**5. Basic provisions of the methodology**

project. It is associated with the special role of the *personnel coordinator*. Usual methodologies do not consider this role specifically, because believe that the project manager is engaged in

The role of the personnel coordinator is not reduced to the functions of a human resources officer—a personnel department employee, usual for the traditional style of doing business in the organization in Russia. It does not come down to the work of a more habitual HR manager (Human Recourses Manager). The main difference of the new role is that it assumes the real project work (predominantly design) of the personnel coordinator, while the human resources officer deals only with technical issues of hiring and firing, and the HR manager in addition to them—training of personnel with soft skills and organization of necessary enterprise developers' attraction. The personnel coordinator performs only the last function of the HR manager, although with a slightly different content. We must emphasize that the HR manager plays the role of the administrative structure of the enterprise, which, although it affects the project activity, but indirectly, creates conditions for the work of the project teams by allocating resources to them. If we talk about unstable teams, for the most part, they are almost independent of any kind of administrative superstructure. Most often, such teams only rent premises and pay for the use of infrastructure on contractual terms. They do not

form an administrative structure with a special personnel department as a rule.

• Receiving and processing a task that the team offers to constantly working developer or op-

• If a project team tasks an assignment to a constantly working developer, the interaction of the personnel coordinator with the development team in the course of the assignment is subjected

• Formulation the task for an optional developer involved as a proposal, independent of the

• Finding a candidate for the position of an optional developers involved (using all the usual

• Evaluation of the activities of the optional developer involved in terms of the desirability of

Depending on the scope of the assignment task (scope of work planned, time constraints, etc.), the personnel coordinator becomes either a project manager formed for an autonomous task or a responsible implementer of the task. Autonomy of a task is limited to planned con-

The role of a personnel coordinator can be assigned to a manager or a dedicated employee, but more efficiently when it is distributed among key developers. The advantages associated with such a distribution are a wider coverage of candidates, which means that it is possible to

• Monitoring the activities of the optional developer involved associated with the task.

The new functions of the personnel coordinator are as follows:

to the methodological scheme adopted for the project.

trol activities that are consistent with the main project.

methods and sources of information on potential candidates).

tional developer involved.

further cooperation with him/her.

attract employees on a competitive basis.

project.

the team formation at the initial stages of the work.

172 Management of Information Systems

As already noted, one of the problems of an unstable team is the lack of a suitable project development methodology. However, the forceful implementation of the methodology is unacceptable for solving the problem, since any of them presupposes the consent of the developers and mindfulness, which is impeded by instability. Therefore, in an unstable team, the methodological scheme of the project activity, as a rule, develops spontaneously and with violation of many generally accepted canons, but taking into account the human factor. This is what Cockburn calls for in his noteworthy work [4].

If we exclude from consideration methodological aspects related to interaction with the project customer, who often define them for the unstable team, then taking into account the specifics of the project activities of the team, we can recommend Highsmith's approach ASD (Adaptive Software Development) [10]. ASD is not a methodology in the strict sense of the word, but a kind of a template. Following principles of this template, the developers can choose a methodology, adapting it to the project and to the characteristics of the team. The approach focuses on teams in which training and cooperation as fundamentally important working conditions are considered. Highsmith calls for a flexible attitude toward planning: "in an environment that requires adaptability, planning is a paradox" and believes that deviations from the plan lead to objectively determined decisions. Consequently, developers should consider them not as errors or wrong attitude of performers to work, but natural, "correct" and needing to study circumstances that are the true causes of problems. Project management should aim at providing communication, as developers themselves are able to find answers to emerging issues.

From the just presented review of the ASD concepts, it is clear that they correspond to situations usual for unstable teams. The concrete definition of the methodology for project management for them that meets the principles of ASD can be any; however, the operational steps that involve a methodology for project management activities should be coordinated with the basic scheme of the adaptive development that is the reason of all methodologies that adopt the concepts of ASD (see **Figure 3**).

As one can see from **Figure 3**, in the developing project, there are three overlapping phases that are distinguished: *consideration* → *cooperation* → *learning*. They cover the entire development of the project, divided into stages, represented by rectangular blocks. The evaluation works allocate to the stages, the content of which is associated with the quality result reviews and with the processes of their obtaining. The results of the competitive works (blocks L1, L2, and L3) are evaluated to determine decision making. If satisfactory results are not obtained, and if new tasks are to be performed, a return to adaptive cycle planning occurs, the next iteration of which takes into account the process quality assessment. This cycle plays a dual role as follows:


**Figure 3.** The development cycle of the ASD project.

Adoption of the ASD scheme for an unstable team, as a rule, does not cause difficulties even without a special discussion. As for concretization of the methodology adopted for the team, this requires the unanimous approval of key employees. The consent of the project participant with the adopted methodology of the project activity is a prerequisite for determining she/ he as a key developer. The consent of the all key developers with certain methodology is a good chance of successful adopting it for the team. Realizing this, we give only a sketch of the concretization of the methodology that corresponds the ASD scheme with the usual phases of the life cycle of the project development. In this coordination, we take into account the need of splitting and organizing mini-cycles of assignments by optional developers involved, as well as the work of the personnel coordinator.

