CSC111H Project Planning Dennis Burford

Planning Important because: –Software development is complex process –Team work is essential –Time and money constraints –Need direction... i.e. goals May build wrong thing! –Need a measure of progress / success or failure

Planning Problem Definition Determine Constraints Task Breakdown Scheduling Delegation of tasks - Team Work Documentation

Problem Definition Define problem clearly and unambiguously “Build” system on paper –Tests problem understanding –Uncovers potential problems Draw up formal problem definition –Need knowledge of problem (above) –Part of software lifecycle Will refer to prob. def. throughout project

Software Lifecycle Specification –what are the needs? (WHAT) Design –how will we do it? (HOW) Implementation –do the actual programming Testing –make sure it does what it was supposed to do Maintenance –ongoing adjustments & corrections

Determine Constraints Time –Milestones and deliverables –Final delivery date People –Number of participants –Skills available Resources –Money –Equipment –Information?

Task Breakdown Establish “areas” of work Give names to tasks Task hierarchy –Each task broken into smaller sub-tasks –Task complete when all subtasks complete

Task Breakdown Project GUIC/S RequirementsLayoutImplementation Integration ComponentsListeners

Scheduling Dependencies –What tasks to be done before others? Estimate time –Conservative estimates –Rather overestimate and have more time at end Allocation of people to task –Fair breakdown –Maximise skills

Dependencies : Making Tea... TaskDurationDependent on... A. Boil water in kettle4 B. Heat milk7 C. Tea bags into pot1 D. Sugar into cups1 E. Pour water into pot3 F. Pour tea into cups1 G. Add milk to tea1 H. Stir and drink6

TaskDurationDependent on... A. Boil water in kettle4- B. Heat milk7- C. Tea bags into pot1- D. Sugar into cups1- E. Pour water into pot3A, C F. Pour tea into cups1D, E G. Add milk to tea1B, F H. Stir and drink6G Dependencies : Making Tea...

Scheduling Scheduling techniques / documents –Table of tasks, delegation, time estimates and completion dates –Gantt chart: visual representation of tasks, dependencies and completion times

Scheduling: Table

Scheduling: Gantt Chart Boil Water A Heat Milk B T bags C Sugar D Water in pot E T in cups F Add milk G Drink H

Scheduling: Making Tea... TaskDurationDependent on... A. Boil water in kettle4- B. Heat milk7- C. Tea bags into pot1- D. Sugar into cups1- E. Pour water into pot3A, C F. Pour tea into cups1D, E G. Add milk to tea1B, F H. Stir and drink6G

Scheduling Milestones –Check of progress made –End of distinct stage –Must be verifiable Deliverables –Milestone –Tangible progress - usually delivered to customer 9

Team Work Division of labour between members Ensure fair breakdown Use strengths / skills of each member Team work, “interfacing”, is part of any project Related sub-tasks should be done by same person Plan for integration of separate work

Team Work Hold meetings: –Regular –Focussed –Efficient use of time Responsibility, Accountability, Discipline

Documentation Workbooks –All ideas, plans, designs –Dates and page numbers –Record of meetings, problems, progress Project Report –“Active” document –Start writing from day 1 –Constantly revise and rewrite

Project Pitfalls Coding before planning No milestones Unrealistic goals Great plan, no action Rigid “at-all-costs” task completion (overrun time allocation) One man show No documentation / last-day write-up

Assignment: Work-plan The aim of this deliverable is for you to start thinking about the project in more detail. It is suggested you read through all the future tuts associated with this project (3-8). You are required to break down the project in a number of detailed tasks. For each task estimate how long the task will take you (and then multiply this by 2 for a more realistic estimate). From this develop an outline plan of how you intend structuring your work over the remainder of the project (remember to include the time to do your documentation). For each task, state how long you estimate it will take you (in hours), as well as the date you expect to complete it. Your tasks must be more detailed than the handins we have specified.

Assignment: Work-plan Programming tasks 30% –Well thought out, and detailed = 30% –Some tasks, but very broad, or major tasks missing=15% –No programming tasks given=0% Documentation tasks 30% –Well thought out, and detailed=30% –Some tasks, but very broad, or major tasks missing=15% –No documentation tasks given (0%) Estimated Time 20% –Seems realistic=20% –Times given, but not very realistic=10% –Estimated times not given=0% Neatness (in electronic form, tables etc) 20%