Difference between revisions of "CNMCyber Coordinator"

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: Product management opens when the product is put into service and ends when the product gets retired.
 
: Product management opens when the product is put into service and ends when the product gets retired.
 
==Projects==
 
Generally speaking, a [[project]] is a development [[#Endeavors|Endeavor]] or a set of [[enterprise effort]]s undertaken to produce a unique [[deliverable]], functional features of which are identified or can be identified before the ''efforts'' start. Those deliverables are those new and modified products that are produced during those developments. Indeed, the aim of ''Cyber's'' developments is to produce new or modify existing [[CNM Cyber product]]s. At the ''Cyber'', former and current projects are listed in the [[:Category:CNM Cyber endeavors|"CNM Cyber endeavors" category]].
 
 
===Cycles of cycles===
 
: To coordinate endeavors, the ''Coords'' shall accomplish cycles of efforts that consists of several steps. Similar procedures are normally needed to produce [[project scrap]]s and by-products. That means that the ''Coords'' are expected to follow the same cycle to create [[#What Coords produce|What Coords produce]].
 
 
: Furthermore, the most of projects may be viewed as sets of smaller developments. Among the ''Coords<nowiki>'</nowiki>'' outputs, [[#Meetings|Meetings]], [[#Documents|Documents]], and [[#Communications|Communications]] usually belong to [[project scrap]]s. Indeed, [[#Project results|Project results]] and results of the ''Coords<nowiki>'</nowiki>'' work are different phenomena.
 
 
: Project deliverables normally utilize outputs from other projects as its scrap. A [[CNM app]] development, for example, requires documents that describe its requirements, and drawing up those requirements requires meeting events. If we consider the ''Coords<nowiki>'</nowiki>'' work as micro-projects, we can say that outputs of micro-projects tend to become scraps for small projects and, furthermore, outputs of small projects tend to become scraps for macro-projects.
 
 
===Deliverables vs by-products===
 
: Those [[project output]]s that are not [[#Project deliverables|Project deliverables]] may be called project by-products. Their range is huge; there are some imaginary scenarios:
 
:* A contractor submitted more products than the contract had required. If they are further deployed, those additional products would be by-products of this project.
 
:* Contractor's performance demonstrated advanced competencies in something unrelated to the project. The updated records are by-products of this project.
 
:* While organizing a meeting, the ''Coord'' encountered the problem of the policy's incompleteness. [[CNM Cyber Customer]] agreed to fund the policy's updates. The updated policy is a by-product of the project
 
 
===Durations===
 
: The ''Coords'' work on one project, usually up to three and, in exceptional cases, up to five weeks.
 
:# In the first week, they shall get familiarized with the project. At the end of the familiarization, the ''Coord'' should be able to explain what is described on the relevant wikipages and be ready to discuss its [[Sprint Zero]] with [[CNM Cyber Customer]].
 
:# From the second week to the penultimate week, they facilitate the project work in accordance with the [[#What Coords do|What Coords do]] section.
 
:# In the final week, they close the project or project part, documenting their work and the data that was uncovered during that work.
 
: Projects can overlap. For example, the last week of work on one project may be the first week of work on another project. For senior ''Coords'', there are no restrictions.
 
 
===Patterns===
 
: Although no single straightforward pattern of project advancement exists, some patterns can be found in various developments. As an example, letters in the [[DREPD]] pattern represent five phrases:
 
:# '''D''' for "discover the need".
 
:# '''R''' for "research the background".
 
:# '''E''' for "envision the deliverable".
 
:# '''P''' for "plan the production".
 
:# '''D''' for "do what is planned and discover what hasn't been expected". This discovery is supposed to start a new cycle; new data shall emerge while doing and/or after getting something done.
 
 
: This pattern can be found in the whole development, in every group of processes, every process and every part of processes where ever anything new is or is going to be developed.
 
 
===Project deliverables===
 
: Projects are undertaken to create project deliverables. [[CNM Cyber Customer]] funds projects in order to get something in return. Normally, customers fund projects because of its expected deliverables. Any project is expected to deliver some outputs. In other words, project deliverables are those products for which development the project exists.
 
 
: For instance, when a contractor is hired to produce a particular thing, that very thing should be the deliverable of that project. Literally, the contractor is expected to ''deliver'' the deliverable to complete the project.
 
 
: At the ''Cyber'', former, current, and expected deliverables are listed in the [[:Category:CNM Cyber products|"CNM Cyber products" category]]. Project deliverables exist in various [[#Product states|Product states]] and belong to various [[#Product areas|Product areas]]. In addition, one project rarely produces one single deliverable. For instance, the [[HAProxy for CNM Farms]] project is expected to deliver high-availability capabilities for [[CNM Campus Farm]] and [[Campus Farm Lab]], as well as related presentations on various media resources, updates to the [[CNM Cyber Orientation]] course, and a bundle of exercises for the learners.
 
 
: Finally, project deliverables and ''Coords<nowiki>'</nowiki>'' deliverables are not the same things. Any development can be represented as [[#Cycles of cycles|Cycles of cycles]]. Just few ''Coords<nowiki>'</nowiki>'' deliverables, for instance, records, become a part of project deliverables. Normally, [[#What Coords produce|the ''Coords'' deliver]] to the project something like [[#Meetings|Meetings]], [[#Documents|Documents]], [[#Records|Records]], and [[#Communications|Communications]] to be consumed in the project activities as [[project scrap]]s.
 
 
===Project results===
 
: [[Project result]]s or results of the projects may be classified in four levels:
 
:# '''[[Project scrap]]s''', which are intermediate products that either become parts of the [[CNM Cyber product]]s or have been decommissioned before the end of the project. Nevertheless, the outputs cannot be produced without those scraps. As they say, sausage making is messy, but no sausage can be produced without that mess.
 
:# '''[[Project output]]s''' are the things that are produced during the project and kept after its end. Besides the [[#Project deliverables|Project deliverables]], the outputs may include other-than-the-project [[#Records|Records]] such as publications and [[#Documents|Documents]] such as blueprints that have been developed and commissioned in order to produce the [[#Project deliverables|Project deliverables]].
 
