Software Development project plan

ID Tasks
1 Software Development Planning
1.1 Project Brief completed

1.2 Initial budget completed

1.3 Initial schedule completed

1.4 Identify the project stakeholders

1.5 Define project scope

1.6 Develop project plan

2 Requirements gathering

2.1 Define project scope

2.2 Analyze existing documentation

2.3 Conduct stakeholder interviews

2.4 Create use cases

2.5 Define user personas

2.6 Create wireframes

2.7 Prioritize requirements

2.8 Document requirements

3 Analysis and design

3.1 Review requirements

3.2 Define software architecture

3.2.1 Identify software components

3.2.2 Define the architecture style

3.2.3 Create the architecture diagram

 3.2.4 Define the interfaces

3.2.5 Specify the quality attributes

3.2.6 Identify potential risks

3.2.7 Document the software architecture

3.3 Define system design

3.3.1 Define system modules

3.3.2 Identify data models

3.3.3 Define data storage and retrieval

mechanisms
3.3.4 Design system interfaces

3.3.5 Define system algorithms

3.3.6 Create system flow diagrams

3.3.7 Review and validate the system

design
3.3.8 Document the system design

3.4 Define user interface design

3.4.1 Identify user interface requirements

3.4.2 Design the UI components

3.4.3 Define the UI layout

3.4.4 Design the UI interactions

3.4.5 Create UI mock-ups

3.4.6 Review and refine the UI design

3.4.7 Create UI style guide

3.4.8 Validate the UI design

3.4.9 Document the UI design

3.5 Review and validate the design

 3.5.1 Schedule design review meetings

3.5.2 Present the design

3.5.3 Solicit feedback
3.5.4 Incorporate feedback

3.5.5 Conduct design validation

3.5.6 Obtain sign-off

3.5.7 Document the design

4 Development

4.1 Set up the development environment

4.1.1 Identify development tools

4.1.2 Install development tools

4.1.3 Configure development tools

4.1.4 Set up the development

environment
4.1.5 Set up the development database

4.1.6 Install and configure build tools

4.1.7 Test the development environment

4.2 Write code

4.2.1 Identify coding standards

4.2.2 Review the design documents

4.2.3 Write code modules

4.2.4 Conduct unit testing

4.2.5 Refactor the code

4.2.6 Integrate components

4.2.7 Conduct integration testing

4.2.8 Review the code

4.2.9 Optimize the code

4.2.10 Document the code

5 Quality assurance
 5.1 Develop the QA plan

5.2 Create test cases

5.3 Develop automated tests

5.4 Deploy to staging environment

5.5 Conduct functional testing

5.6 Conduct performance testing

5.7 Conduct security testing

5.8 Conduct usability testing

5.9 Conduct compliance testing

5.10 Review and refine the software

product
6 Deployment

6.1 Prepare for deployment

6.1.1 Identify deployment strategy

6.1.2 Create deployment packages

6.1.3 Validate deployment packages

6.1.4 Develop deployment scripts

6.1.6 Test deployment process

6.2 Obtain sign-off

6.3 Create deployment / go-live plan

6.4 Develop post-deployment support
plan

6.5 Obtain sign-off

6.6 Deploy to production environment

6.7 Conduct post-deployment validation

6.8 Monitor and maintain the software

product
7 Project management

7.1 Identify and manage risks

7.2 Manage project resources

 7.3 Monitor project progress

7.4 Control project changes

7.5 Manage project stakeholders

7.6 Communicate project status

7.7 Close project

8 Project Close
8.1 Conduct post-project review meeting

8.2 Write up lessons learned

8.3 Close down project files
8.4 Close project in management
systems
8.5 Wrap up finances
Notes

The Project Brief describes the purpose of the project, the objectives, KPIs, high-level requirements
and key milestones.
Create a budget estimate for the project. This will be updated as the requirements are finalised.
Create the initial schedule for the project. This will be amended and added to as the project
progresses.
This task involves identifying the stakeholders who will be involved in the project, such as clients,
users, and subject matter experts.
The project scope defines the boundaries of the software development project, including its objectives,
timelines, budget, and constraints.
The project plan outlines the project's activities, timelines, milestones, resources, and budget, to
ensure that it is completed on time, on budget, and with the desired quality.
This task involves identifying and documenting the functional and non-functional requirements of the
software product. It includes gathering information about the user needs, business goals, technical
constraints, and other relevant factors.
The project scope defines the boundaries of the software development project, including its objectives,
timelines, budget, and constraints.
This task involves reviewing any existing documentation, such as user manuals, business
requirements, and technical specifications, to identify any gaps or inconsistencies.
This task involves conducting interviews with stakeholders to understand their needs, expectations,
and preferences.
Use cases are scenarios that describe how the software will be used. This task involves creating use
cases to identify the system's functional requirements.
User personas represent archetypes of the different user types who will interact with the software.
This task involves defining the user personas to understand the user's goals, motivations, and
behaviors.
Wireframes are visual representations of the software's user interface. This task involves creating
wireframes to help stakeholders visualize the software's functionality and provide feedback.
This task involves prioritizing the requirements based on their importance, feasibility, and impact on
the software's functionality.
Finally, all the requirements identified during the requirements gathering process must be documented
in a clear and concise manner to serve as a reference for the rest of the development process.

Based on the requirements, the software architecture, system design, and user interface design are
planned and documented. This task also includes defining the software components, data models,
and algorithms required to implement the solution.
This task involves reviewing the requirements gathered in the previous phase to ensure that they are
complete, accurate, and consistent.
The software architecture defines the overall structure of the software and its components. This task
involves designing the software architecture, including its modules, layers, and interfaces.
This task involves identifying the software components that will be required to implement the solution,
such as modules, libraries, and frameworks.
The architecture style defines the general principles and patterns that will be used to organize the
software components. This task involves choosing the appropriate architecture style, such as client-
server, microservices, or event-driven.
The architecture diagram is a visual representation of the software components and their
relationships. This task involves creating the architecture diagram to help stakeholders understand the
software's overall structure.
The interfaces define how the different components will communicate with each other. This task
involves defining the interfaces between the software components, including the protocols, data
formats, and message exchanges.
The quality attributes define the non-functional requirements of the software, such as performance,
scalability, reliability, and security. This task involves specifying the quality attributes and ensuring that
the architecture can meet these requirements.
Potential risks and issues that may arise during the development process need to be identified and
addressed in the architecture. This task involves identifying potential risks and creating strategies to
mitigate them.
Finally, the software architecture needs to be documented in a clear and concise manner to serve as
a reference for the rest of the development process.

