Project scheduling,

monitoring and Risk

management
Project Scheduling

Project scheduling consists of assigning start and

end dates to individual tasks and allocating
appropriate resources within an estimated budget.
This is what allows you to make sure the team
can complete their tasks on time. It only focuses
on the tasks, their deadlines and project
dependencies.
Project Scheduling
Project Scheduling
Project scheduling is an essential aspect of project management, allowing
teams to plan and manage their tasks and resources effectively. It involves
breaking down the project into smaller tasks, estimating the time required to
complete each task, and determining the dependencies between tasks. With
a well-designed project schedule, project managers can ensure that the
project is completed on time, within budget, and to the desired level of
quality. A project schedule serves as a roadmap for the project team,
providing them with a clear understanding of what needs to be done, when,
and by whom. In this way, project scheduling plays a critical role in the
success of any project.
Project Scheduling
To schedule a project plan, a software project manager must perform the
following tasks:

● Identify all the tasks required to complete the project.

● Break down large tasks into smaller activities.
● Determine the dependencies among various activities.
● Estimate the time required to complete each activity.
● Allocate resources to each activity.
● Determine the critical path, which is the sequence of activities that
determine the overall duration of the project.
● Plan the start and end dates for each activity.
Project Scheduling
The first step in scheduling a software plan is to identify all the functions
required to complete the project. Then, the larger functions are broken down
into smaller activities that can be assigned to various team members. The
work breakdown structure helps to break down the functions systematically.
Once the work breakdown structure is established, the project manager
must determine the dependency among the activities. This determines the
order in which the activities should be carried out. For instance, if activity A
needs the results of activity B, then activity B must be scheduled before
activity A. The dependency among activities is defined in the form of an
activity network. The network describes the dependencies among different
activities.
Project Scheduling
In software project management, activity network representation is used
to determine the dependencies among various activities. Once this
representation is created, the resources are allocated to each activity
with the help of a Gantt chart. This is followed by the creation of a PERT
chart representation, which aids in program monitoring and control. The
project functions are then broken down into smaller activities, and the
time frame for each activity is determined. These activities are tracked
using milestones, which represent the completion of each task. The
project manager monitors the completion of these milestones and takes
corrective action if necessary to ensure that the project is completed
within the given deadline.
Problems Faced During Project Development Stage

● Problems can arise during the project development stage

such as staff absences or departures, hardware failures,
and unavailability of necessary software resources.
● A project schedule is typically represented as a set of
charts that outline the work breakdown structure and
dependencies between various activities.
● To complete the project within a given schedule,
necessary resources must be available when needed,
which is why resource estimation should be done prior to
starting development.
Project Scheduling Advantages
● Ensuring that everyone is on the same page regarding tasks,
dependencies, and deadlines, which promotes better
communication and collaboration among team members.
● Identifying potential issues and concerns early on, such as the lack
of resources or unavailability of required materials, which allows
project managers to take corrective action and avoid delays.
● Facilitating the identification of relationships and the monitoring of
the project’s progress, enabling project managers to adjust their
plans and make necessary changes as needed.
● Providing effective budget management and risk mitigation by
allowing project managers to allocate resources effectively, plan
and track expenses, and manage risks associated with the project.
Defining Task Set For Software Project

A number of different process models were already

discussed. These models offer different paradigms for
software development. Regardless of whether a
software team chooses a linear sequential paradigm,
an iterative paradigm, an evolutionary paradigm, a
concurrent paradigm or some permutation, the process
model is populated by a set of tasks that enable a
software team to define, develop, and ultimately
support computer software..
Defining Task Set For Software Project

No single set of tasks is appropriate for all

projects. The set of tasks that would be
appropriate for a large, complex system would
likely be perceived as overkill for a small,
relatively simple software product. Therefore, an
effective software process should define a
collection of task sets, each designed to meet
the needs of different types of projects.
Defining Task Set For Software Project

A task set is a collection of software

engineering work tasks, milestones, and
deliverables that must be accomplished to
complete a particular project. The task set to
be chosen must provide enough discipline to
achieve high software quality. But, at the same
time, it must not burden the project team with
unnecessary work.
Defining Task Set For Software Project- Degree of Rigor