:# '''[[Project outcome]]s'''. On the ''Coord's'' side, the outcomes are those [[KSA]]s that the ''Coord'' has obtained during the project coordination. On the other stakeholders' side, the outcomes are something for which the [[#Project deliverables|Project deliverables]] have been produced.
 
:# '''[[Project impact]]s''', which are consequences of the project, its outputs and outcomes on a society. Beyond the ''Coord's'' work, some projects, for instance, may initiate further meetings, documents, actions, and changes.
 
 
===Status reports===
 
: While working on the deliverable, the ''Coords'' are expected to report their project status. In [[CNM Agile]] framework, these statuses are reported at the product line wikipage, [[CNM Cloud Usable]], using the following readiness levels for each [[#Product states|Product state]] and [[#Devices of certainty|Device of certainty]]:
 
:* '''[[Not started status|Not started]]'''. Project work on the corresponding [[#Product states|Product state]] and [[#Devices of certainty|Device of certainty]] hasn't started yet.
 
:* '''[[In progress status|In progress]]'''. Project work on the corresponding [[#Product states|Product state]] and [[#Devices of certainty|Device of certainty]] has been started, but the state/device has not yet been submitted for the approval.
 
:* '''[[Cancel status|Cancel]]'''. Project work on the corresponding [[#Product states|Product state]] and [[#Devices of certainty|Device of certainty]] has been cancelled.
 
:* '''[[Submitted status|Submitted]]'''. Project work on the corresponding [[#Product states|Product state]] and [[#Devices of certainty|Device of certainty]] has been submitted for the approval.
 
:* '''[[Done status|Done]]'''. Project work on the corresponding [[#Product states|Product state]] and [[#Devices of certainty|Device of certainty]] has been approved. With exceptions of the [[state of certainty]], [[CNM Cyber Customer]] approves the status. With regard to the [[state of certainty]], its approval also requires the developer's consent.
 
 
==Product states==
 
For the purposes of this very wikipage, [[product state]]s refer to sets of conditions that ''Cyber'' products acquire during their development and service. The ''Coords'' work to bring the products into one or more of their states.
 
 
===State definitions===
 
:# '''[[State of acknowledgment]]'''. In this state, the future deliverable exists in the form of a noticed and documented idea.
 
:# '''[[State of certainty]]'''. In this state, the future deliverable exists as a validated [[product specification]].
 
:# '''[[State of capability]]'''. In this state, the functional deliverable has already been produced in accordance with all the requirements that have been approved for it.
 
:# '''[[State of applicability]]'''. In this state, the deliverable is not only functional, but can also be used for the purpose for which it was produced in ways that are described by a validated [[standing operational procedure]] ([[standing operational procedure|SOP]]).
 
:# '''[[State of manageability]]'''. In this state, the deliverable is not only used for the purpose for which it was produced, but also controlled, that is, the product undergoes periodic revisions and is either improved and its characteristics are improved, or withdrawn from service.
 
 
===Hierarchy===
 
: In practice, [[product state]]s do not always represent a hierarchy of five levels, in which the higher level includes the states of the lower levels. However, the ''Coords'' should strive for this ideal, for example, it is impossible to fully talk about applicability without capacity, manageability without certainty, and so on.
 
 
===Thresholds===
 
:{|class="wikitable" width=100%
 
!Product state!!Threshold
 
|-
 
|[[State of acknowledgment]]||A record is added to the [[idea management system]].
 
|-
 
|[[State of certainty]]||A [[product specification]] is approved.
 
|-
 
|[[State of capability]]||[[Acceptance criteria]] are met.
 
|-
 
|[[State of applicability]]||A [[standing operational procedure]] ([[standing operational procedure|SOP]]) is approved.
 
|-
 
|[[State of manageability]]||Periodic reviews find that [[standing operational procedure]]s ([[standing operational procedure|SOP]]s) are both sound and followed.
 
|}
 
 
==Devices of certainty==
 
For the purposes of this very wikipage, a ''device of certainty'' refers to an instrument or tool that ensures:
 
* Product certainty, which their development shall deliver. When [[CNM Cyber Customer]] agrees, products shall not necessarily possess their [[state of certainty]] for the beginning of their development, but this state shall be achieved during that development.
 
* Project certainty, which suggests the scope of product development. Project certainty cannot be reached unless product certainty is reached. Clearly, no one can know what to do unless they know what needs to be done. The scope of work depends on the scope of work product. Moreover, the overwhelming majority of ''Cyber'' projects cannot be fully predicted and, therefore, achieve their complete certainty only with their closure.
 
 
===General certainty===
 
: For the purposes of this very wikipage, a ''general certainty'' refers to those devices that may combine product and project certainties.
 
:# '''[[Business requirement]]s'''. Description of the needs for which the development of the deliverable is undertaken.
 
:# '''[[#Funded demands|Demands of Team funded by Customer]]'''. Description of what [[CNM Cyber Team]] needs and, possibly, when and how it needs expressed when [[CNM Cyber Customer]] has funded satisfaction of those needs. Those demands are expressed in either [[acceptance criteria]] or [[standing operating procedure]] ([[standing operating procedure|SOP]]).
 
:# '''[[Stakeholder requirement]]s'''. Description of the future deliverable made on behalf of various types of its stakeholders.
 
 
===Product only certainty===
 
: A few devices ensure certainty of product deliverables:
 
:# '''[[Product depiction]]s'''. Representation in images, layouts, mockup models, outlines, [[prototype]]s, sketches, wireframes, and/or words of a deliverable to be created. [[Prototype]]s (from the Greek "prōtos" meaning "first", "original" and "typos" meaning "imprint", "pattern"). Instances, samples or models, following the example of which others are made or finalized. Prototypes of the deliverable are often built to test a perception, concept, or process. Prototypes can either be selected from existing products or produced during a project.
 
:# '''[[Product  specification]]s'''. Set of tasks for developers of a deliverable regarding its required characteristics.
 
 
: [[Business requirement]]s, [[stakeholder requirement]]s, and [[acceptance criteria]] clarify [[product scope]]s, but may also clarify scopes of their production, delivery, and/or other elements of [[project scope]]s.
 
