Reviews & Metrics for Software Improvements

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/reviews-and-metrics-for-software-improvements

Introduction

### Course Review: Reviews & Metrics for Software Improvements on Coursera In the fast-paced world of software development, staying aligned with client needs while ensuring quality and performance is a daunting task. Fortunately, Coursera offers a course titled **"Reviews & Metrics for Software Improvements"** that tackles these challenges head-on. If you're a software project manager, developer, or a quality assurance professional looking to enhance your skills in tracking project progress and improving software quality, this course is worth considering. #### Course Overview "Reviews & Metrics for Software Improvements" focuses on techniques to monitor projects effectively, aligning client needs, project plans, and software production. Through comprehensive modules, the course places a firm emphasis on utilizing metrics and conducting reviews to facilitate continuous improvement throughout the software development lifecycle. #### Syllabus Breakdown The course is structured into four distinct modules, each with a specific focus: **Module 1: Right Product** The journey begins with the essential task of creating the “right product.” This module introduces you to the concept of sprint review meetings and the importance of understanding user needs through various user study techniques. You’ll also explore case studies from leading companies, providing real-world context to the theoretical concepts. This section sets a solid foundation for the practical aspects of product development and ensures you’re focused on delivering value to the end-user. **Module 2: Done Right** Once you've grasped how to ensure the product aligns with user needs, the next module dives into how to deliver that product successfully. Here, you'll be introduced to various review techniques that are pivotal for effective project monitoring. You will learn the Goal Quality Metric framework and key performance indicators that can help you stay on track while minimizing defects. This module is crucial for anyone looking to refine their project execution processes. **Module 3: Managed Right** In the third module, the course shifts focus to project management techniques that ensure efficient workflow and communication within teams. The Daily Scrum meetings and concepts like Velocity, Release Burndowns, and Iteration Burndowns are thoroughly examined. The practical exercises provided help reinforce these concepts, allowing you to implement actionable strategies in your own projects. **Module 4: Project Retrospectives** Concluding the course, the final module addresses the often-overlooked practice of project retrospectives. This section equips you with techniques to evaluate what worked and what didn’t during a project, fostering a culture of continuous learning. Engaging with retrospective exercises will not only help consolidate your learning but also inspire you to implement these techniques within your teams. #### Overall Experience The course is well-structured and paced, making it accessible to participants with varying levels of experience in software project management. Each module builds on the previous one, providing a cohesive learning experience. The real-world examples, combined with practical techniques and metrics, make the content highly relevant and applicable. #### Recommendation I highly recommend **"Reviews & Metrics for Software Improvements"** to anyone involved in software development—whether you're a seasoned manager or just starting your career. The insights gained from this course will empower you to create and maintain high-quality software products that meet user needs while adhering to project timelines. Moreover, the skills you acquire in tracking metrics and conducting reviews will be invaluable in fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement within your teams. In summary, if you are serious about enhancing your software development practices, this course on Coursera is a fantastic investment in your professional growth. Sign up today and take the first step towards mastering software reviews and metrics!

Syllabus

Module 1: Right Product

Welcome to the first module! This module is all about creating the “right product”. You will examine various ways of ensuring that you are creating the right product for both your client and your users. You will learn how to conduct a sprint review meeting and why they are an important step for delivering the right product. Then you will look at user studies. You will learn about several techniques for determining the needs of your users. The module concludes by examining how some of the big companies in the industry ensure that they are delivering the right product to their users.

Welcome to the second module! Now that you’ve learned about how to make sure you’re creating the “right product”, it’s time to explore how to ensure that product is “done right”. Here, you’ll start with review techniques, some issues surrounding project monitoring in general, and the Goal Quality Metric framework. Then, you’ll move on to desirable properties of metrics and dive into some key metrics for ensuring that you’re on track. You’ll finish off the module with defect analysis, leading you into getting your product “managed right” in the next module.

This third module examines the concept of managing your project right. You will learn some important and popular project management techniques. The module starts off by introducing you to the Daily Scrum meeting. You will learn ways to implement daily scrums with the teams that you work with as well as techniques to improve the meetings if they are not working well. Then we will cover the concept of Velocity in more detail which will prepare you for learning about burndown charts. This module covers both Release Burndowns, as well as Iteration Burndowns. We show you how to create, read, and use these useful tracking tools with the teams you work with. Together, these lessons will teach you how to ensure your projects are “managed right”.

Welcome to the final module of the course! The previous module was focused on ensuring your project was managed right by exploring techniques in project planning. This module will focus on an often-neglected, but very valuable tool: Retrospectives. You’ll explore what retrospectives are and some issues surrounding them. Then, you’ll learn about how a retrospective looks, along with some recommended retrospective exercises. Finally, you’ll round the module off with a summary of the course!