Assignment6_612_std49532

Name Aye Thida

Roll No EMCS-980
Assignment6

(a) Software managers do the same kind of job as other engineering project managers.
However, software engineering is distinct from other types of engineering in a number
of ways which can make software management particularly difficult. Describe some of
these differences.

Software mangers do the same kind of job as other engineering project managers. However,
software engineering is different from other types of engineering in a number of ways. These
distinctions make software management particularly difficult. Some of the differences are:

1) The product is intangible: The manager of a shipbuilding project or of a civil

engineering project can see the product being developed. If a schedule slips, the
effect on the product are visible parts of the structure are obviously unfinished.
Software is intangible. It cannot be seen or touched. Software project managers
cannot see progress. They rely on others to produce the documentation needed to
review progress.
2) There are no standard software processes: In engineering disciplines with a
long history, the process is tried and tested. The engineering process for some types
of system, such as bridges and buildings is well understood. However, software
processes vary dramatically from one organization to another. Although our
understanding of these processes has developed significantly in the past few years,
we still cannot reliably predict when a particular software process is likely to cause
development problems. This is especially true when the software project is part of a
wider systems engineering project.
3) Large software projects are often one-off projects: Large software projects are
usually different in some ways from previous projects. Therefore, even managers
who have a large body of previous experience may find it difficult to anticipate
problems. Furthermore, rapid technological changes in computers and
communications can make a manager experience obsolete. Lessons learned from
previous projects may not be transferable to new projects.

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Assignment6_612_std49532

(b) Explain why the intangibility of software systems poses special problems for software
project management.

A system in which its services are not visible or cannot be felt physically is called an
intangible system. Intangibility in software system may lead to various major problems in
planning, estimating, scheduling and budgeting of the entire product under development for
the project management team. Software development which is a very lengthy process may
need to be updated or re-engineered at various stages, depending on the customer
requirements and expectations which are totally unpredictable and varying. This issue arises
as most of the times the customers may not know or they are not sure about all their needs
and expectations from the system in the early phase of developmental process. However, on
later realization of these requirements by the users, they definitely need to be taken into
consideration by the management team in order to ensure the customer satisfaction. The
software project manager’s job is to ensure that there is proper communication amongst the
users and the developer at every stage. They also have to make sure that the project meets all
these constraints and changing requirements of its users on time and the development
process is carried out in desired manner and within the estimated or quoted budget for the
same.
As developing the intangible software system incurs all the above complexities in the
project manager’s job during SDLC, it poses special problems for software project
management

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