FISMA News

northernSCOPE Goes International

(Nov 15, 2007)-- A solid scope management approach makes a real difference in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) software development programs. Experiences from northernSCOPE programs in Finland and southernSCOPE projects in Australia have proven that success is achievable and predictable. Investing under 10K euros or dollars for thorough scope management during a development program results in upwards of hundreds of thousands of euros savings before the delivery of the new system, and practically guarantees a successful on-time and on-budget delivery to the delight of both customer and supplier companies alike.

Can you imagine an ICT world devoid of the massive disaster projects gracing our headlines on a weekly basis? A world where remarkable schedule or budget overruns are the exception instead of the rule? It is possible through the use of a key new job role formalized by the EU Certificates Association: the Certified SCOPE Manager (CSM). A competent SCOPE manager equipped with specialized knowledge and applicable methods and tools, will not alone guarantee project success -- but together with receptive business managers and professional developers, the success probability is multiplied on ICT projects.

The northernSCOPE concept itself is just over a decade old – it was developed by members of the Finnish Software Measurement Association (FiSMA) during the 1990’s through to 2005. northernSCOPE consists of several different measurement methods, reporting standards, tools and training modules in a comprehensive program aimed at improving the customer/supplier relationship and committed involvement of the customer – in an appropriate productive manner. The FiSMA methods, which include the ISO standardized Functional Size Measurement Method: FiSMA 1.1, and a comprehensive project Situation Analysis are publicly available standards. These are proven, easy to use international standards that anyone can adopt rather easily. The various training modules in the northernSCOPE Certified SCOPE Manager program has been offered individually as separate 1-2 day training courses, and were already available for 10 years in Finland and Australia. However, the northernSCOPE 12-step process brings together the best practices and core concepts of these workshops to provide an overall, holistic approach to SCOPE management throughout the ICT development life-cycle. As such, for the first time outside Finland, the northernSCOPE Certified SCOPE Manager training program is available in the USA and Europe, with Asian programs set to launch in 2008.

While the original SCOPE Manager training program launched in Finland in spring 2006 included only 7 days of hands-on experiential training, 4SUM Partners has expanded it by two days to adequately cover the five ISO conformant Functional Size Measurement Methods so that SCOPE Managers are sufficiently knowledgeable and gain practice into Functional Sizing methods and their differences. At the end of the 9 day comprehensive program, there is a 3 hour certified SCOPE manager examination based on the EU Certificates Association standard that tests examinees on the knowledge gained from classroom participation, on-the-job experience, case studies, exercises and application of the formal lecture materials.

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