 
===Project only certainty===
 
: [[Project scope]]s depend on their [[product scope]]s, so any [[project document]] can get some glimpse into its product certainty. A few devices ensure certainty of project processes and product delivery:
 
:# '''[[Project scope baseline]]'''. The combination of project work requirements that [[CNM Cyber Customer]] has approved and that are used as the base to compare with actual results. For complex projects, the baseline normally includes a [[project scope statement]], [[work breakdown structure]] ([[Work breakdown structure|WBS]]), and [[WBS dictionary]].
 
:#* [[Project scope statement]]. General description of the project work and its desired results, as well as assumptions, constraints and other project requirements.
 
:#* [[Work breakdown structure]] ([[Work breakdown structure|WBS]]). Hierarchical decomposition of the complete project work.
 
:#* [[WBS dictionary]]. Detailed deliverable, activity, and scheduling data for each component in the [[work breakdown structure]] ([[work breakdown structure|WBS]]).
 
:# '''[[Project schedule baseline]]'''. The combination of project schedule requirements that [[CNM Cyber Customer]] has approved and that are used as the base to compare with actual results.
 
:# '''[[Project cost baseline]]'''. The combination of project cost requirements that [[CNM Cyber Customer]] has approved and that are used as the base to compare with actual results.
 
 
: [[Business requirement]]s, [[stakeholder requirement]]s, and [[acceptance criteria]] may or may not clarify [[project scope]]s in addition to clarifications of [[product scope]]s.
 
  
 
==Recruiting the Coords==
 
==Recruiting the Coords==

Revision as of 15:12, 19 February 2023

CNM Cyber Coordinator (hereinafter, the Coord) is the pre-entry-level position that The Economic Group has developed and markets as a job opportunity for vocation discoverers, soft skills builders, career developers, employment gap fillers, and those learners who are undergoing initial practical training while being matriculated into the CNM Cyber Placement stage (hereinafter, the Placement).


Position

The Coords work is to facilitate someone else's performance on Projects vs operations related to CNM Cyber products. The Coord chooses the paid work from the Authorized work; alternatively, the Coord may propose own work, which may or may not be authorized for compensation. To learn about benefits, competencies, history, supervision, and target audiences, please see the CNM practice job wikipage.

Closest occupation

At the Occupational Information Network, the closest occupation is Information Technology Project Manager; the principal difference is that the Coords don't make managerial decisions. The Certified IT Project Management Associate (CITPMA) credential is awarded to the successful Coords.

Choice of work

By default, the Coords choose Endeavors that suit them best. CNM Cyber Project Managers may ask a Coord to take an urgent or specific project when they know anything professional about the Coord. That means that the Coords have to choose their first endeavor at least.
The work of the Coords is paid when they work on those endeavors that funding is authorized on the CNM Cloud Usable wikipage. That page contains links to:
Any Coord is welcome to pick any endeavor he or she would like to work on. In addition, the Coords are encouraged to propose their own endeavors.

How to start

Are you interested in getting started as the Coord? Please follow a step-by-step instruction as follows:
  1. Accomplish a couple of projects as CNM Website Developer and CNM Event Organizer.
  2. Read this wikipage. If you cannot read, you cannot work. This wikipage contains everything you need; however, its content is neither intuitive nor user-friendly yet.
  3. Ask questions. Questions are a huge part of your work; if you cannot ask, you cannot work. If you prefer videoconferences, attend any Week at CNM Cyber event. You will have opportunities to ask questions and get responses in real time.
  4. Study this wikipage to be ready to discuss two topics: (a) what paragraph is intentionally left unclear and (b) what section can be taken out without big harm. You will be offered to discuss those topics during your job interview. Why? If you don't know your job, you cannot work.
  5. Understand why the Cyber project is undertaken and what value is expected from the Coord. That's simple. If you cannot deliver what CNM Cyber Customer pays for, you cannot work. Everything that CNM Cyber Customer pays for is stated on this very wikipage.
  6. Wait for 2-3 months if you cannot understand what your objectives are. There is a chance that the course and/or videos will be developed out of this wikipage during that time. The introductory courses will be available at https://cert.cnmcyber.com after registering at https://opplet.net/user/register ; the videos will be published at CNM Tube and YouTube. Some of course wiki-materials are linked to CNM Cyber Welcome Session, CNM Cyber Orientation, and CNM Cyber Placement wikipages
  7. Pick up your first endeavor at the CNM Cloud Usable wikipage when you understand what your objectives are. You may have no idea what that particular endeavor is about. First of all, no endeavor is fully clear and, secondly, to learn about one endeavor is always simpler that to learn about many. When you really studied this very wikipage, you should know how to go about that endeavor. If you cannot pick your project, you cannot start working as the Coord.
  8. Contact CNM Cyber Customer while stating (a) the effort you picked, (b) what you plan to deliver, and (c) how much time you expect to work in order to deliver what you plan to deliver.
By the way, you can be paid to ask questions about this wikipage when you identify the endeavor behind that page.

What Coords produce

To facilitate development and/or management of CNM Cyber products, the Coords produce four categories of their first-level results: (1) Meetings, (2) Documents, (c) Records, and (d) Communications.

Communications

For the purposes of this very wikipage, communications are defined as distribution of the messages that are related to the Cyber, the Cloud, as well as efforts to develop those. Particularly, the communications are used to exchange the Documents and Records; the Meetings are used to facilitate the communications.
The Coords run their communications to make development of CNM Cyber products possible. These communications include:
  • Internal communications such as project and product communications, meeting invitations, reminders, moderation and discussion messages, and follow-ups.
  • External communications such as marketing campaigns, as well as distribution of outreach messages.
Marketing communications are described in the Market presence section of this very wikipage. Within the Project results, internal communications represent project scraps; they are needed to produce project outputs. External communications, especially marketing campaigns and products, represent project outputs.

