Who should come?

Are you having trouble meeting your software cost and schedule targets? Do you find increasing amounts of your software components on the critical path? Do you have trouble understanding why some of your projects fail and others succeed?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you stand to benefit from this workshop organized specifically to address these issues. This workshop is designed for all levels of technical managers responsible for software development. Make a difference in your companies short and long term survival!

What should I expect?

What do I get?

• Learn about the basics and latest trends in Software Risk Management and Cost Estimation
• Learn about ESA's software project database and how you can benefit from it
• Hear how successful organizations are dealing with software project control as software demands become a major source of project risk
• Discuss with colleagues in Industry about your methods and experiences. Find out how to start a program in your organization and how to overcome the barriers you will face

Why are the selected topics important to me?

Software Risk Management and Cost Estimation
Project and program managers require accurate and reliable cost estimates to allocate and control project resources, and to make realistic bids on external contracts. They also need to determine whether, for a given system size, the cost of a prospective project is too high to redefine the project or put in place appropriate contingency plans (i.e., cost risk assessment).
Different techniques for cost estimation have been discussed in the literature: algorithmic and parametric models, expert judgement, analogy, and rules of thumb to name a few. However, they suffer from a number of drawbacks. This tutorial is designed to introduce you to various cost estimation techniques and how you can employ them in the context of software project risk management.
The tutorial is presented by Dr. Lionel Briand, Head of Quality and Process Engineering Department at the Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering (FhG IESE), an industry-oriented research an technology transfer institute located in Germany.

Software Metrics Programs at Work
Some of the most important lessons we keep are those learned through the experiences of others. In the workshop, you will hear from fellow managers and how they make software practices work for them in consumer and space/military contexts.

ESA Software Project Metrics Program

In 1988, the European Space Agency (ESA) began compiling a software project database focusing on cost estimation and productivity measurement. Since 1994, INSEAD has been responsible for maintaining and populating this software project database. At the time of this report, the ESA database has been expanded to include more than 165 projects representing space, military, and now other business and industrial software projects.

How can I participate in the program?

Companies interested in contributing data can do so by downloading a copy of the ESA Questionnaire from the RISE web site or by sending a request to rise@insead.fr. Each project contributed requires a separately completed questionnaire. The questionnaire includes various quantitative and qualitative measures of performance. After returning your completed questionnaire to us, we will get in touch with you to validate the data and enter it into our database.

How do you ensure privacy of data contributed?

All data contributed is held strictly private and no other corporation or individual outside of the research group has access to the same. The data set is sanitized by removing company specific references and information allowing identification of your project.

What are the benefits of contributing data?

Several web-based tools are available from the RISE web site allowing you to benchmark hypothetical projects against those currently in the database. See www.insead.fr/~rise or more information.

What can I find more information on the program and the database?

The database is currently administered by RISE. More information on can be found by browsing the RISE web site or by sending an email to the RISE coordinator (contact info at the end of this brochure).

Organizers

INSEAD / RISE

The RISE Initiative, www.insead.fr/~rise, Research in Information Systems Excellence Initiative, was established in 1997 with the motive of positioning INSEAD as one of the world's leading centers of knowledge and expertise on Information Technology (IT) and Information Systems (IS) excellence. The Initiative represents INSEAD's response to the business and managerial challenges raised by the increasingly information technology dependent business environment.

Dr. Michael Lee
Michael.Lee@insead.fr
Tel: +33 1 60 72 41 28
Fax: +33 1 60 74 55 00

European Space Agency (ESA)

The Cost Engineering Section, www.estec.esa.nl/eawww, supports the procurement process of the major spacecraft's, launchers, ground segments/instruments of ESA missions. It conducts cost analysis studies and cost estimates for HW and SW elements and develops related methodologies and tools.

Benjamin Schreiber
bschreib@estec.esa.nl
tel: +31 71 5654385
fax: +31 71 5654997

Centre of expertise in all areas related to software engineering. This includes methods and standards as well as associated software tools (Software Development Tools, programming languages, compilers and operating systems) .

Jean-Loup Terraillon
jterrail@estec.esa.nl
tel: +31 71 5653765

Fraunhofer IESE

The Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering (IESE) (www.iese.fhg.de) was created in 1996 by Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the leading organization in Germany for applied engineering research and technology transfer. Fraunhofer IESE has developed an internationally recognized expertise in software cost and risk analysis and quality engineering. Fraunhofer IESE is the strategic partner of many leading European companies and helps them improve their software development productivity and quality.

Dr. Lionel Briand, Isabella Wieczorek
{briand, wieczo}@iese.fhg.de
Tel: +49 6301 / 707 251
Fax: +49 6301 / 707 202

Logistics

Venue

The workshop will be held at INSEAD, Europe's premiere business school. The school itself offers programs ranging from Executive Education, Advanced Management Programs, and MBA programs. The modern seven-hectare campus is located at the edge of the Fontainebleau forest, 65 km south of Paris. In the fall, the weather is moderate and pleasant.
The campus is located approximately 45 minutes from Paris by car or train (train fare from Paris is about FF100), 45 minutes by car from Orly airport and approximately 1 hour 30 minutes by car from the De Gaulle airport. Detailed maps can be found on the workshop web site.

Lodging

A number of rooms at local hotels have been put on hold for the nights before and after the workshop. Participants are advised to consult the web site for contact information on these hotels and contact them directly.
See http://www.fontainebleau-online.com

Information concerning workshop:

Muriel Larvaron - RISE Coordinator
INSEAD
Blvd de Constance
Fontainebleau, FRANCE, 77305
Muriel.Larvaron@insead.fr
Tel: +33 1 60 72 41 28
Fax: +33 1 60 74 55 00

Registration and Fees

Registration for the workshop is free. However, we ask that you register by 1 August 1999 and participate in one of the following pre-workshop activities:
1) deposit project data in the ESA database or
2) complete an online questionnaire concerning your software development situation (see the workshop web site - hard copies available upon request).
Registration includes copies of all materials distributed during the workshop and refreshments during the break. Food and lodging are not included.