Managing Projects


  • Managers are expected to concentrate on:
    • comprehensive customer communication in the evolution stage
    • must pay more attention to the process
    • should develop a project plan
  • Effective Software Project Management focuses on 4 P's:
    • People
    • Product
    • Process
    • Project 
     
    People  :
    • Most important part of the software engineering process
  • Major activities involved:
    • recruiting & selection
    • performance management
    • training
    • compensation
    • career development
    • organization
    • work design
    • team/culture development
  • encompasses the activities of

    • Players
    • Team Leaders
    • Software Team
    • Co-ordination & Communication
 Product:
  • It is the software to be built
  • Examination of the product and the problem is an important beginning towards developing a software
  • It involves 2 major activities
    • Software Scope
    • Problem Decomposition
     
Process:
  • A process is an activity which takes place over time and which has a precise aim regarding the result to be achieved. The concept of a process is hierarchical which means that a process may consist of a partially ordered set of subprocesses.
  • It has Generic Phases that characterize the software process
  • Selecting a process model that is appropriate for the software to be engineered
  • Various development models could be adopted after deciding their relevance to
    • Customers who have requested the product & people who will do the work
    • characteristics of the product
    • project environment in which the software team works
  • Once process model is selected, a preliminary project plan is defined
  • Melding the Product and Process
  • Process decomposition

 Project:
  • A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to accomplish a unique purpose.
  • Managing a successful project requires understanding what could go wrong, so that problems can be avoided and also how to do it right
  • John Reel's 5 common sense approach to avoid problems