The document provides an introduction to software project management. It defines a project as a planned undertaking aimed at a specific target and constrained by time and resources. Software projects are more problematic than other projects due to their invisibility, complexity, need for conformity, and flexibility. The document outlines the typical activities in project management and the software development life cycle according to ISO 12207, which includes requirements analysis, architecture design, detailed design, coding and testing, integration, and acceptance support. It also discusses categorizing different types of software projects and the key components of requirements specification and management control in project management.

1. INTRODUCTION TO SOFTWARE
PROJECT MANAGEMENT

2. WHAT IS A PROJECT
A specific plan or design
A planned undertaking
A large undertaking e.g. a public
works scheme

3. 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!

4. Characteristics of projects
 Non-routine
 Planned
 Aiming at a specific target
 Work carried out for a customer
 Made up of several different phases
 Constrained by time and resources
 Large and/or complex

5. SP versus Other Projects
Not really! …but…
 Invisibility
 Complexity
 Conformity
 Flexibility
make software more problematic to build than other
engineered artefacts.

6. Software Projects vs. Other Projects
 Invisibility
 When a Physical artifact such as bridge construction we can see
progress.
 Software Projects progress is not immediately visible.
 Complexity
 Software products contain more complexity than other engineered
products.

7. Software Projects vs. Other Projects
 Conformity
 Software Projects requirements are conform to Human Clients.
 Not governed by any physical law.
 Scope of Changing requirements is more.
 Flexibility
 Software is easy to change as a strength.

8. Activities covered by project management
Feasibility study
Is the project technically feasible and worthwhile from a business
business point of view?
Planning
How to do.
Project Execution
Implementation of Plan

9. The software development life-
cycle (ISO 12207)

10. What is Project Management?
“The application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to
project activities to meet project requirements” (PMBOK® Guide,
Fifth Edition, 2012)

11. What is software project management?
 Software Project Management is the process of planning,
organizing, staffing, monitoring, controlling and leading a
software project.
or
 Software Project Management is the complete set of tasks,
techniques, tools applied during project execution.

12. ISO 12207 life-cycle
Requirements analysis
• Requirements elicitation: what does the client need?
• Analysis: converting ‘customer-facing’ requirements into
technical equivalents that developers can understand
• In Requirements, we have
 Functions
 Quality
 Resource constraints i.e. costs

13. ISO 12207 life-cycle
 Architecture design
- Defines components of system: hardware, software, organizational.
- Maps Software requirements Software components.
• Detailed Design
- The number of software units can be separately coded and tested.
- The detailed design of these units is carried out separately.

14. ISO 12207 life-cycle
 Code and test
- Writing code for each software unit.
- Testing each software unit.
 Integration
- Putting the individual components together.
• Qualification testing
- Testing the system including software components to ensure that all the requirements
have been fullfilled.

15. ISO 12207 life-cycle
 Installation
 The process of making the system operational
 Includes setting up standing data, setting system parameters,
installing on operational hardware platforms, user training etc
 Acceptance support
 Including maintenance and enhancement

16. Categorizing SPs
Distinguishing different types of project is important as
different types of task need different project approaches
e.g.
 Information systems versus embedded systems
 Objective-based versus product-based

17. Requirement Specification
Functional Requirements
- what the end-product of the project is to do.
- systems analysis and design methods are
designed to provide functional requirements.
Quality Requirements
- How to do it.
Resource Requirements
- How much the organization is willing to
spend on the system.

18. What is management
 Planning – deciding what is to be done
 Organizing – making arrangements
 Staffing – selecting the right people for the job
 Directing – giving instructions
 Monitoring – checking on progress
 Controlling – taking action to remedy hold-ups
 Innovating – coming up with solutions when problems emerge
 Representing – liaising with clients, users, developers and other stakeholders
So, Management is the process of setting objective for a system and then monitoring
the system to see what its true performance.

19. Management control

21. Management control
 Data – the raw details
 e.g. ‘6,000 documents processed at location X’
 Information – the data is processed to produce something that is meaningful and useful
 e.g. ‘productivity is 100 documents a day’
 Comparison with objectives/goals
 e.g. we will not meet target of processing all documents by 31st March
 Modelling – working out the probable outcomes of various decisions
 e.g. if we employ two more staff at location X how quickly can we get the documents
processed?
 Implementation – carrying out the remedial actions that have been decided upon