Process Dashboard 2.7

Process Dashboard Version 2.7 has been released, containing many significant new features.

  • The dashboard now supports the use of cloud storage services (such as OneDrive, Google Drive, and DropBox) for team collaboration.
    • This is preferred over the previous “shared network directory” approach, since cloud storage is more readily accessible and more secure.
    • New Team Dashboards can be created in cloud storage, and existing Team Dashboards can be migrated.
  • It is now possible to edit the list of size metrics used by a project:
    • High-maturity software teams can create new size metrics to support specific planning and tracking goals.
    • Teams who work in disciplines other than software can create size metrics to precisely support their planning and tracking needs.
    • Upgrade considerations:
      • Upgrading to version 2.7 will not affect current or historical team projects, which will continue to use the list of size metrics defined by their metrics collection framework.
      • Team projects that are created or relaunched after upgrading will include support for custom size metrics. To create, rename, or delete metrics, just choose “Edit Size Metrics” from the WBS Editor “Workflow” menu.
      • Individuals who have created personal projects can use custom size metrics in those projects simply by upgrading.
  • The dashboard includes a new “Universal” metrics framework, which supports project planning for diverse teams, including teams that do not write software.
  • A number of enhancements have been made to the WBS Editor:
    • The WBS workflow editor has always offered the ability to attach URL-based hyperlinks to workflows and their steps, enabling individuals to have easy access to these links when they follow the process. This functionality is now easier to use, thanks to a better user interface for entering and editing these links.
    • If the task percentages in a workflow do not add up to 100%, the workflow editor will now display the actual sum for informational purposes. If desired, you can normalize the percentages by double-clicking that sum, or by clicking the new “%” button on the toolbar.
    • The Process Dashboard watches for WBS changes in the background, and alerts the user if a sync is needed. Sometimes, the requisite changes are minor, resulting in an alert that “miscellaneous project information” was updated. On a busy team, these miscellaneous changes can happen many times a day and become a source of annoyance. To address this problem, the sync operation will now apply these miscellaneous changes silently without bothering the user.
    • In the WBS Editor, the “Export to Excel” functionality now includes information on workflows, size metrics, proxy tables, milestones, and team member availability.
    • In the WBS Editor, the name of the “PROBE Task” option does not convey an obvious meaning to people outside the PSP/TSP community. So to improve usability, this option has been renamed to “High-Maturity Planning Task” instead.
  • The Task & Schedule window provides new options for sorting tasks:
    • The Task & Schedule window now offers the option to sort tasks by label, by the values that were entered in a custom WBS column, or by temporary tags.
    • A new option has been added to the Project Parameters and Settings page, allowing an individual to request an automatic “Sort by Milestone” after each WBS sync operation.
  • In the Time and Defect Log Editors, the first column has historically displayed the full path of the task where an item was logged. This column now uses intelligent abbreviation, making the tables easier to read.
  • The Workflow Process Analysis report now includes a navigation link to quickly switch between different workflows.
  • The “Status of Team Member Metrics” table now offers sortable column headings, making it easier to identify team members who haven’t synced or exported recently.
  • The Process Dashboard is now compatible with Java 18 and above. Teams who have developed custom reporting add-ons will need to upgrade those add-ons to work with version 2.7.
  • Fixes are included for a number of bugs.

Upgrade Considerations

Teams are encouraged to upgrade together. Some features may not work properly until all team members have upgraded, and exported their data at least once.

Download

To download version 2.7, visit https://www.processdash.com/download