CS 413 Software Project Management

BS (CS) - SSUET

LECTURE # 1
INTRODUCTION TO SOFTWARE PROJECT MANAGEMENT
What is Management?
Basically, the management involves the following activities:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Planning- deciding what is to be done

Organizing- making arrangements
Staffing- selecting the right people for the job
Directing- giving instructions
Monitoring- checking on progress
Controlling- taking action to remedy hold-ups
Innovating- coming up with new solutions
Representing- liaising with users, etc.

What is a Project?
A project is an activity with specific goals which takes place over a finite period of time.
Projects are undertaken at all levels of the organization. They may involve a single person or
many thousands. Their duration ranges from a few weeks to more than five years. Projects may
involve a single unit of one organization or may cross organizational boundaries, as in joint
ventures and partnering.
Examples of projects include:
Effecting a change in structure, staffing, or style of an organization.
Designing a new transportation vehicle.
Developing or acquiring a new or modified information system.
Constructing a building or facility.
Running a campaign for political office.
Implementing a new business procedure or process.
What is Project Management?
Project Management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project
activities to meet project requirements. Project management is accomplished through the use of
the processes such as:

Initiating
Planning
Executing
Monitor and Controlling
Closing

Prepared by: Engr. M. Nadeem

Page 1

CS 413 Software Project Management

BS (CS) - SSUET

What is an IT Project?
Before moving to software projects, let us first discuss IT projects. But even before discussing IT
projects, let us understand IT and software and their differences. IT is a field where an IT
system refers to a complete system comprising many parts like hardware systems, software
systems, and any other components from some other fields. A complete IT system can be used
for any purpose like running a business, doing research, use in robotics, use in automation
systems, etc. For instance, a robot is mostly a hardware device, but the information or
instructions given to it to do some things are done using a software system.
IT System Component

Software System
Hardware System
Other than software/hardware part
Component
Component
For example, a business software application for doing transactions may be a complete IT system
when the software system is installed in the computer hardware system and is ready to be used
by end users.

What is Software Project?

A software development project on the other hand is making software design based on customer
requirements and implementing it into source code. This source code is then tested to make sure
that it is defect free so that end users can use the software system without running into many
problems.
In software maintenance project, an already existing software product is modified to remove
software defects, add new functionality, port the software product on some other operating
system, etc. Software development and software maintenance projects together are referred to as
software projects (Figure 1.5).

Prepared by: Engr. M. Nadeem

Page 2

CS 413 Software Project Management

BS (CS) - SSUET

What is Software Project Management?

In a nutshell, software project management can be defined as applying project

management and software engineering methods to develop/maintain a software product
so that the goal of developing/maintaining a software product can be achieved using
minimum possible resources and money and within the minimum time possible.

For instance, a project manager responsible for managing a civil construction project
must have knowledge and experience in civil engineering. An electrical engineer
managing a civil project will not be a suitable fit. Similarly, a project manager
responsible for managing a software project must have knowledge and experience in
software engineering.

Project management processes may include project initiation, project planning, project
monitoring and control, and finally project closure. The software engineering processes
may include requirement development, software design, software construction, software
testing, and software maintenance.

Comparing Projects and Operations

Operations are the day-to-day activities that your organization does. For example, a car
manufacturer makes cars. An airline flies people from one city to another. A help desk

Prepared by: Engr. M. Nadeem

Page 3

CS 413 Software Project Management

BS (CS) - SSUET

supports technical solutions. Within each of these companies reside various departments
working on projects that enable operations to function.

A project at an automobile manufacturer might be to design a new sports car. The car
manufacturers operations involve manufacturing that design again and again.

Understanding What Makes Software Project Management So Special

What is special about project management, however, is the nature of the work. Just as the
particulars of designing a new warehouse, building a house, or creating a prototype for a remote
controlled airplane are unique, so is the creation of software:
Software development is weird and requires a specialized skill set to do it well.
Software creation is tough.
Software development can be boring, routine, and mind numbing.
Software creation can create challenges within the development of the code.
Making Sense of Project Success (Or Failure)
Most projects start with an optimistic attitude about creating a deliverable, keeping the customer
happy, and making this the best software project ever.
And then things (bad things) happen. The good projects end on time and as planned. Wed wager
that these projects have three things in common:
A leader who knows what he or she is doing
A tight change control system
Team members who understand what the project is supposed to deliver and can therefore
get results
Commonly, projects limp to the finish line, late, over budget, and after crushing the morale of
everyone involved. Done, but maybe not done well. These projects typically have three
attributes:
Poor requirements from the project customers
Poor communications through the project manager
Poor morale from the project team
The saddest of projects are the ones that never make it to the finish. This bunch misses deadlines,
blows budgets, or experiences a radical change of scope so often that no one (not even the PM)
knows exactly what the project should be creating anymore. Failed projects usually have some, if
not all, of these attributes:

No clear vision of what the project priorities are

Lack of leadership from the project manager and/or sponsor
A timid project manager
Lack of autonomy for the project manager

Prepared by: Engr. M. Nadeem

Page 4