Documents

Generally speaking, a document is a separate piece that (a) presents data, (b) is composed with texts and/or images, and (c) can further be edited or revised. The former document that can no longer be revised, for instance, a signed contract, becomes a record.
Probably, documents are the single most important output of the Coords's work. To facilitate development of CNM Cyber products, the Coords draft, edit, groom, and manage documents. Those documents may include:
  • Blueprints, which are document prototypes useful to create final documents. For instance, the Careerprise contractor agreement wikipage is used as a blueprint to draw up contracts with individual contractors. As a rule, these target documents are published on CNM Wiki.
  • Legal drafts such as papers drafted to be signed as contracts.
  • Outreach materials, which are marketing drafts intended to outreach to current and potential clients and participants such as Friends Of CNM newsletters.
  • Product documents, which are descriptions of former, existing, and future products published at CNM Wiki, as well as deliverable requirements, emails and other messages between product owners and developers, organizational and technical documentation such as standing operating procedures (SOPs), minutes of the meetings, testing and other reports, etc.
  • Project documents, which are project requirements, progress reports, emails and other messages between project owners and developers, memos with the results of project approvals, developments, meetings, and research.
  • Webpage texts
Within the Project results, those draft and final documents are either project scraps or outputs. As the outputs, they usually accompany other CNM Cyber products. For example, products normally come with instructions. However, some of documents represent whole products on their own. For example, to bundle the functional product with the instructions, those instructions were needed to be developed before.

Meetings

Generally speaking, a meeting is an occasion in which people meet to exchange data, discuss something, make decisions, and/or collaborate. Meetings occur online and/or offline in forms of verbal conversations, videoconferences, and/or webcasts.
To support development of CNM Cyber products, the Coords prepare, moderate, conduct, and close meetings. Those meetings may include:
  • Hiring events, which are interviews and other meetings between contractor candidates and CNM Cyber Project Manager organized to discuss potential entering into a contract and/or to make that decision.
  • Outreach events, which are CNM Cyber events organized to promote the Cyber, the Cloud, its CNM Cyber Team, technologies, needs, and services to outreach to current and potential clients and participants. Specifically to the Coords, the outreach products include Week at CNM Cyber events, which are weekly meetings of the Coords who present (a) what they accomplished last week, (b) what they plan to do next week, and (c) what assistance do they need. The outreach events are normally published at the CNM Cyber Meetup group.
  • Product meetings, which are meetings organized (a) to discuss deliverable features, (b) to make deliverable decisions, and/or (c) to communicate those decisions.
  • Project meetings, which are meetings organized (a) to discuss project features, (b) to make project decisions, and/or (c) to communicate those decisions.
Within the Project results, the outreach events represent project outputs. The other meetings should be considered as project scrap; those meetings are used to develop Documents.
Moreover, meetings tend to address a number of purposes. For instance, meetings of the CNM Technology Board may touch both product and project features and decisions. When they are open to the general public, they also serve the outreach purpose.

Records

Generally speaking, a record is a piece of matter that (a) presents data and (b) cannot further be edited or revised unless losing the status of a record. For instance, a signed contract, which is a record, can be used as a prototype to create new documents.
To support development of CNM Cyber products, the Coords collect records, place them in designated spaces, and, if applicable, manage their storage. Special standing operating procedures (SOPs) shall designate spaces for that purpose. Those records may include:
  • Archived files such as videos, audios, textual files, as well as coded and programmed scripts.
  • Databases of contacts, competencies of contractors, characteristics of tested software, etc.
  • Enterprise records such as contracts, which are legally-binding agreements, applications and reports that are officially submitted to governmental bodies and partners, identification and other personal documents of Cyber's employees that the law requires to keep in the enterprise system, accounting records, etc. At the Cyber, enterprise records are stored at CNM Venture.
  • Product records such as approved requirements for the project deliverable are posted at CNM Wiki. To be product records, they need to be protected from unauthorized edits and belong to the Product records category.
  • Project records are kept at several spaces depending on their nature. Project reports are posted at the CNM Cloud Usable wikipage. Legally-binding documents are stored at CNM Venture. Accepted deliverables are stored at CNM Repo.
  • Publications such as minutes of meetings and others textual records that reflect past events, content of CNM Repo, Page, Social, and Wiki, as well as those postings on YouTube, CNM Cyber Meetup, and other social media that the Coords may make. There is no single place for publications' storage at the Cyber; they are posted at different media. CNM Wiki can be used for development of publications; appearance of CNM apps at the WWW can also be considered as publications.
  • Technology records such as access credentials and detailed descriptions of software used in the Cloud. At the Cyber, technology records are stored at CNM Repo.
Within the Project results, the records represent project outputs by their definition.

Endeavors

For the purposes of this very wikipage, endeavors refer to both development projects and management operations. Each endeavor can have the Coord who coordinates this endeavor and, particularly, facilitates the Contractors' performance. Each Coord chooses his or her endeavor to coordinate.

Endeavors may include several projects and/or operations, but the Coord must concentrate only on one project or operation during one week. The endeavors are listed in the "CNM Cyber endeavors" category.

Endeavor documents

At CNM Wiki, Cyber endeavors are documented using two types of wikipages:
  1. The progress on particular endeavors is reported at the CNM Cloud Usable wikipage.
  2. Endeavor pages document everything, but progress reports. Those pages are listed at the "CNM Cyber endeavors" category and include project documents such as project charter, asset register, competency register, stakeholder register, requirements traceability matrix, project scope baseline, project schedule baseline, project cost baseline, and acceptance criteria.

Projects vs operations

The Coords work and/or facilitate someone else's work on endeavors, which are either:
Regardless of work on projects or operations, the Coords are always engaged in the Studying the backgrounds activities and can be engaged in the Hiring the contractors and Working with contractors activities.

Sets of processes

Any endeavor can be viewed as sets of processes. On that very wikipage, those processes are grouped in nine sections of What Coords do.
However, every of those groups, in fact, are separate developments on their own. For instance, the project formalization shall result in a project charter, but this document may be considered as an output of a separate development that requires its own formalization, studies, specification, planning, creation, and commissioning. Sometimes, it also requires hiring contractors and working with them. Thus, the sections of What Coords do show just some level of tentative divisions and do not represent definite classifications.

