Introduction to software project management

What is a project? One definition ‘a specific design or plan’ ‘a specific design or plan’ Key elements non-routine non-routine specific objectives specific objectives planned planned predetermined timespan predetermined timespan constrained resources constrained resources

What is a project? More key elements work carried out for a third party work carried out for a third party work involves several specialisms or phases work involves several specialisms or phases size and complexity size and complexity

Are software projects really different from other projects? Not really, but: invisibilitycomplexityflexibility need to conform to human ideas all add to difficulties

Activities The feasibility study PlanningExecution Requirement analysis Requirement analysis Specification Specification Design Design Coding Coding Verification and validation Verification and validation Implementation/installation Implementation/installation Maintenance and support Maintenance and support

Position of planning Feasibility study - decide if project is worth doing Plan how you are going do it, then do it feasibility study planning project Is it worth doing?How do we do it? Do it!

Contents of a feasibility study report  Introduction: identifies what the document is;  Description of current situation  Problem description  Proposed development  business and financial aspects  technical aspects  organizational aspects  Estimated costs  development costs  operational costs  Envisaged benefits  Recommendations

stages typically include implement requirements gathering specificationdesign code testing

Categories Information system vs embedded system IS: Interface with organization IS: Interface with organization ES: interface with a machine ES: interface with a machine Objectives vs product Product  specification by client Product  specification by client Objectives  services Objectives  services

Project as a system System, subsystem, & environment System: a set of interrelated parts System: a set of interrelated parts Subsystems: part of larger system Subsystems: part of larger system Environment: outside the system Environment: outside the system Open System vs Closed System OS: interact with the environment OS: interact with the environment CS: _not_ CS: _not_Sub-optimization detrimental effect on optimization on a subsystem detrimental effect on optimization on a subsystem Sociotechnical systems organization of technology and people organization of technology and people

What is management? Planning — deciding what is to be done Organizing — making arrangement Staffing — selecting the right people Directing — giving instructions Monitoring — checking on progress Controlling — taking action to remedy hold-ups Innovating — coming up with new solutions Representing — liaising with users

Problems Poor estimates and plans Lack of quality standards and measures Lack of guidance about making organizational decisions Lack of techniques to make progress visible Poor role definition Incorrect success criteria

Management control Management The process of setting objectives for a system and then monitoring the system The process of setting objectives for a system and then monitoring the system

Management control (2) Project control cycle Data collection Data collection Data processing Data processing Making decisions/plans Making decisions/plans Implementation ImplementationObjectives Should be clearly defined Should be clearly defined Measures of effectiveness Sub-objectives and goals

Stakeholders They may be: Internal to the project team Internal to the project team External to the project team but within the same organization External to the project team but within the same organization External to both the project team and the organization External to both the project team and the organization External stakeholders may be customers or user affected by system customers or user affected by system contractors contractors There will be different types of users with different interests Need for good communication!

Objectives Different stakeholders will have different objectives need for agreed objectives need for agreed objectives Need for an identifiable project authority to set, monitor and modify objectives to set, monitor and modify objectives can contain user, development and management representatives can contain user, development and management representativesObjectives can be informally expressed as: ‘in order for the project to be a success, the project must….’ can be informally expressed as: ‘in order for the project to be a success, the project must….’

Objectives -continued Objectives must be: concrete concrete have measures of success have measures of success Objectives can be: broken down into sub-objectives or goals broken down into sub-objectives or goals can be informally expressed as ‘in order to achieve A, we must achieve B,C,D etc’ can be informally expressed as ‘in order to achieve A, we must achieve B,C,D etc’ identifying sub-objectives involves considering the ‘how’ as well as the ‘what’ identifying sub-objectives involves considering the ‘how’ as well as the ‘what’

Requirement Specification Functional requirements what the system is to do what the system is to do systems analysis aims to provide these systems analysis aims to provide these Quality requirements other attributes of the system e.g response time; usability; reliability other attributes of the system e.g response time; usability; reliability Resource requirements cost cost time time Trade-offs between the different factors

Information and control Hierarchical information and control systems Management information flows up Management information flows up Control flows down Control flows down Levels of decision making and information Strategic Strategic Tactical Tactical Operational Operational Differences in types of information Effectiveness: doing the right thing Effectiveness: doing the right thing Efficiency: making the best possible use of resources Efficiency: making the best possible use of resourcesMeasurement Performance measures Performance measures Predictive measures Predictive measures

The control cycle real world collect data process data define objectives make decisions modelling implement data information decisions actions