Even for a project of a particular type, the degree of rigor with

which the software process is applied may vary significantly. The
degree of rigor is a function of many project characteristics. As an
example, small, non-business-critical projects can generally be
addressed with somewhat less rigor than large, complex
business-critical applications. It should be noted, however, that all
projects must be conducted in a manner that results in timely,
high-quality deliverables. Four different degrees of rigor can be
defined:
Defining Task Set For Software Project- Degree of Rigor
Casual. All process framework activities (Chapter 2) are applied,
but only a minimum task set is required. In general, umbrella tasks
will be minimized and documentation requirements will be
reduced. All basic principles of software engineering are still
applicable.

Structured. The process framework will be applied for this project.

Framework activities and related tasks appropriate to the project
type will be applied and umbrella activities necessary to ensure
high quality will be applied. SQA, SCM, documentation, and
measurement tasks will be conducted in a streamlined manner.
Defining Task Set For Software Project- Degree of Rigor
Strict. The full process will be applied for this project with a degree
of discipline that will ensure high quality. All umbrella activities will
be applied and robust work products will be produced.

Quick reaction. The process framework will be applied for this

project, but because of an emergency situation only those tasks
essential to maintaining good quality will be applied. “Back-filling”
(i.e., developing a complete set of documentation, conducting
additional reviews) will be accomplished after
the application/product is delivered to the customer.
Defining Task Set For Software Project- Degree of Rigor
The project manager must develop a
systematic approach for selecting the
degree of rigor that is appropriate for a
particular project. To accomplish this,
project adaptation criteria are defined and a
task set selector value is computed.
 Defining Adaptation Criteria
Adaptation criteria are used to determine the recommended degree of rigor with which
the software process should be applied on a project. Eleven adaptation criteria are
defined for software projects:
• Size of the project
• Number of potential users
• Mission criticality
• Application longevity
• Stability of requirements
• Ease of customer/developer communication
• Maturity of applicable technology
• Performance constraints
• Embedded and nonembedded characteristics
• Project staff
• Reengineering factors
 Defining Adaptation Criteria

Each of the adaptation criteria is assigned a grade

that ranges between 1 and 5, where 1 represents a
project in which a small subset of process tasks are
required and overall methodological and
documentation requirements are minimal, and 5
represents a project in which a complete set of
process tasks should be applied and overall
methodological and documentation requirements are
substantial.
Computing a Task Set Selector Value
 Computing a Task Set Selector Value
To select the appropriate task set for a project, the following steps should
be conducted:

1. Review each of the adaptation criteria in Section 7.3.2 and assign the
appropriate grades (1 to 5) based on the characteristics of the project.
These grades should be entered into Table
2. Review the weighting factors assigned to each of the criteria. The value
of a weighting factor ranges from 0.8 to 1.2 and provides an indication of
the relative importance of a particular adaptation criterion to the types of
software developed within the local environment. If modifications are
required to better reflect local circumstances, they should be made.
 Computing a Task Set Selector Value
3. Multiply the grade entered in Table 7.1 by the weighting factor and
by the entry point multiplier for the type of project to be undertaken.
The entry point multiplier takes on a value of 0 or 1 and indicates the
relevance of the adaptation criterion to the project type. The result of
the product grade x weighting factor x entry point multiplier is placed
in the Product column of Table 7.1 for each adaptation criteria
individually.

4. Compute the average of all entries in the Product column and place
the result in the space marked task set selector (TSS). This value will
be used to help select the task set that is most appropriate for the
project.
 Interpreting the TSS Value and Selecting the Task Set
Once the task set selector is computed, the following guidelines can be
used to select the appropriate task set for a project:
Task set selector value Degree of rigor
TSS < 1.2 casual
1.0 < TSS < 3.0 structured
TSS > 2.4 strict

