Creating a cyclical build and test process
Defects and enhancements are required to be placed into releases and environments. To enable this, a cyclical build and test process is required.
Getting ready
Before starting, it is important to determine how often you require builds. The builds should be frequent enough to show progress, but not so frequent that they add unnecessary overhead to the project. To start with, a frequency of once a week should be sufficient. You can increase or decrease your build cycle as required. It is important to get into the build cycle directly from the start of the project. Releases into the test environment can be more frequent than releases into production. This enables components, defects, and enhancements to be reviewed more regularly. Production releases are a culmination of test releases, and should be on a scheduled basis so that stakeholders are aware and expecting releases.
How to do it...
- Open the Project Control Register.
- Go to the RTM tab and ensure all the requirements are allocated to a release and a release date.
- Open the Defect & Enhancement tab. Ensure all the defects have a release date.
- Group the requirements and defects and enhancements into a release package.
- Prepare a release note for the release. In the release note you should have the following:
- Environment
- Release Number
- Requirements included in the release
- Defects included in the release
- Enhancements included in the release
- Requirements which did not make the release
- Defects which did not make the release
- Enhancements which did not make the release
- Remember to update the status of the requirements and defects/enhancements to the appropriate statuses, before and after the release.
How it works...
By creating a cyclical release pattern, you enable the project team to validate requirements as you move through the lifecycle of the project. This allows for a defined rhythm when new information and fixed defects are available. Understanding how to maintain and manage business intelligence and data warehouse solution is as important as creating the application.
There's more...
Each product has the capability to migrate code from one environment to another. Some of these utilities can be very rudimentary. It is important to understand the capabilities of each product, so that you can build an effective release management process.