The system design defines the detailed design of the software components and their interactions. This
task involves designing the system components, data models, and algorithms required to implement
the solution.
This task involves defining the modules or components that will make up the system and their
functionalities.
Data models define the structure and organization of the data that will be used by the software. This
task involves identifying the data models required for the system.
This task involves defining the mechanisms that will be used to store and retrieve data from the
system, such as databases, file systems, and APIs.
The system interfaces define how the different components of the system will interact with each other.
This task involves designing the system interfaces, including the protocols, data formats, and
message exchanges.
System algorithms are the computational procedures or formulas that the system will use to process
and analyze data. This task involves defining the system algorithms required to implement the
solution.
System flow diagrams provide a visual representation of the system's components and their
interactions. This task involves creating system flow diagrams to help stakeholders understand the
system's overall design.
Once the system design has been defined, it must be reviewed and validated to ensure that it
accurately reflects the requirements and is feasible to implement.
Finally, the system design needs to be documented in a clear and concise manner to serve as a
reference for the rest of the development process.
The user interface design defines the visual and interactive aspects of the software. This task involves
designing the user interface, including the layout, navigation, and interaction design.
This task involves identifying the user interface requirements, such as the design style, branding,
layout, and navigation.
The UI components define the visual elements of the software, such as buttons, forms, menus, and
icons. This task involves designing the UI components based on the user interface requirements.
The UI layout defines how the UI components are arranged on the screen. This task involves
designing the UI layout, including the placement of the UI components and the use of white space.
The UI interactions define how the user will interact with the UI components, such as clicking buttons,
entering text, and selecting options. This task involves designing the UI interactions to be intuitive and
user-friendly.
UI mock-ups are visual representations of the user interface design. This task involves creating UI
mock-ups to help stakeholders visualize the UI design and provide feedback.
Once the UI mock-ups have been created, they must be reviewed and refined to ensure that they
accurately reflect the user interface requirements and are feasible to implement.
A UI style guide provides guidelines and standards for the visual design of the software. This task
involves creating a UI style guide to ensure consistency and cohesiveness in the UI design.
The UI design must be validated to ensure that it meets the user's needs and expectations. This task
involves testing the UI design with real users and incorporating their feedback into the design.
Finally, the UI design needs to be documented in a clear and concise manner to serve as a reference
for the rest of the development process.
Once the design documents have been created, they must be reviewed and validated to ensure that
they accurately reflect the requirements and are feasible to implement.
This task involves scheduling meetings with the stakeholders to review the software architecture,
system design, and user interface design.
The design team presents the design to the stakeholders, highlighting its key features and benefits.
The stakeholders provide feedback on the design, identifying any issues, concerns, or suggestions.
The design team incorporates the feedback from the stakeholders into the design, making necessary
changes and adjustments.
The design team conducts validation tests to ensure that the design meets the requirements and is
feasible to implement.
The stakeholders sign-off on the design, indicating that they approve the design and that it meets their
requirements and expectations.
The design team documents the design, including any changes or adjustments made based on the
feedback and validation tests.
The software development process involves coding, testing, and debugging the software components.
This task also includes integrating the components and building the system.
This task involves setting up the development environment, including configuring development tools,
libraries, and frameworks.
The development team identifies the development tools, including the Integrated Development
Environment (IDE), code editors, version control systems, testing tools, and debugging tools, needed
for the software development.
The development team installs the development tools identified in the previous task, including the
latest versions of the tools, add-ons, and extensions, and configure them for optimal performance.
The development team configures the development tools to match the project's requirements, such as
code templates, libraries, and project settings, to ensure consistency and efficiency.
The development team sets up the development environment, including the workspace, project
directories, and file structure, to ensure that the development process is organized and efficient.
If a database is needed for the software product, the development team sets up the development
database, including the database server, schema, and sample data, to facilitate database-related
development tasks.
The development team installs and configures build tools, such as Gradle or Maven, to automate the
build process, including compiling the code, packaging the software product, and generating
documentation.
The development team tests the development environment, including the development tools,
database, and build tools, to ensure that they function correctly and meet the requirements.
The development team writes the code for the software product, following the design documents,
coding standards, and best practices.
The development team identifies the coding standards, including naming conventions, formatting,
commenting, and documentation, to ensure consistency and maintainability of the code.
The development team reviews the design documents, including the software architecture, system
design, and user interface design, to ensure that they understand the requirements and are clear on
the software's design.
The development team writes code modules, including functions, classes, and libraries, based on the
design documents and coding standards.
Unit testing involves testing individual software components, such as modules, functions, or classes,