The overlap in TSS values from one recommended task set to another is
purposeful and is intended to illustrate that sharp boundaries are
impossible to define when making task set selections. In the final analysis,
the task set selector value, past experience, and common sense must all
be factored into the choice of the task set for a project.
 TIMELINE CHARTS
A timeline is a chart that depicts how a set of
resources are used over time. If you're
managing a software project and want to
illustrate who is doing what and when, or if
you're organizing a conference and need to
schedule meeting rooms, a timeline is often a
reasonable visualization choice.
 TIMELINE CHARTS
Timeline charts are highly versatile visual charts that
are used to illustrate a set of events chronologically.
They're an excellent tool for conceptualizing event
sequences or processes to gain insights into the
nuances of a project. That could include
summarizing historical events, or any other time
frame where you need to measure minutes, hours,
dates, or years.
 TIMELINE CHARTS
There are many potential use cases for timeline charts. For
example, history students can use them to highlight important
events to help remember dates for an exam. Organizations can
use them to break down complex projects into more manageable
stints. Researchers can also use them to keep track of the time
between experiments.
Although there are several different types of timeline charts
available to choose from, all timeline charts follow a similar
structure. They will all include dates and descriptions, and some
will also include images and headers.
TIMELINE CHARTS
 TYPES OF TIMELINE CHARTS
Gantt chart - are grid-based diagrams that break down projects
across calendar days. They are typically used as a project
management tool for large-scale development projects with
multiple stages and a firm deadline. For example, Gantt charts
are used widely in the construction industry, where plans are
highly dependent on each other, and one part of the project can't
start until another has ended. They are also used in industries
such as event planning to create a dependency between different
tasks.
 TYPES OF TIMELINE CHARTS
Vertical bar chart timeline - Unlike most timelines, which you
can easily follow from left to right, a vertical timeline starts at
the bottom and ends at the top. They are a popular way to
show progress towards a specific goal. As you progress with a
particular task or goal, the colored bars feature that progress.
For example, fundraisers often use vertical bar chart timelines
to show how much progress they have made towards raising
a specific amount of money.
 TYPES OF TIMELINE CHARTS
Chronological timeline - A chronological timeline is an
organized way of showing you when events happen as they
relate to a specific time. Chronological timelines typically
start with the event that happened first and end with the
event that occurred most recently. For example, a history
student might use a chronological timeline to help them
memorize different events that took place throughout World
War 1.
 TYPES OF TIMELINE CHARTS
Static and interactive timelines - While static timelines just allow users to
look at them, interactive timelines are more dynamic. They typically let users
scroll through them, zoom in and out, and even change the data in real-time
to display different results. Static timelines are much easier to create and
are good when you have a small, concise amount of data.

While dynamic timelines typically require more effort to create, they are an
excellent way to display significant amounts of data. For example, a
software organization might use a dynamic timeline to visualize critical
metrics, coordinate tasks, set deadlines, and identify potential delays.
BENEFITS OF TIMELINE CHARTS
● Helping you manage and ensure complex tasks stay on
schedule in project management situations.
● Providing visualizations for processes or events occurring
over a specific timeframe, like when using them for
educational projects or product development.
● Working as a visual aid to help planners and project
managers conceptualize and make decisions about current
and future projects.
● Allowing you to see how to allocate resources easier, such as
for event planning or project management.
 TRACKING THE SCHEDULE
Project Planning is an important activity performed by Project
Managers. Project Managers can use the tools and techniques to
develop, monitor, and control project timelines and schedules. The
tracking tools can automatically produce a pictorial representation
of the project plan. These tools also instantly update time plans as
soon as new information is entered and produce automatic reports
to control the project. Scheduling tools also look into Task
breakdown and Risk management also with greater accuracy and
ease of monitoring the reports. It also provides a good GUI to
effectively communicate with the stakeholders of the project.
EARNED VALUE ANALYSIS

Earned Value Analysis or Earned Value Management -

EVM Analysis is an essential part of project
management. The methodology allows project managers
to measure the amount of work done by the team
members and evaluate the value of that work. The
analysis is made beyond the fundamental review of the
cost and scheduled reports of the project management. It
helps the managers to get a keen insight into the
intensity of the progress that has been achieved.
EARNED VALUE ANALYSIS
Key practices of EVA include :

