Tool Mentor:  Establishing a Change Request Process Using Rational ClearQuest

Purpose

This tool mentor describes how to use Rational ClearQuest® to establish a change request process.

Related Rational Unified Process information: Activity: Establish Project Change Control Process.

Overview

ClearQuest is a change-request management (CRM) system for the dynamic and interactive nature of software development. With ClearQuest, you can manage every type of change activity associated with software development, including enhancement requests, defect reports, and documentation modifications.

ClearQuest is not limited to tracking defects. ClearQuest Designer is the administrator's tool for customizing ClearQuest schemas to suit the specific needs of your company. The administrator defines the type of information that users submit, retrieve, and view in reports and charts. The administrator also determines which users can perform which actions on records.

Everyone on your development team benefits from using ClearQuest:

• Development engineers spend more time coding and less time identifying action items.
• Test engineers identify the origin, status, and resolution of every change request.
• Project leaders and managers gain quick insight into the status of their projects through detailed customizable reports.
• Remote team members are part of the team with ClearQuest Web.

Tool steps

There are four aspects to customizing ClearQuest to create a change request management process with ClearQuest Designer.

1. Create and modify schemas, including the forms for users to submit and modify records
2. Create and modify databases, including adding users and user groups
3. Set and modify permissions for users and groups, so that only certain users can take certain actions
4. Create and modify hook code (add functionality to ClearQuest) and external applications (to trigger actions outside of ClearQuest)

1. Create and modify schemas, including the forms for users to submit and modify records

• Define record types. Select Help > Contents  > Defining Record Types.
• Define fields and behavior. Select Help > Contents > Working with Fields.
• Define states. Select Help > Contents > Working with states.
• Define actions. Select Help > Contents > Working with actions.
• Define forms. Select Help > Contents > Working with record forms.

2. Create and modify databases, including adding users and user groups

Select Help > Contents > Working with databases.

3. Set and modify permissions for users and groups

Select Help > Contents > Controlling access to Rational ClearQuest.

4. Create and modify hook code and external applications

Select Help > Contents > Working with hooks.

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