Software —
Training activity: 8

Details

Engage in the software management cycle

Type

Developmental training activity (DTA)

Evidence requirements

Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee​.

Reflection on the activity at one or more time points after the event including learning from the activity and/or areas of the trainees practice for development.

An action plan to implement learning and/or to address skills or knowledge gaps identified.

Considerations

• Git code reviewing process, resolving conflicts
• Git version control
• Software deployment (development, testing and production)
• Software development life cycle
• Change log
• Implementing versioning in documentation

Reflective practice guidance

The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.

Before action

• What are the key stages of the software management cycle? Why is understanding this cycle important in a healthcare environment?
• Are you familiar with different models of the software development lifecycle (e.g., waterfall, agile)? What are the typical activities involved in each stage?
• How do the different training activities in this module relate to the various stages of the software management cycle? What are the considerations for managing software in a clinical setting?
• Will you research different software development lifecycle models? Will you try to map the other activities to these stages?

In action

• Which stage of the software management cycle are you currently engaged in (e.g., planning, development, testing, deployment, maintenance)? What activities are you undertaking within this stage?
• How are you applying best practices relevant to the current stage of the cycle? Are you encountering any challenges in doing so? How are you adapting?
• What decisions are you making as you progress through the cycle? What factors are influencing these decisions?
• Are you encountering any roadblocks or unexpected issues within the cycle? How are you addressing these to keep the process moving forward?
• How effectively are different aspects of the cycle interacting (e.g., communication between development and testing)? Are there areas where coordination could be improved?

On action

• What specific stage(s) of the software management cycle did you engage with during this activity? What were the key tasks and considerations within those stages? What did you notice about the process?
• How do you communicate progress with the users? If changes are required during the development process, how do you record and accommodate these changes?
• What did you learn about the different phases of the software management cycle (e.g., planning, development, deployment, maintenance)? How do these stages interrelate? What are some of the best practices associated with each stage? What skills related to project management and software development lifecycle did you develop or improve? How did your reflect-in-action during the different stages of the cycle help you to understand the flow and dependencies?
• What will you take from this experience regarding how to effectively manage software projects through their lifecycle? Are there specific project management methodologies you want to learn more about?

Beyond action

• Reflect on the stage(s) of the software management cycle you engaged with. How has your understanding of the overall lifecycle of software development and deployment in a healthcare setting deepened through subsequent training activities or observations of real-world projects?
• Have you learned about different software development models or project management methodologies since this training activity? How might these different approaches influence how you engage with the software management cycle in the future?
• Revisit your initial thoughts on the importance of different stages like planning, testing, and deployment. Have your views on their relative importance shifted based on later experiences?
• Consider the importance of documentation, change logs, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) within the software management cycle in a clinical environment. How does your experience in this training activity relate to the need for these elements to ensure patient safety and data integrity?
• How will your developing understanding of the software management cycle contribute to your ability to participate effectively in bioinformatics service development and maintenance in your future practice?

Relevant learning outcomes

#	Outcome
# 4	Outcome Modify, install, update and test software.
# 6	Outcome Appraise the application of the software development and management cycle in a healthcare environment.