Software Project Management

Lecture No :6
Lecture Name: Introduction To SPM
Instructor: Shahzad Khan
Software Projects vs Other Projects
⚫Invisibility : Progress of software development is not
obviously visible
⚫Complexity: Software products are usually more
complex than the hardware products in terms of
development or construction cost
⚫Flexibility: Modifications of software products are
more easy and flexible
What is Software Project Management
⚫Software project management refers to the branch
of project management dedicated to planning and
leading a software project.
⚫Effective software project management centers around
serious business of getting work done on time and
budget while meeting customers requirements and
expectations.
Software Crisis
⚫Faulty Software
⚫Delay in Completion Time
⚫Over budgeted
⚫Difficult to Maintain Software
According to US Bureau of Labor Statistics
⚫ 25% of development projects are abandoned
⚫ probability of cancellation rises to 50% for largest
developments
⚫ average project overshoots schedule by 50%
⚫ 75% of systems are regarded as ‘operating failures’
UK Based Failed Projects
⚫Home Office asylum seeker Casework system:
£80m; abandoned 2001 (Siemens).
⚫Pathway UK benefits identity card system:
abandoned 1999 with £1bn losses (ICLFujitsu).
⚫Datacentre for UK cabinet office: £85m, cancelled
in 2004 (ITNET).
⚫MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, FAMIS
purchasing system: £55m; ‘operating failure’
(LogicaGMC).
⚫UK e-University: £62m; abandoned 2004 (Sun,
though only £20m of the full figure).
We Definitely Don’t Want This
Common Problems In Software Projects
⚫ Lack of quality standards and measures
⚫ Lack of measurable milestones
⚫ Difficult to make the progress visible
⚫ Poor communications
⚫ Poor documentation
⚫ Frequent changes of requirements
⚫ Over budget and late delivery of software
Major Issues Of Software Project
Management To Be Cover
⚫Software development models
⚫Software size and cost estimation
⚫Software project planning
⚫Software risk management
⚫Resource allocation
⚫Standards: ISO 9000 and CMM
⚫Performance tracking and reporting
Tasks In Software Project Management
⚫The tasks in a software project management includes
⚫Planning
⚫Scheduling
⚫Resource Allocation
⚫Execution
⚫Tracking and delivery of software and web projects.
What does it Involve?
⚫Coordinating with the people
⚫Vendors and resources
⚫Excellent communication skills
⚫Strong will power
⚫Protecting the project scope and ensuring the quality
throughout a project.
Need For Software Project Management.
⚫ Software is said to be an intangible product.
⚫ New field this is why there is very little experience of
building stellar products.
⚫ Most software products are tailor made to fit client’s
requirements.
⚫ Frequent and fast changes in technology.
⚫ Multiple domains.
⚫ Includes the effort of different people with different
expertise.
⚫ Deals with the controlling of major project management
constraints i.e Scope, Cost, Schedule & Quality.