to ensure that they meet the requirements and function correctly.
Refactoring involves improving the code's quality, readability, and maintainability, by restructuring,
simplifying, and optimizing the code, without changing its functionality.
The different software components are integrated into a single software product, following the
integration plan and testing for compatibility and functionality.
Integration testing involves testing the interactions between different software components to ensure
that they work together correctly and meet the requirements.
Code reviews involve reviewing the code by other team members, to identify any errors, bugs, or code
quality issues, and provide feedback for improvement.
Code optimization involves improving the code's performance, by reducing its complexity, improving
algorithms, and minimizing code redundancy and inefficiency.
The development team documents the code, including the source code, comments, and
documentation, to ensure that it is well-documented and easy to maintain.
The quality of the software product is ensured through testing and validation. This task involves
designing and executing test cases, analyzing test results, and reporting defects.
The QA team develops a plan that outlines the scope, objectives, and methods of the QA testing,
including the tools and resources required.
Test cases define the scenarios, inputs, and expected results for testing the software product. This
task involves creating test cases based on the requirements and design documents.
The QA team develops automated tests, such as regression tests and functional tests, to ensure that
the software product functions correctly and meets the requirements.
The software product is deployed to the staging environment, where it is tested and validated for
compatibility, security, and scalability.
Functional testing involves testing the software product's functionality, such as user interfaces, inputs,
outputs, and interactions, to ensure that it meets the requirements.
Performance testing involves testing the software product's performance, such as response times,
load handling, and scalability, to ensure that it meets the performance requirements.
Security testing involves testing the software product's security, such as data encryption, access
control, and authentication, to ensure that it meets the security requirements.
Usability testing involves testing the software product's usability, such as user interfaces, user
experience, and user satisfaction, to ensure that it meets the usability requirements.
Compliance testing involves testing the software product's compliance with regulations, standards,
and industry best practices, such as accessibility, data privacy, and software quality.
Based on the feedback and results from the QA testing, the development team reviews and refines
the software product, ensuring that it meets the requirements and is of high quality.
The software product is deployed to the target environment, which may involve installation,
configuration, and migration of data. This task also includes verifying the installation and ensuring that
the software is functioning as expected.
This task involves preparing for the deployment, including selecting the deployment strategy, creating
deployment packages, and testing the deployment process.
The development team identifies the deployment strategy, including the deployment environment,
deployment method, and deployment timeline, based on the project's requirements and stakeholder
expectations.
The development team creates deployment packages, including the software product, configuration
files, and documentation, for release and deployment.
The development team validates the deployment packages, by testing them in a staging or test
environment, to ensure that they are complete and functional.
The development team develops deployment scripts, including automation scripts, batch scripts, and
installation scripts,team
The development to automate
tests thethe deployment
deployment process
process, and minimize
including errors andscripts,
the deployment risks. packages,
and post-deployment support, to ensure that it functions correctly and meets the requirements.
The stakeholders sign-off on the software product, indicating that they approve the deployment and
that it meets their requirements and expectations.
The project team creates a step by step/ hour by hour plan for deployment.
The project & development team plans for post-deployment support, including user training, technical
support, and maintenance, to ensure that the software product is supported after release and
deployment.
The stakeholders sign-off on the software product, indicating that they approve the deployment and
that it meets their requirements and expectations.
The software product is deployed to the production environment, where it is made available to end-
users.
The development team conducts post-deployment validation, including testing, monitoring, and
performance analysis, to ensure that the software product is functional, secure, and stable in the
production environment.
The software product is monitored and maintained, including monitoring its performance, resolving
issues, and updating its features and functionalities.
Throughout the software development process, project management tasks such as scheduling,
resource allocation, risk management, and communication are essential to ensure the project is
delivered on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards.
Risk management involves identifying potential risks, assessing their likelihood and impact, and
developing mitigation strategies to minimize their impact on the project's success.
Resource management involves managing the project's resources, including personnel, equipment,
materials, and budget, to ensure that they are available, allocated, and used effectively and efficiently.
Project monitoring involves tracking the project's progress, including its activities, timelines,
milestones, and deliverables, to ensure that it is on track and that any issues or delays are identified
and addressed.
Change control involves managing project changes, including scope changes, schedule changes, and
budget changes, to ensure that they are documented, approved, and communicated effectively to all
stakeholders.
Stakeholder management involves identifying and engaging project stakeholders, including sponsors,
customers, users, and team members, to ensure that their needs, expectations, and requirements are
met.
Project communication involves communicating project status, progress, and issues to all
stakeholders, including project reports, status meetings, and progress updates.
Project closure involves completing the project activities, delivering the project's outputs, and obtaining
stakeholder acceptance and sign-off, to ensure that the project is completed successfully.

