Software Engineering-II

Software Project Management

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Software Project Management!!! IT Projects have a terrible track record

A 1995 Standish Group Study found that only 16.2% of IT projects were successful

Over 31% of It projects were cancelled before completion, costing over $81bn in the U.S. alone

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What is Project?

Project is a planned activity. Being planned it assumes that

we can determine how we are going to carry out a task before we start. Develop a web page within the next four days that provides

information about the departmental time table to new incoming students

DefinitionA project is a specific(non-routine), finite task to be

accomplished. It carried out in several phases and the resources available are constrained. Any activity that results in a deliverable or a product.

Projects always begin with a problem. The projects is to provide the solution to this problem.

When a project is finished it must be evaluated to determine whether it satisfies the objectives and goals.

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A project is temporary endeavor undertaken to accomplish a unique purpose.

Attributes of a project

Unique purpose (specified product is to be created) Temporary (non-routine) Planning is required Require resources, often from various areas Carried out in several phases Involve uncertainty Project is large or complex

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Software Projects vs. Other Types of Projects Invisibility

with software progress is not immediately visible

Complexity per dollar software products contain more

complexity Conformity

software developers have to conform to the requirements of clients.

Flexibilitythe ease with which software can accommodate

changes.

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Definition SCOPE: what is the project trying to accomplish?

what work must be done to satisfy the customer that deliverables meets the requirements.

TIME: How long should it take to complete the project?

what is the project’s schedule? COST: what should it cost to complete the

project?

The objective of any project is to complete the scope within the budget by a certain time to the customer’s satisfaction

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What is Management?Management can be defined as all activities and

tasks undertaken by one or more persons for the purpose of planning and controlling the activities of others in order to achieve objectives or complete an activity that could not be achieved by other acting independently.

Management functions can be categorized as planning organizingstaffing directingcontrolling

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Management functions Planning

predetermining a course of action for accomplishing projects objectives

Organising arranging the relationship among work units for accomplishment of objectives and the granting of responsibility and authority to attain those objectives

Staffingselecting and training people for completing tasks

Directing creating an atmosphere that will assist and motivate people to achieve desired end result

Controlling establishing, measuring, and evaluating performance of activities towards planned objectives

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Project Management!!Project management is a system of

management procedures, practices, technologies, skills, and experience that are necessary to successfully manage a project.

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Laws of Project Management No major project is ever installed on time, within

budget, with the same staff that started it.Yours will not be the first

Projects progress quickly until they become 90% complete, then they remain at 90% complete forever.

One advantage of fuzzy project objectives is that they let you avoid the embarrassment of estimating the corresponding costs.

When things are going well, something will go wrong. When things just can’t get any worse, they will When things appears to be going better you have

overlooked something

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Continue…. If project content is allowed to change

freely, the rate of change will exceed the rate of progress.

No system is ever completely debugged: attempts to debug a system inevitably introduce new bugs that even harder to find

A carelessly planned project will take three times longer to complete than expected, a planned project will take twice as long.

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Project Management Advantages Responsiveness to clients and the environment Ability to make timely trade-off decisions Central focus of decisions to insure overall project optimality Better control, better customer relations, shorter

development time, lower costs, higher quality and reliability, higher profit margins, sharper orientation towards results, better co-ordination, higher morale

Bosses, customers, and other stakeholders do not like surprises. Good project management provides assurance and reduce risk

Project management provides the tools and environment to plan, to monitor, to track, and to manage schedules, resources, cost, and quality

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Project Management Disadvantages Greater organizational complexity More violations of company policy Lower personnel utilization More managerial conflicts

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Management Spectrum Effective software project management

focuses on the four P’s

People Product Process Project

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People Software process is populated by players

who can be categorized into followings:

1. Senior Managers2. Project Managers3. Practitioners 4. Customers 5. End-users

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The Project TeamThe Selection of team occurs early in the life

cycle of a software development project.Common characteristics of effective team

members technically competent Politically sensitive Strong problem orientation Strong goal orientation High self –esteem

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The project team developmentSome important tools and techniques for

team development

Training Team Building Reward and Recognition Systems

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Team Building

A legendary sports manager once said“it’s easy to get the players. Getting them

play together , that’s the hard part”Team building- developing a group of

individuals to accomplish the project’s objectives- is an ongoing process.

