configuration management. True ownership lies with the creators and users who need the data, rather than just high-level approvals. The Institute for Process Excellence advocates for recognizing these roles within the CM2 framework to ensure data quality and understanding.
Configuration management relies on maintaining the integrity of information to ensure its value. Configuration Managers must often make tough decisions that prioritize correctness over convenience, demonstrating courage and resilience. While flexibility can enhance efficiency, it should never compromise the integrity of the data. Join the discussion on LinkedIn.
A CrowdStrike update on July 19, 2024, affected 8.5 million Windows computers, causing significant disruptions including delayed medical treatments and emergency services. The estimated cost for Fortune 500 companies is $5.4 billion. This incident, part of a pattern of similar issues, raises questions about the effectiveness of their DevSecOps practices and configuration management.
Recent incidents involving autonomous vehicles highlight safety concerns and the complexities of AI development. As AVs face challenges in predictable behavior, the need for Explainable AI becomes crucial. Ensuring accountability and transparency in AI decision-making can build public trust while addressing the risks associated with testing on public roads.
The first The Future of CM newsletter of 2023 discusses the Circle of Competence, highlighting its importance in decision-making and change assessment in Configuration Management. It emphasizes the need for knowledgeable individuals during impact analysis, while addressing the Dunning-Kruger Effect, which leads to overestimation of one’s expertise. The CM Baseline aids in identifying relevant competencies and managing personnel changes effectively.
I joined Joseph Anderson and Martin Haket on the IpX True North Podcast. This series is about the topics identified in the CM2-500 standard. We will discuss these topics in the context of the Future of Configuration Management. The third topic is about data integrity and operability and the fear of change.
The discussion surrounding the V(ee) Model and Agile methodologies highlights the importance of ethical behavior in development. Ethical fading undermines good practices, leading to significant scandals like GM’s Ignition Switch and Boeing’s 737 Max. Addressing toxic leadership and fostering a culture of open communication is crucial for preventing future ethical failures.