CEN 4021
Software Engineering II
Phases of Software Project Management
Software Project Planning
Project Content and deliverables
Instructor: Masoud Sadjadi
http://www.cs.fiu.edu/~sadjadi/
sadjadi@cs.fiu.edu
CEN 4021
3rd Lecture
Acknowledgements

Dr. Onyeka Ezenwoye

Dr. Peter Clarke
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
2
Agenda

Overview of phases of Software Project
Management (SPM)

Software Project Planning
– Project Content and deliverables
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Phases of SPM

The software project management activities
include:
– Project planning and scheduling
– Project cost
– Project monitoring and reviews
– Personnel selection and evaluation
– Report writing and presentations
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Phases of SPM

The previous management activities are
captured using the acronym POMA:
– Planning
– Organizing
– Monitoring
– Adjusting
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
POMA Management Process
Planning
Activities
Organizing
Activities
Monitoring
Activities
Adjustment
Activities
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
POMA

Models the software management cycle
– Software processes model development cycle

Applies software engineering knowledge
– For example
 Requirements
elicitation
 Software measurements
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
POMA

Not necessarily sequential
– Activities within each category may overlap
– Categories may overlap
– For example, original plans may be adjusted during monitoring
and adjustment activities.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Planning
Set of activities used to develop a plan of attack for
the project:

Description of software product i.e., artifact
contents and deliverables.

The Software product attributes.

Project schedule.

Resources needed to meet project schedule.

Measurements used to gauge the status of the
project.

Risk associated with project.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Planning
Points to note:

Time consuming

Important phase of SPM

Often rushed

Even with a well conceived plan changes are
often necessary.

Experience is very helpful in developing a
project plan. especially knowledge of
organization.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Organizing

Seeks to construct a software development based on
the project plan.

Activities include:
– Acquiring various skilled individuals needed for the project.
– Defining the a process and a set of methodologies for the
project.
– Obtaining the tools to support the process and
methodologies.
– Creating a set of well-defined metrics to track and gauge
the project.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Organizing
Issues of major concern:

Personnel are properly equipped to perform their
designated task i.e.,
– equipping personnel include obtaining tools and preparing
facilities
– educating personnel in using tools, methodology, and metrics



Allocation of adequate financial funding.
Team may include financial and personnel
management.
“People management” aspect of organizing is critically
important.
– Morale affects productivity
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Monitoring
Monitoring focuses on:

Consistently and regularly collecting measurements.

Analyzing the data.

Representing and presenting the data for a defined set
of reports.

Making projections and making recommendations based
on the analysis of the data.

Involves people management.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Adjusting

Adjustments are often necessary due to:
–
–
–
–

Changing software requirements
Discovery of an unfeasible design
Lost of skilled team members
Financial constraints
Adjustments may be made to:
–
–
–
–
Requirements
Schedule
Resources
Project content
It is very important to do a thorough risk analysis during
the planning stage of the project
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Agenda

Phases of Software Project Management (SPM)

Software Project Planning (POMA)
– Project Content and deliverables
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Plan Content

Varies depending on the type of software
project.

All project plans must address:
– What is the nature of the s/w project and what
software artifacts are the desired deliverables?
– What is the overall schedule and the associated
major project milestones?
– What are the required resources and their associated
financial costs?
– What are the known risks and the areas that are still
unknown?
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Comprehensive Plan

Problem and requirements
– User problems needs and wishes

Product/Project Description
– Complete scope of the project i.e., all project deliverables, and a
description of each deliverable.

Product/Project Attributes
– Description of the various attributes of deliverables and non
deliverables as they pertain to the goals of the project e.g., quality.
Identify metrics for the attributes.

Schedule
– Sequence of tasks
– Identification of milestones and deliverables
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Comprehensive Plan

Cost
– Details in terms of some unit e.g., person-days, for
each deliverable
– Includes expenditures – tools, travel, training,
communications

Resources
–
–
–
–
List of people needed and their skills
Complete set of tools
Special training
Software and hardware systems required
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Comprehensive Plan

Process and Methods
– Description of the overall process and methods

Risks
–
–
–
–
List of potential problems
Assessed impact
Probability of occurrence
Plan to prevent risk from turning into a real problem
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Requirements Elicitation
Before the project can be initiated, software engineers
need to:

–
identify the requirements of the project,
–
interfaces to related systems or subsystems.

Gathering s/w requirements is one of the most difficult
task of any s/w project.

The software project manager needs to provide an
environment conducive to proper requirements
gathering and analysis.
–
Enough time and suitable skilled people
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Requirements Elicitation
Points to note:
Requirements must be understood and agreed upon by
all the stakeholders.

–
Not just software engineers
Not understanding the s/w requirements of the project
can be very costly.

–
Improper testing, quality issues
–
Customer requirements not met
–
Missed schedules

Consult domain experts is necessary.

The requirements document is a contract!!
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
General requirements management
activities
Agreeing on
and initiating
Reqs
Reqs
Elicitation
(as needed)
Reqs Analysis
and
Prototyping
Reqs
Review
Reqs
Specification
Agreeing and
“Signing Off”
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Requirements Analysis



Involves checking that the specification is correct,
complete, consistent, unambiguous, and realistic.
Correct – accurately represents the client’s view of the
system.
Complete – all possible scenarios are described
including exceptional behavior.

Consistent – does not contradict itself.

Unambiguous – exactly one system is defined.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Requirements Analysis
Software prototype - a s/w model created for the
purpose of better understanding the requirements and
the feasibility of the proposed solution.

Must have clearly specified schedules

–
To avoid repeated viewing and reviewing of prototypes
–
Define clear entrance and exit criteria.
–
Define scope of prototype activity.
–
Must be agree upon by everyone.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Types of Requirements

Major types of requirements:
– The project deliverables
– The needs satisfied by the deliverables (project)

Project deliverables
–
–
–
–
–
Requirements document
Design document
Source code
Executable code
Test scenarios
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Types of Requirements
Project deliverables


–
Test cases with test data
–
User guide
–
Product reference manual
–
Test results and quality-related data
–
Process specification
–
Project plan
It is important to be informed of the practices of the
organization.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Types of Requirements

Project needs and their characterization
– This is the area where most s/w engineers, rather than the
software project manager, should focus there energy.
– The following items should be identified:
– The functionality of the s/w
– The nonfunctional requirements of the s/w
– The interfaces that the s/w needs to interact with its users
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Requirements



software project manager needs to ensure the first set of
reqs (the deliverables) are clearly defined understood,
prioritized, and agreed upon by the stakeholders.
All parties should formally “sign-off” on the deliverables.
include a final review of the requirements specification
prior to sign-off.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Prioritization of Requirements





Project reqs are sometimes initiated by solution providers
internally.
These requirements are the most difficult to evaluate.
The requirements usually initiate during maintenance.
It is a good idea to have a prioritization procedure for both
internal and external reqs.
Inputs from the various reqs sources are constantly
coming in to the s/w organization and being captured,
possibly by an automated tool.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Requirements Prioritization
Requirements
Sources
Development
Requirements
Prioritization
Support
.
.
.
Reqs
Repository
Software
Product
Management
Board
List of
Reqs input to the
Product Plan
Customer
Consultant
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture
Prioritization of Requirements

Resources must be set aside for the following activities:
–
–
–
–
–
Regular review of inputs
Analysis of the valid inputs
Prioritization of the inputs
Response to both the accepted ideas and rejected ones
Formulation of the accepted reqs subset into actual reqs for the
product plan.
CEN 4021: Software Engineering II
3rd Lecture