Team building helps to create an atmosphere of openness and trust. Members feel a sense of unity and a strong commitment to accomplish the project objectives

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Five- stages in Team development

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Forming

Storming

Norming

Performing

Adjourning

level of functioning at various stages of team development

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Project ManagerOnce the project is selected, the next step for the

senior management is to choose a Project Manager

ORWhen the team is formed, choose a leader

It is the PM’s job to make sure that the project is properly planned, implemented and completed.

It is the People - not the procedures and techniques - that are critical to accomplishing the project objectives.

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Project Manager’s RoleFacilitator (Virtual Project Manager)Many projects are international and team

members may be geographically dispersed. Many projects may be carried out by different organizations at different location.

CommunicatorPM is responsible to the project team, to

senior management, to the client, to anyone else who may have a stake in the projects performance and outcome.

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MOI model of leadership

Motivation the ability to encourage technical ppl to

produce to their best ability Organization

the ability to mold existing processes that will enable the initial concept to be translated into a final product.

Ideas or innovation the ability to encourage ppl to create and

feel creative even when they must work with in bounds established for particular software product or application.

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Project Manager’s - Responsibilities

To the Organization Conservation of resources• Timely and accurate communication of project’s

progress• Competent project managementTo the Project Team• Competent human resource managementTo the Client• Acceptable delivery of project’s product• Timely and accurate communication of project’s

progress

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PM’s - Responsibilities (cont.)To the Project• acquisition of resources and personnel• dealing with obstacles arising during the courseof the project• exercising the leadership needed to bring theproject to a successful conclusion• trade-offs between budget, schedule, andspecifications to ensure successful completion ofthe project

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Project Manager’s CharacteristicsTechnical skillsSupply of large and small technical solutionsPolitical sensitivityMuch of Project Management involves politics

and power

Solution orientedGoal orientedResults rather than activity focusedOpenness through high self-esteemNo hiding errors, No witch hunts, No shooting

the managers

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Selecting a Project ManagerThe Best Project Manager is the one who

can get the job done In addition the individual should have &

be perceived to have by stakeholders the following qualities

Credibility Sensibility Leadership Stress-Resistance

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CredibilityTechnical CredibilityA Reasonable understanding of the base technologies theproject requiresThe Aim is to Interpret technical requirements of the client Converse at a useful level with project team

experts To Be Able to Explain Technology to Senior

ManagementAdministrative credibility A complete understanding of project management processes Strong, consistent decision making based on mature,

knowledgeable judgment

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SensitivityPolitical Sensitivity External politics

• Client, Senior Management, Functional Managers• Power base must be sufficient to get what you want

Internal politics• Detect and resolve conflicts between team members

Technical SensitivityDetecting when technical experts are not telling everything• Covering up their own failures• Hiding doubts

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LeadershipDef: Interpersonal influence, exercised in situations anddirected through the communication process, towards

the attainment of a specified goal. Leadership qualities

Personal charismaEnthusiasm, Optimism, Energy, Courage,

Maturity Ethical, Fair Know

• When to reward, when to punish• When to delegate , when to step in• When to communicate, when to remain silent• How to capitalize on people’s strengths and cover their

weaknesses

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Stress-Resistance Causes (there are plenty of them) Constant decision making More responsibility than authority Overwork Failure to employ consistent project

management processes– this is the PM’s fault

Constant change Political hostility Conflict Satisfying several masters

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Effective and Ineffective PMs

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Project Manager vs Functional Manager

Project Manager Generalist Facilitator among specialists, indirect technical

support Employs holistic, systems approach Decides how resources are obtained What needs to be done and when it must be done

Functional Manager Specialist in the area they manage Direct technical supervisor, applies knowledge directly Employs analytical approach Decides how something will be done and who will do it Decides what resources are required

