Task: Establish the Mentoring Program
Create a Center of Capability and develop a Mentoring Program Plan.
Disciplines: Software Capability Improvement
Purpose

A structured, well-planned mentoring program will build momentum and increase adoption for new software development capabilities by transferring skills in the context of real projects to internal resources that will own, sustain, and improve the new capabilities over the long term.

Demonstrating the value of the new process and tools as early as possible in a real projects is imperative. It is the only way to gain credibility and enlist the trust essential for making further improvements.

Relationships
RolesPrimary Performer: Additional Performers:
InputsMandatory:
    Optional:
    • None
    Outputs
      Main Description

      Develop the Mentoring Program Plan, outlining the tasks needed to develop the Center of Capability. Document the operational approach for working with projects across the organization to pilot process and tool improvements, transfer knowledge and build capabilities, compile lessons learned, and provide feedback to continuously improve. Describe how to measure and report on adoption and performance improvements.


      Steps
      Confirm vision and scope

      Survey and profile the organization to determine the distribution of applications, programs, projects, and development groups by critical characteristics, including organization, geography, technology, and size. The results of a development organization assessment are a key input to this step.

      Develop a clear mission targeting the enablement of improved program/project performance versus compliance. 

      Determine adoption support model definition

      Develop the following:

      • operational standards and service level agreements (SLAs)
      • Group coordination points (e.g. with software capability improvement organization, business units, projects)
      • Monitor & control functions
      • Risk mitigation/resolution process

      Identify measures for success

      Determine expected value of mentoring efforts and a method for measuring if the value is delivered.

      Identify adoption goals. For example:

      High Level Goal:
            % of Organization to Adopt by Timeframe, i.e., Multi-Generation Phase Plan (MGPP)
            Example: 10% 1st Half, 20-25% 1st Year, 40-55% 2nd Year, 75-85% 3rd Year
      Goal Quantification:
            Numbers of Projects/Staff by Geography

      Identify performance objectives.  Some key areas of impact to consider:

      • Scope  - total features implemented by the end of the project vs. features originally planned at project start
      • Schedule  - actual end date vs. originally planned
      • Quality  - number and severity of defects detected after final delivery of project
      • Cost/Effort  - actual total cost/effort vs. originally planned
      • Value/ Satisfaction  - stakeholder value and user satisfaction upon delivery, measured by surveys, productivity, time-to-market, sales revenue, customer retention
      Determine how to staff the mentoring plan

      Identify the staffing model. Determine if mentors will be dedicated full-time to mentoring work (rotating out of the Center of Capability every 6 months or so for dedicated project work), or if mentors will be deployed part-time to mentoring efforts.

      Determine for each new capability if mentors will be in-house or outsourced resources.  Consider the number of qualified and trained staff versus the adoption volume requirements.

      Select a qualified coordinator for the Center of Capability. This role may rotate in and out of the CoC.


       

      Identify training path and assets that will be used for training and mentoring

      Identify levels mentors can achieve through training and real-world project experience. For example:

      • Level 0 Trained
        Evidence: documentation of training
      • Level 1 Observed
        Evidence: name of project observed in mentor documented
      • Level 2 Performed
        Evidence: name of project performed documented
      • Level 3 Co-lead
        Evidence: name of project co-lead and demonstration of skill to peers
      • Level 4 Lead
        Evidence: name of project led
      • Level 5 Mastered
        Evidence: names of 3 projects led, process improvement examples

      Identify assets that will be used for training mentors in each target capability.

      Evangelize

      A key activity for the Center of Capability is to evangelize and socialize the capability improvements. 

      • Generate demand and build a pipeline of projects who are interested in adopting the improvements
        • Meet with project managers, mid-managers and address any concerns they may have around adoption
          • Will this adoption slow down the project?
          • Will the adoption impact the profit margin?
          • What are the risks/benefits of adoption
          • What is the effort required
          • What support will they get from the CoC
      • Host events to showcase improvements and successful adoptions (e.g. roadshows, lunch and learn events)
        • Share metrics (development, productivity, code quality)
        • Share the dashboard for various types projects, so teams can see what benefits they could get from the improvements
      • Become known for thought leadership
        • establish forums and wikis where staff can communicate with mentors and have their questions about the process and tool improvements answered
        • publish articles and FAQs
      Key Considerations

      Given the multi-dimensional challenges involved in establishing an effective Center of Capability, the strategic approach must be limited and should take an incremental approach in its own deployment.