The value engineering plan is designed to optimize the development and support process by identifying cost-effective solutions that enhance value without compromising quality, performance, or user satisfaction. This plan focuses on improving efficiency, reducing waste, and ensuring that the software and support meets stakeholder needs effectively while delivering maximum return on investment.

Objectives

The key objectives of this Value Engineering Plan are:

  • Cost Optimization: Identify and implement strategies to reduce unnecessary costs throughout the software development lifecycle.
  • Efficiency Enhancement: Streamline development processes to improve productivity and reduce time between software releases.
  • Quality Maintenance: Ensure that all value engineering efforts maintain or improve the software's quality, performance, and user experience.
  • Innovation Promotion: Encourage the development team to suggest innovative solutions that enhance software functionality or reduce costs.
  • Customer Support: Provide timely customer support and assistance.

Value Engineering Process

The Value Engineering Process involves several key stages. The first step is Information Gathering, aimed at compiling comprehensive details, such as requirements, design, processes, and funding availability. The subsequent stage, Function Analysis, focuses on identifying and evaluating the key functions necessary to meet user needs. The following phase, the Creative Phase, centers on generating innovative ideas to enhance the software's value through cost reduction, improved functionality, or more efficient processes. The Evaluation Phase follows, wherein the feasibility and impact of generated ideas are assessed. Prioritization is done based on funding, return on investment, and stakeholder needs. Subsequently, during the Development Phase, detailed implementation plans are crafted for selected value engineering ideas. This phase involves creating project timelines, developing prototypes, and updating project documentation. The Implementation Phase aims to integrate selected value engineering solutions into the software development process, ensuring alignment with project goals while providing necessary support and training. The Monitoring and Feedback stage oversees the impact of these changes by tracking key performance indicators, conducting regular feedback sessions, and making adjustments as required based on ongoing feedback and performance data. Finally, the Support stage provides user assistance in effective software application while gathering information for future improvements. 

Key Areas for Value Engineering

Requirement Optimization

Requirement optimization involves refining and prioritizing project requirements to ensure that development and support activities focus on delivering the most value to the water management community. This process typically involves carefully evaluating and optimizing requirements, to allow development teams to enhance the overall quality of software and its application, while reducing unnecessary scope creep, and streamlining the project development process to deliver products that aligns closely with user needs and expectations.

Design Simplification

Design simplification involves evaluating the structure and components to identify and eliminate unnecessary complexity and redundancies. This process often entails breaking down the work into smaller, more manageable modules, streamlining the flow of data and processes, and reducing the number of interdependencies between components. By simplifying the design, developers can enhance system performance, maintainability, and scalability, as well as improve overall user experience. Additionally, design simplification can facilitate easier troubleshooting and debugging, ultimately leading to cost savings and increased efficiency throughout the software development lifecycle.

Development Process Improvement

Improving the development process involves implementing strategies and techniques to enhance the efficiency, quality, and effectiveness of the software development lifecycle (which includes support and assistance). This can include adopting best practices such as Agile or DevOps methodologies, optimizing communication and collaboration among team members, automating repetitive tasks through tools and technology, and continuously evaluating and refining processes. Implement Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) pipelines can automate testing and deployment, reducing manual errors and speeding up releases. Automated tests (unit and otherwise) can vastly shorten the time lag between bug introduction and discovery, which improves the time and efficiency to fix the issue. Process improvement also involves identifying and addressing bottlenecks, enhancing the deployment pipeline for faster delivery, prioritizing tasks, and promoting a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the development team. Finally, process improvements include building out impactful technology transfer material, streamlining how technology transfer material is delivered, and multiple options for technical assistance.

Technology and Tool Optimization

Technology and tool optimization involve leveraging software tools efficiently to streamline development processes and improve productivity. HEC uses:

    • BitBucket for code repositories and workflows for code reviews, branching, and merging code.
    • Jira is used for Project Management, software task tracking and documentation, as well as issue tracking bugs identified in the software. 
    • Confluence for programmer documentation, user documentation, organization of training material, and a knowledge hub.
    • TeamCity for automated, repeatable build server.
    • IDEs for local development and unit tests
    • The HEC website for disseminating training material
    • Teams for community support questions and storage of training material
    • Discourse for community support questions

Resource Management

Resource management involves effectively allocating and utilizing various resources such as human resources, time, budget, and tools to optimize project outcomes. It includes identifying project requirements, assessing available resources, and creating plans to allocate resources efficiently throughout the project lifecycle.

Monitoring and Reporting

Monitoring and reporting in the context of value engineering activities involves systematically tracking the results and impact of the initiatives through key performance indicators such as cost savings, decreased development time, and enhanced quality standards. Regularly assessing these metrics enables the team to gauge the effectiveness of the value engineering efforts and identify areas for further optimization.

Conclusion

The Value Engineering Plan is integral to delivering a high-quality product that meets stakeholder expectations at the lowest possible cost. By systematically identifying and implementing value-enhancing strategies, the project will achieve its objectives more efficiently, ensuring that the CWMS and WMES development and support activities maximum value to the water management community.