9-Software project mgmt

Software Project Management

• Purpose of Project Management:

  • Software development is subject to budget and schedule constraints.
  • Ensures software is delivered on time, within budget, and meets requirements.

• Success Criteria:

  • Timely delivery of software.
  • Keeping costs under budget.
  • Meeting customer expectations.
  • Maintaining an effective development team.

Distinctions from Classic Project Management

• Intangible Product: Software isn't visible; progress can't be measured visually.
• One-off Projects: Software projects often differ significantly from previous ones.
• Variable Processes: Software processes are unique to organizations, complicating predictions about outcomes.

Factors Influencing Software Project Management

• Company size
• Customer expectations
• Software size and type
• Organizational culture
• Development processes

Universal Project Management Activities

• Project Planning: Responsible for planning, estimating, scheduling, and task assignments.
• Risk Management: Identifying and mitigating project risks.
• People Management: Selecting team members and establishing work methods.

Specific Planning Processes

• Break down the work into manageable parts.
• Communicate project plans clearly to teams and customers.
• Update plans regularly based on project progress.

Project Scheduling

• Organizing work into tasks and determining execution timelines.
• Estimating resources, dependencies, and staff allocation.

Challenges in Estimation and Scheduling

• Development difficulties and productivity dynamics.
• Brooks' Law: Adding people to a late project typically delays it further.

Agile Software Development

• Iterative development with increments delivered to customers.
• Flexible planning that accommodates changing customer priorities.
• Benefits:
  • Involves small, stable teams for effective collaboration.
  • Motivates developers through ownership of tasks.
• Difficulties:
  • Requires active customer engagement.
  • Challenging for larger, fluctuating teams.

Risk Management

• Importance: Essential due to inherent uncertainties.
• **Risks Involved: **
  • Staff turnover, system specifications delays, and changes in requirements.
• Risk Management Process:
  1. Identify risks.
  2. Analyze likelihood and impact.
  3. Plan risk avoidance and contingency measures.
  4. Monitor risks continuously.

Risk Types**

• Estimation Risks: Underestimating time or resources needed.
• Organizational Risks: Changes in management or funding.
• People Risks: Staff availability or skill shortages.
• Requirements Risks: Changes leading to rework.
• Technology Risks: Inability of components to meet performance expectations.

Risk Exposure Calculation

• Risk exposure is calculated as: RE = Probability imes Cost .
• Financial implications of software defects and ways to mitigate risks help in prioritizing management efforts.

Strategies to Manage Risks

• Avoidance: Reducing the probability of risks.
• Minimization: Reducing impact of risks when they occur.
• Contingency Plans: Predefined responses when risks manifest.

Risk Monitoring

• Regular assessment of identified risks.
• Actively discussing risks and their management in progress meetings.