The subsequent sketch uses the concepts presented in the discussion of the life cycle of the project and the organization of mini-cycles for outsource performing tasks.

#### **Consideration phase:**

• *Initiation of the project*. This is the formation of a development task. The task is based on an external order or from the realization of the need to implement the development.

It corresponds to the analysis stage and the beginning of the definition of requirements. The stage is associated with the initial definition of tasks that one can formalize as offers for autonomous execution.

The personnel coordinator evaluates the resources available and necessary for the implementation of the project.

• *Adaptive cycle planning*. This is a preparation of architectural solution. For the first iteration, when an architectural decision has not yet been made, information is collected for its development. For subsequent iterations, questions are resolved for the integration of new components into the existing architecture, as well as the modernization of architecture. An important part of adaptive planning is the definition or adjustment of the quality criterion of architectural solutions.

The staffing task of the stage is the appointment of the performer to whom the team assigns the following work: the search for a ready similar component or a statement of the need to develop a new module. Priority in providing work to executors is given to key and constantly working developers. For assignments, which is decided to offer to constantly working developers and optional developers involved, a *curator* from among key developers is determined. The role of the curator is compatible with the role of the personnel coordinator. The execution of external assignments is in the responsibility of the curator.

#### **Cooperation phase:**

Adoption of the ASD scheme for an unstable team, as a rule, does not cause difficulties even without a special discussion. As for concretization of the methodology adopted for the team, this requires the unanimous approval of key employees. The consent of the project participant with the adopted methodology of the project activity is a prerequisite for determining she/ he as a key developer. The consent of the all key developers with certain methodology is a good chance of successful adopting it for the team. Realizing this, we give only a sketch of the concretization of the methodology that corresponds the ASD scheme with the usual phases of the life cycle of the project development. In this coordination, we take into account the need of splitting and organizing mini-cycles of assignments by optional developers involved, as well

The subsequent sketch uses the concepts presented in the discussion of the life cycle of the

• *Initiation of the project*. This is the formation of a development task. The task is based on an external order or from the realization of the need to implement the development.

It corresponds to the analysis stage and the beginning of the definition of requirements. The stage is associated with the initial definition of tasks that one can formalize as offers

The personnel coordinator evaluates the resources available and necessary for the imple-

• *Adaptive cycle planning*. This is a preparation of architectural solution. For the first iteration, when an architectural decision has not yet been made, information is collected for its development. For subsequent iterations, questions are resolved for the integration of new

project and the organization of mini-cycles for outsource performing tasks.

as the work of the personnel coordinator.

**Figure 3.** The development cycle of the ASD project.

174 Management of Information Systems

**Consideration phase:**

for autonomous execution.

mentation of the project.

	- developing solutions for each of the tasks, if the need for this is recognized;
	- identification and implementation of works on the adaptation of selected and developed solutions to the requirements of the system.

The execution of works by key developers is not specifically regulated. The curator of external works consults (in different forms) their performers (option developers involved) and reports to the personnel coordinator. She/he also identifies situations when the implementation of the task requires the mastering of special educational material. In this case, one of the key developers organizes the necessary classes for interested performers (e.g., in the form of teleconferences).

• *Primary quality estimation*. This is the completion of the execution of external work and discussion of the solutions obtained (overlapping works with the next phase). If one cannot choose the solutions suitable for the development of the system being developed, then a mini-cycle of learning is organized or a transition to the iteration of the adaptation cycle is done. In the discussion, the performer (key or a constantly working developer) and the curator participate. The results of the discussion are forwarded to the personnel coordinator for analysis.

The stage corresponds to an evaluation, as a life cycle stage in that part of it that is associated with a local estimate of external results by a curator and a personnel coordinator.

#### **Learning phase:**

• *Quality review*. This is an assessment of the work carried out and the decision to continue or complete the project. The purpose of the review is to decide whether the release is ready or need to organize a transition to the iteration of the adaptation cycle.

Communications of this stage do not differ from the discussion at the stage of primary quality assessment with the only difference that all key developers are involved in them.

The stage corresponds to the completion of the "Evaluation" phase of the life cycle, during which a conclusion is made about the attestation of the results obtained, that is, about the expediency of the transition to the offer for release.

	- integration of the results obtained as products for users;
	- evaluation of product quality from the point of view of users;
	- organization of works on support and maintenance (new design tasks).

Communication of learning phase is a discussion of the success of the implementation of all three phases of the project with the aim of adjusting the future activities of the team and evaluation criteria, taking into account the experience gained, as well as interaction with users and with the customer, regulated by them.
