Managing Software Deliverables: A Software Development Management Methodology

The BROC Sponsor is usually the head of a business division or organization. He or she makes a commitment to name a representative, who is empowered to speak on his or her behalf at all BROC meetings. This designee is empowered to sign documents and approve requests, plans, or other project-related documents. This is necessary to prevent endless meetings where attendees are required to run back and forth to their managers to seek permission to go to the next step. It prevents delay tactics from being used by organizations within the enterprise that are jockeying for project priority. In other words, it ensures that all seats at the table are represented equally and empowered to act in the best interests of the business.

1.12.1 BROC Sponsor Role

The BROC Sponsor is responsible for the following tasks:

• Appointing a BROC representative for his or her business unit

• Ensuring the BROC is supported by the business unit

• Approving projects requiring funding in excess of the signature authority of the BROC members

• Resolving prioritization conflicts that cannot be determined by BROC members

1.12.2 BROC Member Role

The BROC members are responsible for the following tasks:

• Presenting new project requests to the BROC for their business unit

• Prioritizing the projects driven by their business unit

• Preparing and presenting project proposals for BROC review, prioritization, and approval.

• Objectively reviewing all Project Request Forms and establishing project prioritization equally for all business units

All BROC members should have director-level purchasing approval authority. Each BROC member must be fully empowered to represent his or her functional area. This involves gathering business requirements, understanding the business unit needs and priorities, and making needed decisions at the meetings.

1.12.3 SPMO Role in the BROC

The SPMO is responsible for the following tasks:

• Facilitating BROC meetings

• Providing BSM and Project Manager assistance to BROC members preparing project proposals

• Assigning an advisory Project Manager to provide SEP guidance and oversight to business unit Project Managers on all projects with an anticipated IT budget that falls below the corporate-established spending limit

• Assigning a senior Project Manager to plan and manage large crossfunctional integrated projects with an anticipated budget at or over the corporate-established spending limit

• Assigning a BSM to project teams to facilitate development and documentation of business requirements, acceptance criteria, and solution recommendations

Before we get into the specifics of each phase, it is important to understand that somewhere around the early 1990s, people began to question the significance of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), and much discussion evolved in private and government sectors regarding the advantages of using SDLC approaches to mitigate cost and reduce risk. This thought revolution led to the implementation of the Information Technology Management Reform Act of 1996 (ITMRA), which is sometimes known as the Cohen Bill[7].