IT2403 - Software Project Management

Text Book:Bob Hughes, Mike cotterell, "Software Project Management", Tata McGraw Hill, New Delhi, 2002

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Introduction

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In this introduction the main questions to be addressed will be:

– What is software project management? Is it really different from ‘ordinary’ project management?

– How do you know when a project has been successful? For example, do the expectations of the customer/client match those of the developers?

• IT projects have a terrible track record.– A 1995 Standish Group study (CHAOS) found that

only 16.2 percent of IT projects were successful in meeting scope, time, and cost goals.

– Over 31 percent of IT projects were canceled before completion, costing over $81 billion in the U.S. alone.

Formal Project Management

• Formal PM is defined as: completing a project on paper before the actual project begins, creating a detailed plan, and then executing the project according to that plan.

• In a formal project management environment, the project manager must follow procedures and practices as defined by an imposed standard

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Advantages of Using Formal Project Management

• Better control of financial, physical, and human resources.

• Improved customer relations.• Shorter development times.• Lower costs.• Higher quality and increased reliability.• Higher profit margins.• Improved productivity.• Better internal coordination.• Higher worker morale (less stress).

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What is a project?Some dictionary definitions:

“A specific plan or design”

“A planned undertaking”

“A large undertaking e.g. a public works scheme”Longmans dictionary

Key points above are planning and size of task

Jobs versus projects

‘Jobs’ – repetition of very well-defined and well understood tasks with very little uncertainty

‘Exploration’ – e.g. finding a cure for cancer: the outcome is very uncertain

‘Projects’ – in the middle!

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Methods

Tools

Technology

Product Development

Products

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A Quick Level Set

• Technology– Application of scientific knowledge in industry or

business• Tool– An implement or machine used to do work or

perform a task.• Method– A manner, means or process for accomplishing

something.

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What’s in each segment?Jav

aUM

LXM

LVoIP

Oracle

Copernic

Internet

Intranet

Extranet

Object-Oriented

Software Engineering Project Management

Methods

Tools

TechnologyProducts

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How do products happen?

Methods

Tools

TechnologyProducts

Methods

Tool

s

TechnologyProducts

Ideas

Products

Characteristics of projectsA task is more ‘project-like’ if it is:

• Non-routine• Planned• Aiming at a specific target• Work carried out for a customer• Involving several specialisms• Made up of several different phases• Constrained by time and resources• Large and/or complex

Are software projects really different from other projects?

Not really! …but…

• Invisibility• Complexity• Conformity• Flexibility

make software more problematic to build than other engineered artefacts.

What Is a Project?• A project is “a temporary endeavor undertaken

to create a unique product, service, or result.”

• Planned Activity

• Operations is work done to sustain the business.

• A project ends when its objectives have been reached, or the project has been terminated.

• Projects can be large or small and take a short or long time to complete.

• Every project is constrained in different ways by its:

– Scope goals: What work will be done?

– Time goals: How long should it take to complete?

– Cost goals: What should it cost?

• It is the project manager’s duty to balance these three often-competing goals.

What is Project Management?

• Project management is “the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements.”

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Project Management Framework

Project Stakeholders• Stakeholders are the people involved in or

affected by project activities.• Stakeholders include:– Project sponsor– Project manager– Project team– Support staff– Customers– Users– Suppliers– Opponents to the project

Nine Project Management Knowledge Areas

• Knowledge areas describe the key competencies that project managers must develop.– Four core knowledge areas lead to specific project

objectives (scope, time, cost, and quality).– Four facilitating knowledge areas are the means

through which the project objectives are achieved (human resources, communication, risk, and procurement management).

– One knowledge area (project integration management) affects and is affected by all of the other knowledge areas.

– All knowledge areas are important!

Project Management Tools and Techniques

• Project management tools and techniques assist project managers and their teams in various aspects of project management.

• Specific tools and techniques include:– Project charters, scope statements, and WBS (scope).– Gantt charts, network diagrams, critical path analyses,

critical chain scheduling (time).– Cost estimates and earned value management (cost).