SOEN4301

Software Project
Management
2024
Maryam Abacha American University of Niger

SOEN4306 Software Project Management 1

Software Project Management

SOEN4306 Software Project Management

 INTRODUCTION TO SOFTWARE PROJECT
MANAGEMENT

SOEN4306 Software Project Management

 DEFINITION OF SOFTWARE PROJECT
MANAGEMENT (SPM)

DEFINITION:

 SPM is a structured approach to planning,

executing, and overseeing a software project
from inception to completion.

 It involves coordinating people, resources,

tasks, and technology to ensure project goals
are achieved on time and within budget.

SOEN4306 Software Project Management

 WHY SPM IN SOFTWARE
DEVELOPMENT IMPORTANT

 Ensuring Project Success: Effective SPM maximizes the

likelihood of completing software projects successfully by
providing structure and defined objectives.

 Resource Optimization: SPM helps allocate resources

(personnel, technology, budget) efficiently, avoiding waste
and maximizing productivity.

 Stakeholder Satisfaction: Through careful planning and

communication, SPM ensures that the project aligns with
stakeholder expectations and adapts to their changing
needs.

SOEN4306 Software Project Management

 Cont…

 Enhancing Quality: By enforcing quality standards and

practices, SPM ensures the software meets user
requirements and quality benchmarks.

 Mitigating Risks: SPM involves identifying, analyzing,

and managing potential risks throughout the project
lifecycle, reducing the chances of failure.

SOEN4306 Software Project Management

 Examples of SPM Impact

 Case studies of successful projects where SPM played a

significant role (e.g., delivering within budget, avoiding
delays).

 Examples of failed projects due to poor SPM

practices (e.g., budget overruns, scope creep, or
incomplete deliverables).

SOEN4306 Software Project Management

 CHALLENGES IN SOFTWARE PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
 Common Challenges Faced in SPM:
1. Scope Creep:
 Definition: Scope creep is the uncontrolled expansion
of a project’s scope, often leading to delays and
budget overruns.

 Example: A client requesting additional features after

project initiation without adjusting timelines or
budgets.

 How SPM Addresses It: Effective scope management

and change control processes are essential to keep
projects on track.

SOEN4306 Software Project Management

 Cont…

2. Budget Constraints:

 Budget overruns occur when the actual costs exceed

planned budgets

 SPM's Role: Accurate budgeting, resource estimation, and

cost control techniques help project managers stay
within budget.

3. Time Management:

 Delivering projects on time is challenging due to

unforeseen obstacles, resource availability, or task
dependencies.

SOEN4306 Software Project Management

 Cont…
 SPM's Role: Project scheduling tools like Gantt charts,
Critical Path Method (CPM), and setting milestones assist
in time management.

4. Risk Management:

 Risks, including technical failures, stakeholder issues, or

resource availability, can derail a project.

 SPM's Role: Identifying potential risks early and

having a mitigation plan is vital for project continuity.

5. Resource Allocation and Team Coordination:

 Assigning the right people with the right skills

to tasks and balancing workloads.
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SOEN4306 Software Project Management

 Cont…
 SPM's Role: Resource planning and effective team
communication ensure that tasks are executed smoothly
and efficiently.

6. Quality Control:
 Ensuring the project meets quality requirements
without compromising on time or cost.
 SPM's Role: Implementing quality assurance and
control measures to ensure adherence to standards.

7. Stakeholder Management and Communication:

 Managing client expectations, obtaining feedback,
and clear communication across the team and
stakeholders.
 SPM's Role: Regular status updates, stakeholder
meetings, and transparent communication channels
help keep all parties informed.
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SOEN4306 Software Project Management

 PROJECT LIFE CYCLE AND PROJECT
MANAGEMENT MODELS

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SOEN4306 Software Project Management

 SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE (SDLC)

 Capability Maturity Model (CMM)

 A bench-mark for measuring the maturity of an organization’s
software process.
 CMM defines 5 levels of process maturity based on certain Key
Process Areas (KPA)

Level 5 – Optimizing (< 1%) Level 2 – Repeatable (~ 15%)

 software configuration management
 process change management  software quality assurance
 technology change management  software project tracking and oversight
 defect prevention  software project planning
 requirements management
Level 4 – Managed (< 5%) Level 1 – Initial (~ 70%)
 software quality management
 quantitative process management
Level 3 – Defined (< 10%)
 peer reviews
 intergroup coordination
 software product engineering
 integrated software management
 training program
 organization process definition
 organization process focus
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SOEN4306 Software Project Management

 SDLC MODEL

 A framework that describes the activities performed at each

stage of a software development project.