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Code of ethics for software engineerSoftware Engineers shall1. act consistently with the public interest2. act in a manner that is in the best interest of their client and

employer3. ensure that their products and related modifications meet the

highestprofessional standards possible4. maintain integrity and independence in their professional judgement5. subscribe to and promote an ethical approach to the management

ofsoftware development and maintenance6. advance the integrity and reputation of the profession consistent

withpublic interest7. be fair and supportive of their colleagues8. participate in lifelong learning regarding the practice of their

profession

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Past vs Future Management

Management in Past Future Management Direction Empower Manage Enable

Bossing/dictatorship Coaching & apprising/collaboration

Error hiding Error admitting

To make profit To hold the customer giant steps Baby steps Worker supervision Mentoring and profit sharing

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Management in Past Future Management

Do it yourself Ask for help Play safe Take risk and

initiativeCrises management Prevention and

contingency Planning Adhoc decision Planned decision Top down Top down & bottom

upManagement competitive Collaborative and

cross functioning

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Coordination and Communication issuesKraul and Streeter examine a collection of

project coordination techniques that are categorize in following manner.

Formal, impersonal approaches Formal, interpersonal procedures Informal, interpersonal procedure Electronic communication Interpersonal networking

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Product Description Composition Format Relevant standards Quality criteria

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What to produce!!!!!A product breakdown structure (PBS)

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ProjectTen signs that indicates that information

system project is in jeopardy Software people don’t understand their

customer’s need The product scope is poorly defined Changes are managed poorly The chosen technology changes Business needs changes Deadline are unrealistic Users are resistant Sponsorship is lost

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The project team lacks people with appropriate skills

Managers avoid best practices and lessons learned

Five-part commonsense approach to software projects:

1. Start on the right foot2. Maintain Momentum3. Track Progress4. Make smart decisions 5. Conduct a postmortem analysis(*ASG)

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The W5 HH principle Barry Boehm suggested w5HH principle Why is the system being developed? What will be done, by when? Who is responsible for function? Where are they organizationally

located? How will the job be done technically and

managerially? How much of each resource is needed?

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Risk Management

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Risk management is a process that is used extensively for various purposes Recall earlier questions raised about safety, costs, etc.

According to “Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary”, risk is defined as a: “possibility of loss or injury” “the chance of loss or the perils to the subject matter of an

insurance contract” and “the degree of probability of such loss.”(1)

Risk Management- Definition

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Risk Strategies

Reactive Software team does nothing

about risks until something goes wrong

“fire fighting mode”

At best, monitors the projects for likely risks

Proactive Begins long before

technical work is initiated Identification of potential

risks (studies of probability, impact and priorities)

Objective: AVOID RISK Responds are in a

controlled and effective manner

Our Concern

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Risk Categories

Software Risk

• Project Risks (budgetary, schedule, personnel, resource, customer)

• Technical Risks (design, implementation, interfacing, verification)

• Business Risks (market, strategic, management,budget)

Charette: • Known risks • Predictable• Unpredictable

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Risk Identification Risk identification is a systematic attempt to

specify threats to the project plan

Generic Product-specific

Risk Item List

Identify known and predictable risks

Product size Business impact Customer characteristics Process definition Development environment Technology to be built Staff size and experience

What characteristics of this product may threaten our

project plan?

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Risk Identification Product Size Risk :

Estimated size of the product in LOC or FP? Percentage deviation in size of product from

average for previous products? Number of users/projected changes to the

requirements for the product? Amount of reused software?

Business Impact risks: Effect of this product on the company revenue? Visibility of this product to senior management? Amount & quality of product documentation to be produced? Governmental constraints on the construction of the product?

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Risk Identification Customer related risks: (needs, personalities,

contradictions , associations) Have you worked with the customer in the past? Does the customer have a solid idea of what is required? Will the customer agree to have meetings? Is the customer technically sophisticated in the product area? Does the customer understand the software process?

