[finhere]

Could someone direct me to any standards for programming changes? I'm interested in what would be an appropriate time expectation for changes to a website. i.e. changing control access depending on login id, printing a page in landscape format (rather than portrait) from a control button, toggling between windows, etc.
I've invested in the development of a web application, and the basic database and web display are complete, however, just need a few, what I call, tweaks like those listed above. (the program analyst calls system changes)
Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[lotuseclat79]

Hi finhere,

Standards for programming changes usually relate not to time to do a change (which varies according to factors involved in doing the change) - there are many maintenance factors to consider, like language, documentation, testing, knowledge and experience of staff, difficulty of the changes, etc. - but, rather to the coding for the language involved.

Try searching Amazon.com for the book entitled:
Software Engineering Economics by Barry Boehm

That might give you an inkling about software management considerations, scheduling, etc.

Printing a page via a control button requires changing the properties of the printer which can easily be done manually by anyone printing a webpage, but with regard to software certainly sounds like more than just a tweak.

Toggling between windows these days can be easily done by using tabbed browsing, such that toggling is nothing more than clicking on a tab that has the window of interest already loaded.

Changing control access depending on login sounds like permissions to me, i.e. Administrator access vs Power user access vs limited user access. There is always use of the "Run As" feature for a limited user to gain Administrator access, but that requires the use of the Admin password which a limited user would not normally have. Then there are Local Security Policies which could be set with additional rules for executing programs with Basic User rights vs Unrestricted rights (which is what an Administrator needs to do the job).

Depending on the context of the web application, it certainly sounds like some system changes (if you expect to make the features inherent in the application). Think about whether alternative approaches would work vs cost of making the changes - and, cost each approach with regard to cost/benefit.

Ask the system analyst for a description of what the changes involve and a schedule to meet the modifications. Ask for alternative approaches, i.e. what is feasible? How is feasibility determined, etc.?

-- Tom

[finhere]

Tom,
Thanks for the input. I'll look for the book, and do a little more research. I'm a couple of steps removed from the systems analyst, but I'll try that avenue, too. You've been most helpful.

MJ