1. Establish a Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB) – The most

prominent baseline used for measuring the project is the PMB. The PMB
is a measure that the project manager uses to verify against certain
benchmarks to get to know where the project currently is. Performance
Measurement Baseline (PMB) is based on three factors cost, time, and
scope. Under the baseline, the work is divided into an achievable level
and a time budget is created for each task to maintain the integrity of
PMB throughout the project.
Key practices of EVA include :

2. Evaluate performance against the baseline – After

establishing PMB, it also becomes crucial to evaluate and
analyze the project performance against the baseline. To
evaluate performance, the project manager tracks the usage
of resources, physical work progress, calculates the cost per
schedule performance, and finds out the concerns in a project
to perform the required action during project implementation.
BENEFITS OF EVA

● Performance Measurement: EVM provides an objective and

quantitative method of measuring project performance. It allows
project managers to track project progress against planned
performance and identify any deviations from the plan.
● Early Warning: EVM provides early warning signs of potential
problems that may arise in the project. It enables project
managers to take corrective action before the problems become
too severe.
BENEFITS OF EVA

● Improved Communication: EVM provides a common language for project

managers, team members, and stakeholders to discuss project performance. It
promotes better communication and collaboration among all parties involved in
the project.
● Cost Control: EVM enables project managers to track and control project costs
more effectively. It provides a mechanism for monitoring cost performance and
identifying cost variances, allowing project managers to take corrective action.
● Predictability: EVM provides a reliable method for predicting project outcomes. By
analyzing cost and schedule performance data, project managers can make
informed decisions about future project performance and adjust project plans
accordingly.
Limitations of Earned Value Analysis (EVA):

● Complexity: EVM can be a complex technique to implement and

understand. It requires a significant amount of training and experience to
use effectively.
● Data Requirements: EVM requires accurate and reliable data to be
effective. If the data is inaccurate or incomplete, the EVM analysis will be
flawed.
● Focus on Cost: EVM tends to focus on cost performance and may not
provide a complete picture of project performance. It does not consider
other factors such as quality, customer satisfaction, and stakeholder
engagement.
Limitations of Earned Value Analysis (EVA):

● Subjectivity: EVM involves subjective judgments, such as

estimating the percentage of work completed. This can
introduce bias and affect the accuracy of the EVM analysis.
● Lack of Flexibility: EVM is based on a predetermined
project plan, and any changes to the plan can make the
EVM analysis less useful. It may not be suitable for
projects that require a high degree of flexibility and
adaptability.
 RISK MANAGEMENT

The risk denotes the uncertainty that may occur in the choices due to
past actions and risk is something which causes heavy losses.
Definition of risk management: Risk management refers to the
process of making decisions based on an evaluation of the factors that
threats to the business. Various activities that are carried out for risk
management are -1. Risk identification 2. Risk Assessment

3. Risk projection 4. Risk mitigation, monitoring and management.

 RISK MANAGEMENT

SOFTWARE RISKS-

There are two characteristics of the risks

1. The risk may or may not happen. It shows the uncertainty

of the risks.

2. When risks occur, unwanted consequences or losses will

occur.
 RISK MANAGEMENT

Different types of risk-

1. Project risk- Project risks arise in the software development process
then they basically abe budget, schedule, staffing, resources, and
requirements. When project risks become severe then the total cost of
project gets increased.
2. Technical risk- These risks affect quality and timeliness of the project.
If technical risks becue reality then potential design implementation,
interface, verification maintenance problems gets created. Technical
risks occur when problem becomes harder to solve.
 RISK MANAGEMENT
3. Business risk-When feasibility of software product is in
suspect then business risks Business risks can be further
categorized as-
i) Market risk When a quality software product is built but if
there is customer for this product then it is called market risk (i.e.
no market for product).
ii) Strategic risk - When a product is built and if it is not
following the company.business policies then such a product
brings strategic risks.
 RISK MANAGEMENT

iii) Sales risk - When a product is built but how to sell is not
clear then such situation brings sales risk.

Management risk - When senior management or the

responsible staff leaves organization then management risk
occurs.