Technology Risks: Is the technology to be built new to your organization? Does the SW interface with new or unproven HW/SW? Do requirements demand creation of new components ? Do requirements impose excessive performance constraints?

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Risk Identification

Process Risks : (4)

Does senior management support a written policy statement that emphasizes a standard process for software development ? Is there a written description of the software process to be used? Is the software process used for other projects ? Is configuration management used to maintain consistency among system/software requirements, design, code and test? Is a procedure followed for tracking subcontractor performance?

ProcessIssues:

Tech- nical Issues:

Are facilitated application specification techniques used to aid in communication between the customer and developer ? Are specific methods used for software analysis? Do you use specific method for data and architectural design? Are software tools used to support the software analysis and design? Are tools used to create software prototypes? Are quality/productivity metrics collected for all software projects?

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Risk Identification Development Environment Risks: Is a software project/process management tool available? Are tools for analysis and design available?? Are testing tools available and appropriate for the

product? Are all SW tools integrated with one another? Have members of the project team received training in

each of the tools? Risk Associated with Staff Size and Experience:

Are the best people available? Do the people have the right combination of skills? Are staff committed for entire duration of the project? Do staff have the right expectations about the job at hand? Will turnover among staff be low enough to allow continuity?

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Risk Identification Risk Components and Drivers (U.S. Air Force guidelines)

Performance risk: the degree of uncertainty that the product will meet its requirements and be fit for its intended use

Cost risk: the degree of uncertainty that the project budget will be maintained

Support risk:the degree of uncertainty that the software will be easy to correct, adapt, and enhance

Schedule risk: the degree of uncertainty that the project schedule will be maintained

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Risk Projection Also called risk estimation, attempts to rate each risk in two ways: Likelihood (probability) Consequences

Develop a risk table: A risk table provides a project manager with a simple technique for risk projection

For each identified risk, list likelihood, consequence and impact

Risk Assessment: Examine the accuracy of the estimates that were made during risk projection. A risk referent level must be defined and the referent point or break point should be established

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Risk ProjectionRisks Category Probability Impact RMMMSize estimate may be significantly low PS 60% 2Larger number of users than planned PS 30% 3Less reuse than planned PS 70% 2End users resist system BU 40% 3Delivery deadline will be tightened BU 50% 2Funding will be lost CU 40% 1Customer will change requirements PS 80% 2Technology will not meet expectations TE 30% 1Lack of training on tools DE 80% 2Staff inexperienced ST 30% 2Staff turnover will be high ST 60% 2...

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Risk Matrix

Consequences1 2 3 4 5

LIkelIhood

5

4

3

2

1

60Risk Mitigation, Monitoring, and Management An effective strategy must consider three issues:

risk avoidance, risk monitoring, and risk management and contingency planning.

A proactive approach to risk avoidance is the best strategy. Develop a plan for risk mitigation. For example: assume that high staff turnover is noted as a project risk r1, some of the possible steps to be taken are these: meet with current staff to determine causes for turnover assume turnover will occur and develop techniques to ensure

continuity when people leave. define a backup staff member for every critical technologies.

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Risk Mitigation, Monitoring, and Management

As the project proceeds, the following factors can be monitored: general attitude of team members based on project

pressures, the degree to which the team has jelled, interpersonal relationship among team members, availability of jobs within the company and outside it

In addition of these factors, the project manager should monitor the effectiveness of risk mitigation steps.

Risk management and contingency planning assumes that mitigation efforts have failed and that the risk has become reality.

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Safety Risks and Hazards Software safety and hazard analysis are software quality

assurance activities that focus on the identification and assessment of potential hazard that may impact software negatively and cause an entire system to fail.

If hazards can be identified early in the software engineering process, software design features can be specified that will either eliminate or control potential hazards.

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SEI Software Development Risk

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Summary Risk analysis is an important part of most software projects.

Risk analysis requires a significant amount of project planning effort.

Understanding risk helps you know where to commit your resources.

If you don’t actively attack the risks, they will actively attack you.

Major projects should all have a risk management plan..

Questions

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