Name: Aarya Khandare

Reg no: 20212035

SPM Assignment 3

Ans. In Software Project Management (SPM), the control cycle is a structured method to ensure
projects stay on track. It involves setting goals, creating performance benchmarks, monitoring
progress, and making adjustments as needed. A well-defined control cycle helps identify issues early
and ensures that the project meets its objectives.

Control Cycle and Responsibility

The control cycle in SPM includes several key stages:

1. Setting Goals: Establish clear, measurable objectives for the project.

2. Planning and Scheduling: Assign tasks, allocate resources, and set timelines.

3. Monitoring: Track performance against the project plan to ensure timelines and budgets are
being met.

4. Corrective Actions: Make adjustments when the project deviates from the plan.

5. Review and Feedback: Regular reviews and feedback help improve performance and address
any issues.

Responsibility is distributed across project stakeholders, including managers, team members, and
clients. Each party is accountable for specific tasks, ensuring the project progresses smoothly and
according to plan.

Progress Reporting: BAG (Blue, Amber, Green)

BAG reporting is a visual tool used to assess project status quickly:

1. Green: The project is on track with no significant issues.

2. Amber: There are potential risks or delays that need attention.

3. Blue: Represents completed tasks or milestones, or phases awaiting further action.

Using BAG reporting provides a simple way for project managers to monitor progress and
communicate effectively with stakeholders. Each report should include the current status, expected
completion, risks, and corrective actions for any "Amber" status items.

Ans2. Purpose and Benefits of Reviews

The primary goal of reviews is to detect problems early, validate requirements, and ensure project
alignment. Key benefits include:

1. Early Issue Detection: Identifying problems early reduces costly late-stage fixes.

2. Enhanced Quality: Reviews improve deliverable quality by promoting standards and best
practices.
 3. Better Communication: They foster collaboration and clearer understanding among team
members.

4. Risk Mitigation: Regular assessments help keep the project on track and reduce risks.

Roles in a Review

1. Moderator: Leads the review and ensures guidelines are followed.

2. Reviewer(s): Evaluate the work, identify issues, and suggest improvements.

3. Author: Provides context for the work being reviewed and answers questions.

4. Recorder: Documents the review findings and action items.

Review Cycle

The review process is structured in stages:

1. Planning: The moderator schedules and prepares for the review.

2. Preparation: Reviewers examine the work individually.

3. Review Meeting: Participants discuss issues and provide feedback.

4. Rework: The author revises the work based on feedback.

5. Follow-up: The moderator ensures rework meets objectives, marking the review complete.

This cycle is iterative, ensuring continuous improvement throughout the project.

Ans3. Project termination formally concludes a project, whether through successful completion or
due to factors like budget issues, changing priorities, or insurmountable challenges. The process
involves evaluating project progress, finalizing deliverables, recording lessons learned, reallocating
resources, and communicating closure to stakeholders.

Tools for Project Termination:

1. Gantt Chart: Shows task timelines, milestones, and completion status. It helps assess what
was accomplished and what remains.

2. Slip Chart: Compares planned timelines with actual progress, highlighting delays and scope
changes that led to project stoppage.

3. Timeline Chart: Provides a high-level view of the project lifecycle, marking key milestones
and major changes leading to termination.

These tools ensure transparency during termination, documenting project status, challenges, and
outcomes, providing valuable insights for future projects.

Ans4. In project management, tracking cost, earned value analysis (EVA), and time variance is key to
monitoring progress, controlling budgets, and ensuring schedule adherence. These metrics provide
insights into project performance and help identify necessary adjustments.

1. Cost Management

Cost management involves estimating, budgeting, and controlling expenses. Key components
include:
 • Planned Cost (Budgeted Cost): Initial financial estimate.

• Actual Cost (AC): Real costs incurred.

• Forecasted Cost: Projections to avoid budget overruns.

2. Earned Value Analysis (EVA)

EVA tracks both cost and schedule efficiency using:

• Planned Value (PV): Budget for scheduled work.

• Earned Value (EV): Budget value of completed work.

• Actual Cost (AC): Actual cost of completed work. Key ratios:

• CPI (Cost Performance Index): EV/AC (CPI > 1 is under budget, CPI < 1 is over budget).

• SPI (Schedule Performance Index): EV/PV (SPI > 1 is ahead of schedule, SPI < 1 is behind
schedule).

3. Time Variance

Time variance measures schedule deviations:

• Schedule Variance (SV): SV = EV - PV.

o SV > 0: Ahead of schedule.

o SV < 0: Behind schedule.

Monitoring these metrics helps project managers ensure financial control, timeline adherence, and
proactive management to optimize resources and mitigate risks.

Ans5. 1. Planning in SCM

SCM planning outlines the strategy for managing changes:

• Set Objectives: Define goals like consistent versioning or controlled deployment.

• Policies & Guidelines: Establish rules for branching, merging, and version control.

• Tool Selection & Roles: Choose tools (e.g., Git, SVN) and assign roles (e.g., configuration
manager, developer). Planning ensures changes are handled systematically.

2. Monitoring in SCM

SCM monitoring tracks changes and ensures policy compliance:

• Change & Version Tracking: Record updates, including developer, date, and reason.

• Build & Test Monitoring: Ensure successful builds and identify issues from changes.

• Audit Logs: Maintain logs for transparency and traceability. Monitoring helps detect
unauthorized changes and resolve issues quickly.

