Software Project Management

Course Objectives:                                 Why this Subject?

1. To introduce the concepts of project management and managing software development projects.
2. To get familiar with the different activities involved in Software Project Management.
3. To successfully plan and implement a software project management activity.
4. To complete a specific project in time with the available budget.

Course Outcomes (CO)

• CO1 Develop the model from the conventional software product to the modern
• CO2 Analyze and design the software architecture.
• CO3 Design various estimation levels of cost and effort.
• CO4 Sketch various artifacts sets for better understanding of software development.

UNIT-I

Introduction to Software Project Management: The Nature of Software Production, Key Objectives of Effective Management, Quality, Productivity, Risk Reduction, The Role of the Software Project Manager, Technology, Human factors and usability, Tools and environments, Transition of the Product to the user.

UNIT-II

Technical Planning: Life-cycle models, Types of Plans, Plan documentation methods, Work breakdown structures, PERT and CPM, Gantt Charts, Standards, Planning for Risk Management and Control, Entry and Exit criteria, Intermediate checkpoints, Performance prediction and analysis People, Prototyping and modelling, Inspections and reviews, Process and process assessment, Development Methods, Metrics

UNIT-III

Planning the Project: Business Planning, Determining Objectives, Forecasting demand for the Product, Proposal Writing, Requirements analysis, Legal issues (patent, copyright, liability, warranty), Configuration management, Testing and quality assurance, Capacity Planning, Estimating – what it takes to do the job, Cost (direct and indirect), Resources, Time, Size and complexity of the product, Risk determination, Role of requirements and design in estimating, Financial planning – budgeting, Resource Allocation, Organizational considerations, (teams, hierarchies, etc.).

UNIT – IV

Managing the Project: Managing the Task, Project Control, Managing to the Plan, Reviews, Feedback and Reporting Mechanisms, Configuration Management, Quality Control and Quality Assurance, Managing Change, Readjusting Goals and Milestones, Risk Management, Testing Phases, Formalized Support Activities, Managing the Team, Team Organizations, Recruiting and Staffing – picking the right people, Technical leadership, Avoiding obsolescence – training, etc.) Managing the Context, Communication Skill, Decision Theory, Business Management, Assessing the Organization’s ability to perform the process, Probability and Statistics, Managing Product Support and Maintenance.

Textbook(s):

1. Tom Gilb, Finzi Susannah, “Principles of Software Engineering Management”, Addison-Wesley, England, 1988.
2. Philip Metzger, “Managing A Programming Project”, Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 1981.

References:

1. Dennis Lock, “Handbook of Project Management”, Jaico Publishing House, 1994.
2. Neal Whitten, “Managing Software Development Projects”, John Wiley, 1995.
3. Sanjiv Purba, David Sawh & Bharat Shah, “How to Management a Successful Software Project Methodologies, Techniques, Tools”, John Wiley, 1995.