Why endeavors

In business, a combination of two or more projects and, possibly, some ongoing operations, is often called a program. In this sense, a program refers to a set of structured activities that is undertaken on a systematic basis.
The term, endeavor, is chosen to separate the work that is available to the Coords from complex and lengthy programs. Since the Coords choose their endeavors to coordinate, Coords' endeavors are not undertaken systematically.

What Coords do

The Coords' work can be divided in nine Sets of processes. Every Endeavor shall start with Formalizing the project, go through at least Studying the backgrounds and Creating the deliverables, as well as end from the Managing the product activities.

Formalizing the project

For the purposes of this very wikipage, project formalization refers to the set of efforts that is undertaken to the extent necessary to start researching the backgrounds for envisioning of Project deliverables and their production. This formalization aims to setup the stage for Studying the backgrounds activities.
The formalization shall produce a project charter, which is a document that (a) formalizes a project out of undocumented change making or development and (b) authorizes the project administration. The charter contains CNM Cyber Customer's business requirements or those product and/or project requirements of CNM Cyber Customer that are not negotiable. These requirements shall address some business need; the terms business requirement and business need are synonims and often used interchangeably. At CNM Cyber, they may be stated in one or more of the following:
  • Business case. A description of CNM Cyber Customer's vision for what and/or how the project shall accomplish. The case may or may not state success criteria or those key performance indicators (PKIs) that would or would not constitute the project's success. Any successful project shall satisfy specific business needs. Generally speaking, the business case constitutes why the project exists.
  • Statement of work (SOW). A document that states hard requirements related to product and project scope, budget, as well as schedule. The statement lists "hard" deliverables and key factors that affect the project work. The statement may or may not indicate project tools, policies, regulatory and governance terms. The budget part of the statement may or may not describe milestones. The schedule part of the statement may or may not describe funds available, work authorization process, and/or constraints to the funds' availability. The statement is often employed as a part of a request for proposal (RFP).
On a slang, non-negotiable requirements are called "hard requirements". The charter contains all of the hard requirements that come from CNM Cyber Customer. However, some of hard requirements derive from the laws, availability of workforce, and other environmental factors. They shall be added to a requirements traceability matrix (RTM) during the Studying the backgrounds activities.
To coordinate the project formalization, the responsible Coord:
  1. Collects data related to the business requirements from CNM Cyber Customer.
  2. Analyses the collected data related to business needs while organizing that data on CNM Wiki.
  3. Drafts a project charter.
  4. Makes sure that the statement of work (SOW) in the drafted project charter addresses the business need and supports the business case.
  5. Submits the drafted project charter for CNM Cyber Customer's approval.
  6. Publishes the project charter, after its approval, on CNM Wiki.
  7. Requests (a) assistance of the Administrators when additional resources are needed and/or (b) changes to the project charter when new data from existing and/or new sources of data prompt so.
  8. Reports on progress of the project formalization using the CNM Cloud Usable wikipage.
  9. Presents the progress, plans and possible concerns during Week at CNM Cyber meetings.
The project formalization starts after the business need is identified and ends when the project charter is completed.

Studying the backgrounds

For the purposes of this very wikipage, endeavor studies refer to the set of efforts that is undertaken to the extent necessary to start envisioning, planning and managing for the project deliverables, their production and management. These studies aim to setup the stage for Specifying the deliverables, Planning the project, and Managing the product activities.
Endeavor studies shall produce data needed for (a) envisioning of the product, (b) planning its production, and (c) managing the produced product. At CNM Cyber, the project studies shall produce the following outputs:
  • Asset register, which is a database of assets that can be used in the project. Particularly, those assets include non-human sources of data that are useful for production of project deliverables.
  • Competency register, which is a database of those competencies that can be valuable to Cyber efforts and their owners, potential and current Contractors and members of CNM Cyber Team.
  • Product user group at CNM Social, which is a space for project stakeholders to receive project updates and contribute their questions and comments. The group shall be open 24/7 for asynchronous activities; a functioning group shall also meet simultaneously via video-conference on a weekly basis. The groups of COTS software users tend to be titled in the "CNM/Opplet COTS-name Users" format.
  • Product pages at CNM Wiki, which are wikipages on which the product is being developed. The pages that represent COTS software tend to be titled in the "CNM/Opplet COTS-name" format. They belong to the "CNM Cyber products" category.
  • Endeavor pages at CNM Wiki, which are wikipages on which the endeavor is being developed. The pages that represent endeavors on COTS software tend to be titled in the "COTS-name for CNM Cyber/Cloud/Opplet/Farms" format. They belong to the "CNM Cyber endeavors" category.
  • Requirements traceability matrix, which is a grid that links requirements and their sources.
  • Stakeholder register, which is a database that lists stakeholders of the endeavor. Those stakeholders include the Administrators, CNM Cyber Team, those Contractors that work on the endeavor, as well as regulatory bodies that define and/or constrain endeavor's efforts issuing applicable laws and binding requirements. The complete register contains analysis of stakeholders.
To coordinate the project studies, the responsible Coord:
  1. Identifies those available resources that should or can be used in project activities. Human resources include CNM Cyber Team. Other resources include those presented in the initial WorldOpp Pipeline courses, on CNM Wiki, existing tools, materials, prototypes, and finished products available at CNM Cyber, on the World Wide Web and other sources. For off-the-shelf products, developer websites and professional resources like https://stackoverflow.com/ are usually helpful.
  2. Analyses the identified resources with regard to their nature, usefulness, and potential impact while organizing that data on CNM Wiki.
  3. Selects those resources and those data that may be used in the project activities.
  4. Composes the asset register, competency register, and stakeholder register.
  5. Forms a product user group at CNM Social if this group hasn't formed yet; refreshes the group if it has already formed.
  6. Organizes weekly video conferences, as well as other meetings and activities of the user group. Topics of those events shall address the product, its production when the product is under development, work of its administrators, user feedback and market trends.
  7. Invites everyone who is interested in product's development to the user group.
  8. Offers those experts and specialists who have knowledge, skills, and abilities useful for product specifications or project planning to discuss the deliverable and/or project.
  9. Interviews those experts and specialists who agreed to discuss the deliverable and/or project.
  10. Collects data related to (a) the project deliverables and their production when this deliverable hasn't been deployed yet and (b) product performance when the deliverable has already been deployed, as well as its industry trends.
  11. Makes sure that all of the collected data sources are listed in the asset register, competency register, or stakeholder register.
  12. Publishes the collected data on CNM Wiki. Product data shall be published on the product pages; project data shall be published on the project pages. The published data shall refer to its sources; however, personal data publication requires permissions. From a legal point of view, we cannot publish the confidential information of our contractors, for instance.
  13. Creates a requirements traceability matrix to trace the product and project requirements from the selected sources to perspective project deliverables.
  14. Updates the asset register, competency register, stakeholder register, requirements traceability matrix, as well as project and product pages when ever new data from existing and/or new sources emerge.
  15. Requests assistance of the Administrators when additional resources are needed.
  16. Reports on progress of the project studies using the CNM Cloud Usable wikipage.
  17. Presents the progress, plans and possible concerns during Week at CNM Cyber meetings.
The project studies start after the project charter is approved. Collection of requirements, product envisioning, project planning, production, as well as commissioning and management of a product always reveals new factors and data. That is why the studies end with the project closure.

