‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحیم‬

Software Project Management

By: Mohammad Yousuf Arabzai
Outlines

 What is Software?
 What is Project?
 What is Management?
 What is Project Management?
 What is Software Project Management?
What is Software?

 A part of a computer which we can see and cant touch

is called Software.
 Collection of computer programs and related data
(associated documentation).
What is Project?

 All of us have been involved in projects.

 Personal projects: writing a report, planning a party,
planting a garden. Industrial projects: Construction of a
building, building a bridge, designing a new airplane.
 Project Can be:
1-Simple Project
2-Complex Project
What is Project?

 A project is “a temporary endeavor undertaken to

create a unique product, service, or result.”
 A project is temporary. A project’s duration might be just
one week or it might go on for years, but every project
has an end date.
 A project is an endeavor. Resources, such as people
and equipment, need to do work. The endeavor is
undertaken by a team or an organization.
What is Project?

 Non-routine Tasks
 Planning is required
 Aiming at a specific target
 Work carried out for a customer
 Constrained by time and resources
 Large and/or complex
 Project size is important.
What are Project attributes?

 Projects come in all shapes and sizes. The following

attributes help us to define a project further:
1. A project has a unique purpose.
2. A project is temporary.
3. A project is developed using progressive elaboration or
in an iterative fashion.
4. A project requires resources, often from various areas.
Resources include people, hardware, software, or other
assets.
Cont…

5. A project should have a primary customer or sponsor.

The project sponsor usually provides the direction and
funding for the project.
6. A project involves uncertainty. Because every project is
unique, it is sometimes difficult to define the project’s
objectives clearly, estimate exactly how long it will take
to complete, or determine how much it will cost. External
factors also cause uncertainty, such as a supplier going
out of business or a project team member needing
unplanned time off.
Project constraints

 These constraints have been listed as: scope(Quality),

time(Schedule), and cost(Budget, Resources).
1. The time constraint refers to the amount of time
available to complete a project.
2. The cost constraint refers to the budgeted amount
available for the project.
3. The scope constraint refers to what must be done to
produce the project's end result.
Cont…

Note: These three constraints are often competing

constraints: increased scope typically means increased
time and increased cost, a tight time constraint could
mean increased costs and reduced scope, and a tight
budget could mean increased time and reduced scope.
Cont…
 Together, these three constraints( Scope, Schedule &
Resources) have given rise to the phrase "On Time, On
Specification, On Budget". In this case, the term "scope"
is substituted with "specification"
 What is Management?
 The Open University Software Project Management module
suggested that management involves the following activities:
1. Planning – deciding what is to be done
2. Organizing – making arrangements
3. Staffing – selecting the right people for the job, etc.
4. Directing – giving instructions
5. Monitoring – checking on progress
6. Controlling – taking action to remedy hold-ups
7. Innovating – coming up with new solutions
8. Representing – liaising(work together) with users, etc.
What is Project Management?

 Project management is “the application of knowledge, skills,

tools and techniques to project activities to meet the project
requirements.”
 Normally every project has one manager. The project
management is performed by the help of project manager.
What is Software Project
Management?
 Software project management comprises of a number
of activities, which contains project planning, deciding
scope of software product, estimation of cost in various
terms, scheduling of tasks and events, and resource
management.
The role and responsibility of a software
project manager

 Software project managers may have to do any of the

following tasks:
 Planning: The software project manager puts together
the blueprint for the entire project. The project plan will
define the scope, necessary resources, timeline,
procedure for execution, communication strategy, and
steps required for testing and maintenance.
 Execution: The person who manages software projects
will supervise the successful execution of each stage of
the project. This includes monitoring progress,
conducting frequent team check-ins, and creating
status reports.
 Time management: Staying on schedule is crucial to the
successful completion of any project. This can be
particularly challenging with the management of
software projects because changes to the original plan
are almost guaranteed as the project evolves. Software
project managers must be experts in risk management
and contingency planning to ensure progress in the
face of roadblocks or changes.
 Budget: Like traditional project managers, professionals
who manage software projects are tasked with creating
a budget for a project and sticking to it as closely as
possible, moderating spending and reallocating funds
when necessary.
 Maintenance: Project management in software
encourages constant product testing to discover and fix
bugs early, adjust the end product to the customer’s
needs, and keep the project on target. The software
project manager ensures the product is properly and
consistently tested, evaluated, and adjusted
accordingly.
Cont…

 Leading: A software project manager assembles and

leads the project team, which consists of developers,
analysts, testers, graphic designers, and technical
writers. Heading up a team requires excellent
communication, people, and leadership skills.
Manager Must Know Project
Management Skills
 Building a work break down structure
 Documenting Plans
 Estimating Cost
 Managing Risks
 Scheduling
 Tracking Project Progress
Manager Must Know People
Management Skills
 Appraising Performance: Evaluating Team
 Holding Effective meetings
 Selecting a team
 Presenting Effectively: Good communication skills
 Leadership
Project Success Factors
 Some of the factors that influence projects and may
help them succeed are:
1. Executive Support
2. User involvement
3. Experienced project managers
4. Limited scope
5. Clear basic requirements
6. Formal methodology
7. Reliable estimates
Project life cycle
 The Project Life Cycle refers to a logical sequence of
activities to accomplish the project’s goals or objectives.
Project life cycle

1. Initiating
2. Planning and Design( Physical design)
3. Execution/Coding
4. Monitoring/Testing/Controlling
5. Closing(Project Close)(Contract Close)
1.Project Initiation

 The initiation stage determines the nature and scope of the

development.
 The initiation stage should include a plan that encompasses
the following areas:
1. Analyzing the business needs/requirements in measurable
goals.
2. Reviewing of the current operations.
3. Conceptual design of the operation of the final product.
Cont…

4. Equipment and contracting requirements including an

assessment of long lead time items.
5. Financial analysis of the costs and benefits including a
budget.
6. Stakeholder analysis, including users, and support personnel
for the project.
7. Project charter including costs, tasks, deliverables, and
schedule.
Plan, Method, Methodology

 Plan: A way of doing something, especially a systematic way,

implies an orderly logical arrangement.
 Method: takes the plan and convert it to real activities.
 Methodology: A groups of methods or technique are known as
methodologies.
Stakeholder

 People having stake or interest in the project.

 Two types of stakeholder:
1. Internal to the Project team
2. External to the Project team
1. Internal to the organization
2. External to the organization
Homework
1. Why is there a new or renewed interest in the field of project
management?
2. What is a project, and what are its main attributes? How is a
project different from what most people do in their day-to-day
jobs? What is the triple constraint?
3. What is project management? Briefly describe the project
management framework, providing examples of stakeholders
and project success factors.
4. What are suggested skills for project managers?
5. Explain project life cycle?
Thanks