IN THIS APPENDIX
In this book I have stressed the importance of a sound project plan. I even went so far as to say that without a sound lifecycle process and accompanying project plan, you will fail. The Unified Process, according to Rational Software, is in implementation by more than 1,000 companies worldwide. In this appendix I want to show the project plan templates that come with the product. Although their true benefit comes from being used in conjunction with the product, they will help the project team become familiar with what a sound project plan should encompass. I want to thank Per Kroll of Rational Software for seeking the permissions necessary to present these plans, and Ensemble Systems (http://www.ensemble-systems.com), who originally created the plans
Before diving into the plans, you will notice that the Unified Process covers quite a bit of ground. In particular, it identifies over 103 different artifacts that a project team might produce during the course of a project. From my experience with the Unified Process, I have identified what I call the ten essential artifacts that most projects of any size would likely produce:
Vision (including the Supplementary Specification)
Requirements Management Plan
Software Requirements Specification
Software Architecture Document
Software Development Plan
Design Model
Test Model
Implementation Plan
Configuration Management Plan
Deployment Plan
Some of these artifacts are composite in that they contain other artifacts. For instance, the Design Model contains things such as class diagrams and sequence diagrams. Again, this is my perspective on those artifacts that are absolutely essential. For different types of projects, my list would change. In the case of a Request for Proposal (RFP), I would produce only the Vision, Software Requirements Specification, and Software Architecture Document.
As mentioned in Chapter 1, the Unified Process, out of the box, should be tailored to fit the needs of a project. Some projects will demand more artifacts and more steps in the project plan than others. The higher the risk is, the more attention needs to be paid to ensuring that the risks are mitigated. This mitigation process may consist of more elaborate deliverables and/or more tasks to complete on a project plan.
In summary, don't unfairly judge the Unified Process because it covers so many areas and in such great depth about the software development process. The intent of the product is to provide the team with a complete collection of best practices, allowing the team to produce what it believes will best meet its needs.