To ensure broad-based project success, DMC places a significant focus not only on the technical and engineering aspects of our projects, but also on following well-formulated project communication, management, and quality practices.
Thus, as part of DMC’s standard project process, there are many critical supporting services that DMC performs for our clients.
Here are five ways DMC ensures the success of projects:
- Design Reviews
- Application Testing and Project Quality
- Build and Release Management
- Project Communication
- Project Management
This blog details each of these practices
Design Reviews
Design Reviews are standard practice for all DMC projects. Peers and senior engineers subject system designs and developed code to a constructive review. They serve as checkpoints and establish an active feedback cycle during project development.
Design Reviews:
- Improve quality
- Leverage experience of multiple team members
- Mitigate risk
- Allow early detection of system critical items
Application Testing and Project Quality 
All custom application software requires testing. DMC integrates application testing throughout project development, from early-stage concept and simulation testing to onsite/field functional testing.
Testing times naturally vary based on the use case and complexity of a system or application, but it is always reasonable to expect a significant amount of time be devoted to thoroughly exercising and verifying application functionality to ensure it satisfies system requirements.
As part of DMC’s standard project process, at least one engineer is assigned to be the project quality lead, having responsibility for quality control measures throughout the project.
Build and Release Management
Standard software release processes involve the compilation and distribution of a binary (stand-alone) application, along with deployment to field systems (i.e., PCs, embedded controllers, or other targets).
Time spent on these activities varies with the scale of an application and its deployment scope. In all cases, the successful installation and configuration of application software on field systems is an important task during the end stages of a project.
In addition to application builds that are released/deployed on field systems, DMC also typically provides full source code as a project deliverable.
Project Communication
DMC maintains open and active channels of communication with client personnel throughout our projects during all periods of ongoing engineering/development. We update clients on progress, schedule, and timing expectations, or identify any issues encountered. We also meet with key members of a client’s engineering and management teams to review technical information, hardware and software designs, project progress, budget status and schedule.
Methods of communication:
- Status updates via email
- Conference calls
- In-person meetings
By regularly gathering appropriate project stakeholders, these meetings strive to promote effective communication, synchronization, and coordination between team members from both the client and DMC. They help ensure all development activities are progressing in line with the client’s expectations.
Furthermore, these meetings provide an opportunity for DMC to obtain feedback and direction on the client’s preferred handling of various aspects of the project and to cooperate with client engineers on technical strategies and implementation approaches. The fundamental goal of these meetings is to enable the client and DMC to collaborate as a complete, cohesive team working together with a common purpose.
Additionally, DMC holds regular meetings amongst our internal engineering teams to ensure alignment and synchronization of technical strategies and deliverables.
Project Management
When DMC undertakes a particular scope of work on a project, we provide project management over that scope.
Project management includes:
- Coordination
- Top-level strategic direction
- Oversight
- Scheduling
- Tracking/reporting on team activities
- Monitoring progress, quality, schedule, and budgetary status
If desired, DMC also provides periodic project financial summaries (like the one shown below) for any Time and Expenses portions of the project.
Reports can be generated at significant project milestones/intervals to provide clear visibility into the budget as the project progresses. Data is based on invoiced costs and not-yet-invoiced pending costs (i.e. time spent by DMC engineers since the last invoice was issued) to provide an up to date snapshot of current budget status.
Conclusion
You can set yourself up for success before your project gets started by putting measures in place to prevent common and even uncommon barriers and problems from becoming a major breakdown in the project's progress. If you have any questions about DMC's project process, feel free to contact us.
Icons made by Prosymbols, Vectors Market, DinosoftLabs, and Freepik from Flaticon are liscenced by CC 3.0 BY.