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• SPH:  Keep working so well together!
• SPH: Broad regression tests
• SPH: Process: Ticket -> Specs -> Dev -> Test -> User Docs
• SPH: Group/Feature area leads
• SPH: Focus on quality
• SPH: CCB prioritization of work items
• JJKP: Defined process

Things We Should Change

Do Better

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Ticket/Schedule System Process are not well defined and those that are not followed

• SPH: Critical path issues in ticket system put us at risk and we got lucky
  
  • Lots of tickets waiting for clarification or analysis until last month of 10 month release cycle.  We got lucky here for the most part.  At least one bug just coulnd't be fixed because of lack of time to solve the problem.
  • Lot's of work for SPH and JJKP tracked outside of ticket system.  The result is that P2 items in those lists get attention before P1 release items.  For example, we sent a lot of time on SBIR support, but didn't start reviewing end user docs until 3 days before scheduled app freeze even though over half the doc was ready weeks before.
• DJC/SPH:   Some ticket quality problems happen too often.
  
  • When submitting a bug, include scripts or detailed list of procedures, and error messages.
  • When partially closing issues: Be sure to include text explaining the current status of the issue so that when a developer returns to it, it is clear where things were left.  (See for example GMT-2686.  I should have noted where things were left, but didn't.)
  • f you have a script that shows the issue, always include it even if it seems trivial.
  • Avoid "whack a mole" issues, where the developer will fix the presented issue only to see it reopened with a description of "this one is just like the original issue."  Reopening once is okay, but if the issue shows signs of being systemic, then change the description to clue the developer in that it is likely systemic, or open a new issue.
• SPH:  Ticket system has so many trivial tickets, important issues get lost in the weeds.  Need a process to streamline ticket system (keep a clean backlog related to goals), define what is and is not a ticket, and how the backlog is a streamlined list of necessary work.  CCB potentially wastes valuable senior team member time reviewing trivial items, early ideas/suggestions.
  
  

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• JJKP: Some Visual Freeze things don't actually need to be in visual freeze.
  
  • Updating destination addresses in GMAT.ini
  • Updating TestComplete link tests in GMAT.ini
  • Note that if new buttons/links need to be added, these do become Viz Freeze items.Branching strategy improvement to avoid commit issues for people working on other releases
• DJC: Make sure that the entire team understands the end-of-cycle and start-of-cycle repository procedures. 
  
  • During RC evaluation, the only repository commits should be those that are part of the release
  • After the release is identified, make sure everyone knows the repositories are frozen – NO COMMITS – until they have been tagged and branched.

Miscellaneous

Start Doing

• SPH: Leverage code from heritage systems
• SPH: Consider using more third party libraries like SPICE or Asset Importer to avoid duplication of solved problems
• SPH:  Be better at directly responding to GSFC flight projects..  help missions.SPH
• JJKP: Do better at PR, outreach, etc.
  • Better outreach of current activities (blog posts, announcements, etc.)
  • Presenting at conferences, post sessions, etc.
  • Swag: coffee mugs, T-shirts, etc.
  • Outreach to universities, organizations, centers
  • Colloquia, seminars, talks
  • Outreach to HQ/missions

Stop Doing

• SPH: Spreading ourselves too thin.  Don't do more projects and improvements than we can do well.