Budget risk - Losing the overall budget of the project is called

budget risk.
 Risk Identification
Risk identification is the process of identifying and defining potential risks that could impact
the successful completion of a project, program, or any other endeavor. This is the first step
in risk management, the purpose is systematic process of anticipating, assessing, and
controlling potential harm to an organization.
 Risk Identification
Risks can come from various sources, including internal processes, external events, human
factors, technology, and natural disasters. By identifying risks early in the project lifecycle,
organizations can take proactive steps to mitigate or avoid these risks and ensure the
project’s success.

The risk identification process defines the scope of a project or program. It consists of various steps outlining the
project’s boundaries and requirements. Also, this ensures that it considers and accounts for all potential risks.
These stages include:

1. Identifying potential risks: In this step, the project team and stakeholders identify potential risks that could impact
the project. This includes internal factors, such as resource shortages, and external factors, such as changes in
regulations or market conditions.
2. Assessing the likelihood and impact: Once potential risks have been identified, the next step is to assess the
likelihood and impact of each risk. The likelihood refers to the probability of the risk occurring, while the impact refers
to the potential consequences if the risk does occur.
Risk Identification
3. Prioritizing risks: Based on the likelihood and impact of each risk, the risks
should be prioritized so that the most critical risks can be addressed first. This
ensures that the project’s limited resources go toward the most important risks.

4. Developing risk mitigation plans: For the most critical risks, the project
team should develop risk mitigation plans to minimize the potential impact of the
risks. Hence, this may include purchasing insurance, making changes to the
project schedule, or developing contingency plans.

5. Continuously monitoring and updating: Finally, the risk management plan

should be continuously monitored and updated as the project progresses. New
risks may emerge, and the likelihood and impact of existing risks may change,
so it is important to keep the risk management plan up-to-date. This ensures the
project gets protection against potential risks throughout its lifecycle.
 Risk Identification Techniques
There are several techniques that organizations can use to identify risks. They are the following –

#1 – Brainstorming

A group of stakeholders from different departments or disciplines identifies potential risks. It can be an effective tool for
generating creative and innovative ideas, and it can help to foster collaboration and teamwork among project team members.

#2 – Root Cause Analysis

A systematic approach to identifying the underlying causes of risks. It involves investigating the factors contributing to a
particular risk event to identify the root cause and develop effective risk mitigation strategies.

#3 – SWOT Analysis

It represents the organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It is a structured approach that can help to
identify internal and external factors that can affect the success of an initiative.

#4 – Expert Judgment

Consulting with experts who have experience with similar projects or in relevant fields. The experts can provide insights and
recommendations on the technical feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and other factors related to the project.
Risk Identification Example
Let’s consider a construction project. In this case, the risk identification process would involve
defining the project’s scope, including the construction type, the completion timeline, and
the allocated budget. Once the project scope has been established, the risk identification
process would move to identify potential risks that could impact the project.

Some examples of potential risks in a construction project could include weather conditions,
such as hurricanes, floods, or extreme temperatures, which could delay or interrupt the
construction process.

Other risks could include resource shortages, such as construction materials, equipment, or
skilled labor, which could impact the project’s timeline and budget. Labor disputes, such as
strikes or protests by construction workers, could also be risky.
Risk Identification
Advantages

● Early identification of potential risks.

● Improved planning and preparation for potential risks.
● A better understanding of the risks involved in a project.
● Improved communication and collaboration among stakeholders.

Disadvantages

● Time and resource consumption.

● Difficulty in accurately predicting all risks.
● Potential for over-analyzing risks and losing focus on the project’s
objectives.
Risk Assessment
Risk assessment simply means to describe the overall process or method to identify risk and problem factors that
might cause harm. It is actually a systematic examination of a task or project that you perform to simply identify
significant risks, problems, hazards, and then to find out control measures that you will take to reduce risk. The
best approach is to prepare a set of questions that can be answered by project managers in order to assess overall
project risks.