Specifying the deliverables

The main goal of the product specification activities is to get the deliverable in a state of certainty, which is determined by the presence of a validated product specification. This specification is needed to compare the created deliverables against their requirements. To coordinate the product specification, the responsible Coord:
  1. Collects data related to stakeholder requirements for the project deliverables and product specifications using the asset register, competency register, and stakeholder register. This collection includes communications with stakeholders and review of documents and other assets that are registered.
  2. Examines available prototypes, unfinished and finished products against the collected data.
  3. Analyses the collected product data while organizing that data on CNM Wiki.
  4. Clarifies the collected data based on the examined prototypes and finished products.
  5. Identifies those target audiences who are supposed to use future deliverables.
  6. Creates imaginary personas that would represent each of the identified audience.
  7. Produces stakeholder requirements for each created persona using CNM Wiki.
  8. Composes product specifications based on the produced stakeholder requirements using CNM Wiki.
  9. Traces in a requirements traceability matrix the formalized stakeholder requirements from their sources to perspective project deliverables.
  10. Makes sure that (a) the product specification supports the stakeholder requirements and (b) all the deliverable data is published on CNM Wiki.
  11. Checks product specifications for completeness. This completeness shall be characterized by the presence of conditions for (a) functionality, (b) applicability, and (c) manageability of the deliverables. Conditions for functionality should include measures for product's performance. Conditions for applicability should include measures for product's deployment, testing, diagnostics, accessibility, serviceability, protection, and capacity to recover after disasters; these measures must be documented in product's standing operational procedure (SOP). Conditions for manageability should include measures for product's monitoring, periodic audits and revisions, as well as timely software updates for the COTS software products.
  12. Updates the stakeholder requirements and product specifications when ever new data from existing and/or new sources emerge.
  13. Requests assistance of the Administrators when additional resources are needed.
  14. Reports on progress of the product specification using the CNM Cloud Usable wikipage.
  15. Presents the progress, plans and possible concerns during Week at CNM Cyber meetings.
The product specification opens when CNM Cyber Customer approves the project charter and ends with the project closure.

Planning the project

The main goal of the project planning is to decide how the project deliverables will be developed. Those activities shall result in validated acceptance criteria. In other words, planning is getting a description of project activities that allows this development to be certain. To coordinate the project planning, the responsible Coord:
  1. Collects data related to project scope baseline, project schedule baseline, project cost baseline, and acceptance criteria using the asset register, competency register, and stakeholder register. This collection includes communications with stakeholders and review of documents and other assets that are registered.
  2. Examines the existing products that are going to be further developed if they are available.
  3. Analyses the collected project data while organizing that data on CNM Wiki.
  4. Formulates the difference between what actually is and what is needed to be. The existing products are what actually is, while the specified deliverable is what is needed to be. The project activities shall address this identified difference; they represent what needs to be done.
  5. Drafts a project scope baseline, project schedule baseline, project cost baseline, and acceptance criteria, based on the resources recorded in the registers.
  6. Makes sure that the acceptance criteria supports the project scope baseline and project schedule baseline.
  7. Submits the drafted project scope baseline, project schedule baseline, project cost baseline, and acceptance criteria for CNM Cyber Customer's confirmation.
  8. Publishes the project scope baseline, project schedule baseline, and acceptance criteria, after their confirmation, on CNM Wiki. To make future negotiations successful, neither the project cost baseline nor other financial data should be available to the general public.
  9. Requests (a) assistance of the Administrators when additional resources are needed and/or (b) changes to the project scope baseline, project schedule baseline, project cost baseline, and/or acceptance criteria when new data from existing and/or new sources of data prompt so.
  10. Reports on progress of the project planning using the CNM Cloud Usable wikipage.
  11. Presents the progress, plans and possible concerns during Week at CNM Cyber meetings.
Similarly to Specifying the deliverables, the project planning opens when CNM Cyber Customer approves the project charter and ends with the project closure. However, the project plan not entirely, but depends on product specification, while the specification rarely does. The deliverable to be rules what needs to be done, not vice versa. Only impossibility of the specified deliverable production can initiate the change to its product specification.

