
Glen B Alleman has 25 years of experience in multiple domains such as program management, project management, system engineering and software development. He is currently heading the program planning and control practice for Niwot Ridge LLC. Glen B Alleman is associated with Clear Plan LLC as a program controller. He is also a regular contributor of IEEE software engineering body of knowledge. Glen B Alleman also teaches computer sciences, physics and mathematics in different universities. He was also the principle consultant for multiple organizations. He works on evidence based project performance management for software intensive programs in aerospace, defense, enterprise IT using agile.
Without further ado, let us start the interview with Glen B Alleman.
TaskQue: Software industry have grown tremendously in past decade. What really inspired you to enter in this field?
Glen B Alleman: I was trained as a physicist. I developed software for radar and flight control systems. I went back to graduate school for Systems Engineering and started managing software development. I’ve been working in the Software Intensive System of Systems (SISoS) domain for several decades, developing program planning and control processes for SISoS.
TaskQue: How was your experience at Niwot Ridge LLC for past 25 years? What was your role there? Tell us more about how they operate?
Glen B Alleman: I’m the Program Architect, developing and deploying program planning and control systems for our clients. These system, plan, schedule, manage risk and report progress to plan for the Program Manager.
TaskQue: In your long career spanning over two decades, who have helped you in reaching to the point where you are today. Can you name some of them?
Glen B Alleman: I have many colleagues in the profession. Most work for Space and Defense contractors and some in the Federal Government. We all belong to several professional organizations – College of Performance Management (www.mycpm.org ), International Cost Estimating and Analysis Association (www.iceaaonline.org), National Defense Industry Assoication (www.ndia.org), and Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering (http://web.aacei.org/)
TaskQue: You have got the opportunity to speak at various conferences such as NDIA C3ISR Conference 2014 and Waste Management Conference 2012. How was your experience?
Glen B Alleman: These conferences provide a forum to meet other professionals as well for inform and educate our colleagues on the latest processes and tools
TaskQue: When talking about the book “Performance based project management” you said, “It means that the customer is satisfied with the outcomes of the project.” Could you please explain it in detail?
Glen B Alleman: Project success starts with a definition of what Done looks like in units of measure meaningful to the decision makers. These measures include Effectiveness, Performance, and Key Performance Parameters.
Measures of Effectiveness are the operational measures of success that are closely related to the achievements of the mission or operational objectives evaluated in the operational environment, under a specific set of conditions. Measures of Effectiveness … Are stated in units meaningful to the buyer, focus on capabilities independent of any technical implementation and are connected to the mission success. These MOE’s belong to the End User.
Measures of Performance characterize physical or functional attributes relating to the system operation, measured or estimated under specific conditions. Measures of Performance are … attributes that assure the system has the capability and capacity to perform, assessment of the system to assure it meets design requirements to satisfy the MoE. MoP’s belong to the Program – Developed by the Systems Engineer, Measured By Control Account Manager (Project Manager on a large program), and are analyzed by the Program Planning and Controls team.
Key Performance Parameters represent the capabilities and characteristics so significant that failure to meet them can be cause for reevaluation, reassessing, or termination of the program. Key Performance Parameters … Have a threshold or objective value, characterize the major drivers of performance and are considered Critical to Customer (CTC). The acquirer defines the KPPs during the operational concept development – KPPs say what DONE looks like.
TaskQue: Everyone have a different way to measure project success? What do you think is the most important factor for a project’s success?
Glen B Alleman: Did we deliver the needed Measures of Effectiveness and Measures of Performance compliant with the Key Performance Parameters for the planning cost at the planned time? Each of these measures is a probabilistic number, so their values are assessed inside the upper and lower control limits of their ranges at specific points in the projects. As the project proceeds, the range of variance reduces.
TaskQue: In program management, you have to juggle multiple projects simultaneously. Can you highlight key points that are necessary for efficiently managing any program?
Glen B Alleman: Program Management is NOT juggling multiple projects. Program Management is a disciplined process of managing multiple interacting projects.
Start with The Handbook of Program Management: How to Facilitate Project Success with Optimal Program Management, Second Edition 2nd Edition, https://goo.gl/4CBJqB for a good guide on how to do this.
In our space and defense domain, most work is a Program, with smaller Projects inside, each manager by a Control Account Manager, who has budget and resources assigned with an Integrated Master Schedule, that rolls up to the Integrated Master Plan. See how this is done at www.acq.osd.mil/se/docs/IMP_IMS_Guide_v9.pdf
TaskQue: You are also well versed in agile project management and have authored few books on it as well. What do you think will be the future of agile project management?
Glen B Alleman: Agile project management is evolving. The critical success factor will be to not allow the software developers to define the process. Instead the success of Agile Project Management will be the integration of sound project management process – defining and measuring Physical Percent Complete, managing risk, planning in the presence of uncertainty with credible estimating processes.
Success will come with the developers come to understand those paying still need governance process for how the money is being spent. To date this seems to have been ignored.
TaskQue: Is there anything in life that wanted to achieve but you have not achieved yet? What are your future plans?
Glen B Alleman: Integrate cost, schedule, risk, and agile development into a seamless system.
TaskQue: To maintain a healthy work life balance, it is important to have fun. Tell us more about your hobbies and how you spend your leisure time?
Glen B Alleman: We live in Colorado, so I’m a road and mountain cyclist. I ski and run.