Hold a meeting with the client, key stakeholders and the project team to review what went well and
what didn't go so well.
Write up the positive and negative lessons learned for future projects.
Close down the project files and documentation. Follow internal procedures to archive the project.
Close the project records in your project management software.

Pay final invoices, finalise accounts and close down project records in finance system.
Templates

Project Brief

Simple Budgeting Worksheet

Stakeholder Management Templates

Scope Management Plan

Project Management Plan

Requirements Gathering Template

Project Scope Statement

User Story Template

Requirements Traceability Matrix

Need diagram software? Lucidchart has built-in software architecture templates.

Risk Register Template

Need diagram software? Lucidchart has built-in software architecture templates.

Quality Management Plan

Test Case Template

Risk Register Template

Resource Management Plan

Change Request Form

Status Report Template

Post-project review template

Lessons Learned Template

General notes
This is an example schedule for software development. It is contains generic tasks and you will need to add, edit and rem
Check our collection of Project Management Templates to find more example project plans.
Project Management Templates

How to use this schedule

We have deliberately designed this schedule so that it can be easily transferred from Excel to any project planning tool o
Project, Wrike, Monday.com etc.
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You can either import the tasks or copy and paste depending on the tool you use.
For a free Gantt Chart template you can use our Excel Project Plan template.

Task dependencies
The schedule is organised so that tasks are shown in the basic order they will need to be completed, but we have not att
finish-to-start, start-to-start etc.

Resources
We have not attempted to add resources as these will be different for each project.

Durations
We have not attempted to add durations or effort as this will be totally dependent on your project's resources, requirem
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