Hiring the contractors

At the Cyber, the main goal of hiring of project contractors is to expand the Coords' expertise and resources in order to accomplish the project. The contractors must be hired to produce anything beyond #What Coords produceWhat Coords produce; however, the contractors can also be hired to produce special Communications, Documents, Meetings, and/or Records.
In order to be hired, though, the prospective contractors need to be sourced first and selected second. Moreover, the sourcing, selecting, and hiring require their own "cycle phases" such as request formalization, background studies, contractor competencies' specification, recruitment plan, as well as this plan execution.
All of those activities shall result in fully-executed Careerprise contractor agreement. To coordinate the hiring of contractors, the responsible Coord:
  1. Evaluates whether third-party contractors are needed and, if they are needed, what Types of contractors should be looked for.
  2. Provides data to CNM Cyber Customer for making the decision either to bring external contractors on the board or not to bring. The positive decision assumes CNM Cyber Customer's willingness to finance the contractor's work.
  3. Revisits the Studying the backgrounds activities to identify those available resources that should or can be used in sourcing, selecting, and hiring of contractors.
  4. Collects data related to sourcing, selecting, and hiring of contractors that are able and available to satisfy Cyber needs using the asset register, competency register, and stakeholder register. This collection includes communications with stakeholders and review of documents and other assets that are registered.
  5. Analyses the collected sourcing, selecting, and hiring data while organizing that data on CNM Wiki.
  6. Composes solicitation materials including a request for proposal (RFP), which is a solicitation announcement, and the list of its placement options.
  7. Submits the composed materials to the CNM Cyber Project Manager for their publication.
  8. Revisits the Studying the backgrounds activities to update a list of potential contractors in the stakeholder register.
  9. Invites the listed contractors to discuss project's deliverables and product specifications, as well as the project including project scope baseline, project schedule baseline, project cost baseline, and acceptance criteria.
  10. Treats the discussions with the contractor candidates as primary sources of data to revisit the Studying the backgrounds activities. Hiring people is a great way to learn about aspects of an endeavor. Conducted interviews shall add to the CNM Wiki documentation. Particularly, that means publishing on CNM Wiki the data related to the deliverables and schedules extracted from the discussions. As a rule, meetings with contractors serve two different purposes: (a) selection of right candidates and (b) learning about the deliverables and/or project. Historically, requirements are refined during the recruitment process. If the requirements cannot be formulated during the recruitment process, they themselves shall become deliverables of an intermediary project.
  11. Assists in selection of the most promising candidates, negotiations, and other processes aimed to source and select contractors.
  12. Makes sure that the contractors are being selected not only because of their ability to speak, write, look well, get in touch on time, respond quickly, and so on, but, primarily, because of their ability to satisfy the Funded demands this contractor is being hired to resolve. Specifically, CNM Cyber Customer's:
    1. Approval of acceptance criteria makes possible hiring of developers.
    2. Validation of a standing operating procedure (SOP) makes possible hiring of servicers.
    3. Authorization of paid hours makes possible hiring of on-call specialists.
    If no job vacancy document is available at the moment, the candidates shall be offered to help developing it on a volunteer basis. If the need exists, but all internal and external resources to develop the document are exhausted, the Coord shall initiate a preliminary project to produce that document.
  13. Initiates a preliminary project to document the Funded demands if own efforts of the Coord didn't produce that document.
  14. Drafts a Careerprise contractor agreement while using its blueprint and entering subject matters to negotiate or agree.
  15. Provides the prospective and/or selected contractor with the drafted agreement.
  16. Informs CNM Cyber Customer about the readiness of the contract or contract for the full execution. The execution of the contract authorizes the financing of the production of the deliverables by contractors. One of the consultants may be contracted for consultations and/or participation in video conferences.
  17. Requests (a) assistance of the Administrators when additional resources are needed and/or (b) changes to the request for proposal (RFP) when new data from existing and/or new sources of data prompt so.
  18. Reports on new contractor hires using the CNM Cloud Usable wikipage.
  19. Presents the progress, plans and possible concerns during Week at CNM Cyber meetings.
The hiring of contractors opens when CNM Cyber Customer approves the Coord's request for the hire. It ends with full execution of the Careerprise contractor agreement.

Working with contractors

The main goal of collaboration with endeavor contractors is to enable the Contractors to deliver rightly right project deliverables or other requested services. To coordinate collaboration with contractors, the responsible Coord:
  1. Serves as an liaison between CNM Cyber Customer and contractors, reporting problems that need to be resolved.
  2. Organizes videoconferences or other meetings of parties interested in the project, especially those necessary to resolve problems arising during the project.
  3. Collects data related to the contractor performance.
  4. Analyses the collected data related to contractor performance while organizing that data on CNM Wiki.
  5. Initiates the process of paying contractors for their work. The process shall be described in a special standing operating procedure (SOP). Prior to creating it, this start of the process implies a request to the manager or CNM Cyber Customer.
  6. Requests (a) assistance of the Administrators when additional resources are needed and/or (b) changes to the fully-executed Careerprise contractor agreement when new data from existing and/or new sources of data prompt so.
  7. Revisits the Studying the backgrounds activities when new data or new sources of data emerges in order to revisit further the Specifying the deliverables and Planning the project activities.
  8. Presents the progress of collaboration with contractors, plans and possible concerns about that collaboration during Week at CNM Cyber meetings.
The collaboration with contractors opens when their Careerprise contractor agreement is fully executed. It ends with the closure of the agreement.

Creating the deliverables

The main goal of deliverable creation activities is to create rightly right deliverables. "Right" means that every deliverable shall be in a state of capability, which is determined by the fact that the deliverable meets all the product specifications that have been approved for this deliverable. "Rightly" means that the aggregate of creation activities match the agreed acceptance criteria.
At the Cyber, Contractors create Project deliverables. To coordinate the deliverable creation, the responsible Coord:
  1. Initiates hiring of development contractors.
  2. Plays roles of the product owner and/or project owner in the absence of other members of CNM Cyber Team assigned to those roles. In that case, the Coord decides how, within the framework of the approved requirements, the deliverable and the project should be.
  3. Tests the deliverable and, if necessary, its parts.
  4. Collects data related to the deliverables under development and their production.
  5. Analyses the collected project data while organizing that data on CNM Wiki.
  6. Monitors the development and execution of the project, including compliance with the budget, schedule and scope of work.
  7. Inquiries about changes to the project charter, product specification, project scope baseline, project schedule baseline, project cost baseline, and/or acceptance criteria when new data from existing and/or new sources of data prompt so.
  8. Organizes a closed-from-the-public-view project space on CNM Repo for work on the deliverable in addition to the project wikipage on CNM Wiki.
  9. Invites the hired contractor to the project space.
  10. Reports to CNM Cyber Customer on the status of the project, collecting, analyzing and summarizing information and trends.
  11. Treats creation of deliverables as primary source of data to revisit the Studying the backgrounds activities.
  12. Makes sure that the created deliverables (a) represent a complete bundle of products that are listed in the Careerprise contractor agreement and (b) satisfy their acceptance criteria.
  13. Recommends, after the contractor informs about the completion of project work, either (a) acceptance of the deliverables or (b) refusal to accept those deliverables while providing CNM Cyber Customer with explanations for that refusal.
  14. Requests assistance of the Administrators when additional resources are needed.
  15. Revisits the Studying the backgrounds activities when new data or new sources of data emerges in order to revisit further the Specifying the deliverables and Planning the project activities.
  16. Reports on progress of the deliverable creation using the CNM Cloud Usable wikipage.
  17. Presents the progress, plans and possible concerns during Week at CNM Cyber meetings.
The deliverable creation opens when CNM Cyber Customer authorizes its financing and ends when the deliverables are accepted. To expedite the project, the creation may start before its acceptance criteria have developed.

