Software Project Management

Asim Shahzad

Successful software development programs require effective software project managers. Software managers are facing issues today unprecedented in the history of software development: perhaps the greatest shortfall of software engineering resources in the past two decades, shifting software development paradigms (e.g., software systems that incorporate more COTS and less traditionally developed code), and the continued evolution of software development standards.

Software Project Management

Activities• plan, control and organize a software project that delivers on

time and to cost • divide a large project into small, manageable steps • use techniques that enable the project to deliver the

customer's requirements • understand the major issues of project management and the

methods and techniques for dealing with them • understand the processes that have to be in place for a

software project to meet it's objectives

The Software Process

• What distinguishes software development management • How software can be managed like other projects • Software development life-cycle (SDLC) models • Choosing the right model • Defining a project’s objectives • Establishing criteria for success

The Software Development Project Plan

• Considerations for the project manager • Contents of the project plan • Planning tools and techniques • Work breakdown structure (WBS) • Scheduling • Resource planning• Rolling wave concepts

Software Cost and Resource Estimating

• Software estimating differences and challenges • .Using appropriate estimating tools and techniques • Engineering • Analogy (Wideband Delphi Technique) • Parametric relationships• New development considerations • Prototype methods • Statistical methods

Organizing for Complete Involvement of the User

• Defining needs and requirements • Distinguishing needs from wants • User vs. customer—a critical distinction • Roles and commitments of the user • User’s participation in the SDLC

Modern Software Engineering

• Advantages and disadvantages of prototyping • Using joint application design (JAD) • Component-based development • CASE tool considerations • Capability maturity model • Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) considerations

Managing the Process • The need for incremental development • Breaking a software project into manageable segments • Planning and controlling the project• Establishing software project teams • Preparing a responsibility matrix • Partnering with the user and subcontractors • Why controlling change is important • Handling requirements creep • Project control tools and techniques • Challenges and management problems in the SDLC

Managing Testing

• Establishing test objectives • Preparing test plans • Identifying testing responsibilities • Recognizing testing pitfalls • Determining the type of testing needed

Managing Documentation Requirements

• Need for usable documentation • How to anticipate common management problems • Solving the documentation dilemma • Document control

Systems Implementation and Project Closeout

• Ensuring customer acceptance and sign-off • Meeting all contractual obligations • Reassigning project staff • Conducting a post-implementation review • Lessons-learned database