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SOEN4306 Software Project Management

 Waterfall Model

 Requirements: Defines needed

information, function, behavior,
performance and interfaces.

 Design: data structures, software

architecture, interface
representations, algorithmic
details.

 Implementation: Source code,

database, user documentation,
testing.

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SOEN4306 Software Project Management

 Waterfall Strengths

Easy to understand, easy to use

Provides structure to inexperienced staff
Milestones are well understood
Sets requirements stability
Good for management control (plan, staff,
track)
Works well when quality is more important
than cost or schedule

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SOEN4306 Software Project Management

 Waterfall Deficiencies
 All requirements must be known upfront

 Deliverables created for each phase are considered frozen –

inhibits flexibility

 Can give a false impression of progress

 Does not reflect problem-solving nature of software

development – iterations of phases

 Integration is one big bang at the end

 Littleopportunity for customer to preview the system (until it

may be too late)
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SOEN4306 Software Project Management

 When to use the Waterfall Model
Requirements are very well known

Product definition is stable

Technology is understood

New version of an existing product

Porting an existing product to a new platform.

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SOEN4306 Software Project Management

 V-Shaped SDLC Model

 A variant of the Waterfall that

emphasizes the verification
and validation of the product.

 Testingof the product is

planned in parallel with a
corresponding phase of
development

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SOEN4306 Software Project Management

 V-Shaped Steps
 Project and Requirements  Production, operation and
Planning: allocate resources maintenance: provide for
enhancement and corrections
 Product Requirements and
Specification Analysis:  System and acceptance
complete specification of the testing: check the entire
software system software system in its
environment
 Architecture or High-Level
Design: defines how software  Integration and Testing: check
functions fulfill the design that modules interconnect
correctly
 Detailed Design: develop
algorithms for each  Unit testing: check that each
architectural component module acts as expected
 Coding: transform algorithms
into software

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SOEN4306 Software Project Management

V-Shaped Strengths

Emphasize planning for verification and

validation of the product in early stages of
product development
Each deliverable must be testable
Project management can track progress by
milestones
Easy to use

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SOEN4306 Software Project Management

V-Shaped Weaknesses

Does not easily handle concurrent events

Does not handle iterations or phases
Does not easily handle dynamic changes in
requirements
Does not contain risk analysis activities

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SOEN4306 Software Project Management

When to use the V-Shaped
Model
Excellent choice for systems requiring high
reliability – hospital patient control
applications
All requirements are known up-front
When it can be modified to handle
changing requirements beyond analysis
phase
Solution and technology are known

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SOEN4306 Software Project Management

Rapid Application Model (RAD)

Requirements planning phase (a workshop

utilizing structured discussion of business
problems)
User description phase – automated tools
capture information from users
Construction phase – productivity tools,
such as code generators, screen
generators, etc. inside a time-box. (“Do
until done”)
Cutover phase -- installation of the
system, user acceptance testing and user
training 24

SOEN4306 Software Project Management

RAD Strengths

Reduced cycle time and improved

productivity with fewer people means
lower costs
Time-box approach mitigates cost and
schedule risk
Customer involved throughout the
complete cycle minimizes risk of not
achieving customer satisfaction and
business needs
Focus moves from documentation to code
(WYSIWYG).
Uses modeling concepts to capture
information about business, data, and
processes. 25

SOEN4306 Software Project Management

RAD Weaknesses

Accelerated development process must

give quick responses to the user
Risk of never achieving closure
Hard to use with legacy systems
Requires a system that can be modularized
Developers and customers must be
committed to rapid-fire activities in an
abbreviated time frame.

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SOEN4306 Software Project Management

When to use RAD

Reasonably well-known requirements

User involved throughout the life cycle
Project can be time-boxed
Functionality delivered in increments
High performance not required
Low technical risks
System can be modularized

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SOEN4306 Software Project Management

 THANK YOU

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SOEN4306 Software Project Management