Commissioning the product

The main goal of the product commissioning is to obtain the product in its state of applicability, which is determined by the fact that the deliverable is not only functional, but can also be sustainably used for the purpose for which it has been created. In simple words, the commissioning is a transfer of the accepted deliverables from the contractor into Cyber operations. To coordinate this commissioning, the responsible Coord:
  1. Clarifies with CNM Cyber Project Managers which members of CNM Cyber Team will: (a) deploy the newly-deployed product if it hasn't been deployed yet, (b) test the newly-deployed product, (c) restrict access of the development contractors to the product and product's classified documentation, (d) access the classified documentation on CNM Repo, (e) establish new product operations based on its standing operating procedure (SOP), and (f) manage hiring of service contractors.
  2. Initiates (a) deployment of the newly-deployed product if it hasn't been deployed yet, (b) beta testing of the newly-deployed product, (c) restrictions of the development contractors' access to the product and product's classified documentation, (d) new administrator's access to the classified documentation on CNM Repo, (e) establishment of new product operations based on its standing operating procedure (SOP), and (f) hiring of service contractors.
  3. Collects data related to the product commissioning.
  4. Analyses the collected data related to product commissioning while organizing that data on CNM Wiki.
  5. Publishes the documentation received from the contractor on the Cloud resources. Internal, closed to the public, documentation, such as administrator access to installed software, is published on CNM Repo. The documentation that can be open to the public without restrictions is published on CNM Wiki.
  6. Requests assistance of the Administrators when additional resources are needed.
  7. Revisits the Studying the backgrounds activities when new data or new sources of data emerges in order to update the Managing the product activities.
  8. Reports on progress of the product commissioning using the CNM Cloud Usable wikipage.
  9. Presents the progress, plans and possible concerns during Week at CNM Cyber meetings.
The product commissioning opens when the deliverables are accepted and ends when the product is ready to be used in Cyber operations.

Managing the product

Two main goals of product management are (a) to obtain the product in a state of manageability and (b) to keep it in this state. The state is determined by the fact that the product is not only used for the purpose for which it was produced, but also controlled. This management includes both maintenance and improvement of product performance, as well as decisions to end its life or replace. To coordinate the product management, the responsible Coord:
  1. Monitors product usage, administrator performance, user feedback, industry trends, best practices, and situations in those markets that are associated with the product, its alternatives, and components.
  2. Treats the product management monitoring as primary sources of data to revisit the Studying the backgrounds activities.
  3. Collects data related to the product performance and its administration.
  4. Analyses the collected data related to product management while organizing that data on CNM Wiki.
  5. Identifies problems and opportunities to improve the product or replace the product with other solutions.
  6. Inventories the problems and opportunities that have been identified using Cyber's idea management software when it is available; temporarily, CNM Wiki shall be used.
  7. Presents the problems and opportunities identified in the inventory to CNM Cyber Customer for making decisions about opening new projects.
  8. Requests assistance of the Administrators when additional resources are needed.
  9. Revisits the Studying the backgrounds activities when new data or new sources of data emerges.
  10. Reports on progress of the product management using the CNM Cloud Usable wikipage.
  11. Presents the progress, plans and possible concerns during Week at CNM Cyber meetings.
Product management opens when the product is put into service and ends when the product gets retired.

Recruiting the Coords

There is no single simple indicator by which one can judge whether a person can become a successful Coord and, if so, whether similar jobs would attract and motivate him or her. One never knows unless one tries.

Coords' sourcing

Main wikipage: WorldOpp Sourcing
WorldOpp Sourcing encompasses the WorldOpp Outreach campaigns to attract attention of potential candidates and CNM Cyber Welcome Session to bring the candidates on the board.

Coords' orientation

Main wikipage: CNM Cyber Orientation
The CNM Cyber Orientation is designed to introduce promising Coords to the job market, the Cyber, its CNM Cyber Team, services, and the Cloud.

Coords' placement

Main wikipage: CNM Cyber Placement
The Placement is designed to introduce the learners to various positions, help to select the promising one, and place the learner as an apprentice into both the job and educational program. In their practice, the learners work as the Coords.
The Coord is a temporary position, limited by the duration of the Placement. Not everyone is attracted to work on creating something new. Not everyone is able to work in conditions of uncertainty.
  • If the job of the Coord suits the participant, he or she moves towards the business analyst, systems engineer, partner coordinator, event organizer, information structure or solution creator, product or user experience designer, and product, information resources or development manager, and other occupations in projects.
  • If unable or unwilling, the participant is promoted to Contract or Systems Administrator, Usability Analyst, Accountant, Graphic Designer, Operations Engineer, Purchasing, Account Manager, and Procurement Manager and other occupations in operations.
During the Placement, students should be introduced to different professions from a programmer to an accountant. The specialty will be selected based on the results of the practice, and then it will be necessary to select a curriculum with a partner and organize an internship. We hope to organize the internship ourselves, but it will be difficult to replace educational institutions. Nothing unreal is foreseen, but everything needs to be worked out. Until the third course is ready, the Coords can work on it.

See also

Related lectures