3. Control in SCM

SCM control prevents instability through careful management:

 • Change Control Board (CCB): Approves or rejects change requests.

• Baseline & Configuration Control: Limit changes to authorized updates, using baselines as
checkpoints.

• Release Management: Releases only approved versions, preventing untested changes from
reaching production. These control mechanisms ensure consistency and quality in software
development.

Ans6. Managing software contracts involves selecting the right contract type, defining project stages,
and ensuring effective oversight throughout the project lifecycle.

1. Types of Contracts

• Time and Materials (T&M): Client pays for actual hours worked and materials used. Ideal for
unclear or evolving project scopes.

• Fixed Price: A set price for the entire project, suitable for well-defined requirements.

• Cost Plus: Client reimburses actual costs plus a profit margin, used for high-risk projects.

2. Time and Materials (T&M)

This contract offers flexibility in scope, budget, and timeline, making it ideal for ongoing or evolving
projects.

• Advantages: Flexibility and adaptability.

• Challenges: Potential cost overruns and less budget control.

3. Fixed Price and Tendering

A fixed total price is agreed upon, with tendering inviting bids for the contract.

• Advantages: Predictable budget and costs.

• Challenges: Less scope flexibility and risk of vendor underestimation.

4. Contract Stages

• Pre-contract: Initial discussions and selecting contract type.

• Contract Formation: Drafting and negotiating terms.

• Execution & Monitoring: Service delivery and ongoing tracking.

• Close-out: Final deliverables acceptance and payment.

5. Contract Checklist and Management

A checklist ensures critical elements are covered:

• Scope, Timeline, and Deliverables: Clear project description and deadlines.

• Payment Terms, IP Rights, and Dispute Resolution: Defined payment terms and ownership.

• Change Control: Process for handling scope changes.

Effective contract management involves regular monitoring, addressing issues, and ensuring
compliance to keep the project on track.

Ans7. Managing people in software requires effective recruitment, motivation, job design, and well-
being management. Here’s a breakdown:

1. Selection Process

• Job Analysis: Define required skills and qualifications.

• Sourcing & Screening: Use job portals, LinkedIn, and referrals to find candidates, then assess
through tests and interviews.

• Offer & Negotiation: Present the offer based on skills and experience.

A structured process ensures skilled candidates who align with company values.

2. Motivation and Vroom’s Expectancy Theory

Vroom’s model states motivation is influenced by:

• Expectancy: Belief that effort leads to performance.

• Instrumentality: Belief that performance leads to rewards.

• Valence: Value placed on rewards.

Managers ensure employees understand how effort leads to rewards that align with their values.

3. Oldham and Hackman Job Characteristics Model

The model emphasizes job design to enhance motivation:

• Skill Variety: Variety in tasks.

• Task Identity: Completing a whole task.

• Task Significance: Importance of the task.

• Autonomy: Control over work.

• Feedback: Performance feedback.

Designing jobs with these traits improves motivation, satisfaction, and reduces turnover.

4. Stress, Health & Safety, and Ethics

• Stress Management: Encourage work-life balance and provide support.

• Health & Safety: Ensure ergonomics and legal compliance.

• Ethical Considerations: Promote fairness, transparency, and diversity.

Fostering employee well-being ensures long-term productivity and satisfaction.

5. Contract Checklist and Management

Key contract elements:

• Roles & Responsibilities: Clear duties.

 • Compensation & Benefits: Salary, bonuses, and perks.

• Duration & Termination: Contract length and termination conditions.

• Confidentiality & IP Ownership: Protect intellectual property.

• Dispute Resolution: Mediation or arbitration.

Proper contract management prevents misunderstandings and disputes, ensuring clarity for all
parties.

Ans8. Managing software teams involves aligning team roles and management responsibilities to
ensure project success. Here’s an overview of key approaches:

1. Balance Between Team and Management Roles

• Team Roles: Focus on individual tasks while collaborating on problem-solving.

• Management Roles: Provide guidance, remove blockers, and ensure resources are available.

Balancing these ensures teams are empowered but guided towards project goals.

2. Belbin’s Team Roles

Belbin’s model identifies nine key roles that enhance team dynamics:

• Roles like Plant (creative thinker) and Coordinator (goal setter) are essential for improving
team collaboration.

• Assigning roles based on strengths leads to more efficient project delivery.

3. Collaboration Methods

• Delphi Approach: Use anonymous expert feedback to reduce bias and encourage diverse
ideas.

• Egalitarian Programming: Foster equal collaboration with practices like pair programming.

• Departmental Structure: Specialized roles can hinder communication, so cross-functional

collaboration is essential.

These methods improve team cohesion and leverage collective expertise.

4. Functional vs. Project-Based Structure

• Functional Structure: Teams are divided by specialties, fostering expertise but sometimes
limiting communication.

• Project-Based Structure: Cross-functional teams promote collaboration, ideal for Agile

environments but may lack deep expertise.

Choosing the right structure depends on project needs and flexibility.

5. Agile Frameworks: XP and Scrum

• Extreme Programming (XP): Focuses on technical excellence with practices like pair
programming and continuous integration.
 • Scrum: Organizes work in sprints with roles like Scrum Master and Product Owner,
promoting iterative delivery.

Both XP and Scrum improve collaboration, with Scrum emphasizing iterative delivery and XP focusing
on code quality.