Software Audit Case Study

The project is stuck

Problem

The collaboration between the client and the software developer company had reached a dead end – the promised project deadline had passed but the solution was far from complete and unsolved problems were piling up. The relationship between the contracting authority and the contractor had become tense and the meetings were largely filled by disputes between the parties. Both parties wanted a solution but could not agree on how to proceed.

Process

The contracting authority involved me as an independent expert in order to assess the situation and help find the optimal solution. Over the course of the audit, I met with key persons from both parties and listened to them. I familiarized myself with the information system and its documentation, meanwhile evaluating the maturity of the functional part, the quality of the software and development process, and the compliance of the solution with the offer. During the process I also involved a technical specialist who helped me with technical knowledge in a particular task.

I outlined possible solution scenarios, their risks, and the pros and cons. I highlighted the shortcomings with the greatest impact on the project process, always on both sides. The client had a choice of 4 future scenarios with the final decision always being the client’s. According to their decision, I helped draw up a specific action plan.

Outcome

The contracting authority had an understanding of how the bottlenecks that led the project to failing came to be. The causes of the problems were openly communicated to the entire team for further learning. The client implemented an action plan to complete the project.

My time allocation: 10h per week for 1 month or ca. 40h