These questions are shown below:

● Will the project get proper support from the customer manager?
● Are end-users committed to software that has been produced?
● Is there a clear understanding of the requirements?
● Is there an active involvement of customers in the requirement definition?
● Are the expectations set for the product are realistic?
● Is project scope stable?
● Are there team members with the required skills?
● Are project requirements stable?
● Does technology used for software is known to developers?
Risk Assessment
● Is the size of the team sufficient to develop the required product?
● Is that all customers know the importance of the product/requirements of the system to be built?

Thus, the number of negative answers to these questions represents the severity of the impact of risk on the
overall project. It is not about creating or making a large number of work papers, but rather simply identify and
find out measures to control risks in your workplace.
Risk Projection
Risk Projection
Risk Projection
Risk mitigation, monitoring and management (RMMM)
A risk management technique is usually seen in the software Project plan. This can be divided into Risk
Mitigation, Monitoring, and Management Plan (RMMM). In this plan, all works are done as part of risk
analysis. As part of the overall project plan project manager generally uses this RMMM plan.

In some software teams, risk is documented with the help of a Risk Information Sheet (RIS). This RIS is
controlled by using a database system for easier management of information i.e creation, priority
ordering, searching, and other analysis. After documentation of RMMM and start of a project, risk
mitigation and monitoring steps will start.

Risk Mitigation :
It is an activity used to avoid problems (Risk Avoidance).
Steps for mitigating the risks as follows.

1. Finding out the risk.

2. Removing causes that are the reason for risk creation.
3. Controlling the corresponding documents from time to time.
4. Conducting timely reviews to speed up the work.
Risk mitigation, monitoring and management (RMMM)
Risk Monitoring :

It is an activity used for project tracking.

It has the following primary objectives as follows.

1. To check if predicted risks occur or not.

2. To ensure proper application of risk aversion steps defined for risk.
3. To collect data for future risk analysis.
4. To allocate what problems are caused by which risks throughout the project.

Risk Management and planning :

It assumes that the mitigation activity failed and the risk is a reality. This task is done by Project manager
when risk becomes reality and causes severe problems. If the project manager effectively uses project
mitigation to remove risks successfully then it is easier to manage the risks. This shows that the response
that will be taken for each risk by a manager. The main objective of the risk management plan is the risk
register. This risk register describes and focuses on the predicted threats to a software project.
Risk mitigation, monitoring and management (RMMM)
Example:

Let us understand RMMM with the help of an example of high staff turnover.

Risk Mitigation:

To mitigate this risk, project management must develop a strategy for reducing turnover. The possible
steps to be taken are:

● Meet the current staff to determine causes for turnover (e.g., poor working conditions, low pay,
competitive job market).
● Mitigate those causes that are under our control before the project starts.
● Once the project commences, assume turnover will occur and develop techniques to ensure
continuity when people leave.
● Organize project teams so that information about each development activity is widely dispersed.
● Define documentation standards and establish mechanisms to ensure that documents are
developed in a timely manner.
● Assign a backup staff member for every critical technologist.
Risk mitigation, monitoring and management (RMMM)
Risk Monitoring:

As the project proceeds, risk monitoring activities commence. The project manager monitors factors that
may provide an indication of whether the risk is becoming more or less likely. In the case of high staff
turnover, the following factors can be monitored:

● General attitude of team members based on project pressures.

● Interpersonal relationships among team members.
● Potential problems with compensation and benefits.
● The availability of jobs within the company and outside it.

Risk Management:

Risk management and contingency planning assumes that mitigation efforts have failed and that the risk
has become a reality. Continuing the example, the project is well underway, and a number of people
announce that they will be leaving. If the mitigation strategy has been followed, backup is available,
information is documented, and knowledge has been dispersed across the team. In addition, the project
manager may temporarily refocus resources (and readjust the project schedule) to those functions that
are fully staffed, enabling newcomers who must be added to the team to “get up to the speed“.
Risk mitigation, monitoring and management (RMMM)
Drawbacks of RMMM:

● It incurs additional project costs.

● It takes additional time.
● For larger projects, implementing an RMMM may itself turn out to be another tedious
project.
● RMMM does not guarantee a risk-free project, infact, risks may also come up after the
project is delivered.