University Project Management: Software Development Report Analysis

This report delves into the core principles of project management, specifically within the context of software development. It begins by differentiating software projects from other project types, highlighting the increased flexibility and complexity inherent in software development. The report then explores critical elements of project management, including cost control, schedule management, and quality assurance, emphasizing their interconnectedness and impact on project success. The role of stakeholders and their influence on project outcomes is also considered, alongside discussions on project scope definition and the importance of managing overruns. By examining these key components, the report offers a comprehensive overview of the strategies and techniques essential for effective project management in the software development field. The report emphasizes the importance of feasibility studies, stakeholder needs, and the use of various tools and techniques to achieve project goals within the constraints of time, cost, and quality. The report also explores the differences between software projects and other project types, the range of control systems used, cost overruns, the responsibilities of the project execution team, stakeholder needs and influences, and project management actions.

Running head: PROJECT MANAGEMENT
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Software project versus other projects.......................................................................................3
Range of used control system....................................................................................................4
Overruns encountered................................................................................................................8
Responsibility for the project execution team..........................................................................10
Stakeholders need and influence..............................................................................................12
Project management actions.....................................................................................................13
Conclusion................................................................................................................................15
References................................................................................................................................16

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Introduction
The process of project management can be defined as a framework of knowledge
application. Different types of tools, skills and techniques can be used in this aspect to reach
the outcome of a project management process. The different areas that can be taken into
consideration may include the process of planning, implementation and the control as well as
the cost related to the operation (Schwalbe 2015). The starting point of a project should be
initiated with a feasibility study, which takes into account a precise definition of the ultimate
benefit, and the goals, which are very important to be determined at the starting point of the
project. The support of the project manager is very much necessary due to the factor that it
ensuring the organization’s goals are directly achieved in the mere process. A project can be
stated as a job, which is not repeated more than ones and should be aimed at completing in
one go satisfying the requirement of the customer (Joslin and Müller 2015).
The main aim of the report is to take into a consideration a project management
system. In this report, a software development process is taken into account. The report puts
focus on the different concept relating to software project development. The aspect of time,
quality and the cost are the primary emphasis part of the report. The stakeholders' role, which
comprises of the successful delivery of the project are also taken into consideration in the
report.
Software project versus other projects
Many techniques and implementation, which are related to the project management,
can also be applied to the concept of software project management. There are few
characteristics relating to software development, which makes them slightly different from
other project management schemes. The difference between both types of project
management schemes are:

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Flexibility: In the development phase of software, the software can be easily be changed to
fit the need of the user or match the requirement of the system. Due to this reason, it can be
stated that the field of project management related to the software has a higher degree of
change involved in it. This increases the flexibility, which is related to project development.
Complexity: The complexity level when relating to software development is seen more when
comparing to project growth in other fields.
Invisibility: Taking into consideration road and bridge projects the progress of the project
can be seen. In software development, the improvement is seen few days after the first start of
the project (Mir, F.A. and Pinnington 2014).
Range of used control system
Cost:
The cost factor of a project can be considered as one of the crucial factors related to
the implementation. It directly covers the aspect of the project estimation as well as the cost
of the project. In the budgeting process, the element of the cost control so that the project
stays within the budget, which is set, is an essential issue in project development process.
Although it can be stated, the sector of budgeting, estimation and the cost control are defined
as three unaffiliated processes. These concepts are strongly interacting and related to each
other. The project schedule has a direct role in the period of the project. As the project time
increases, the cost also increases with it. The cost factor can also play a negative role in some
of the situations for example reduction of the cost may affect the quality of the project this
can put the project objectives at a risk factor. To take into consideration the project budget in
an appropriate very all the elements, which are related to the project cost, should be taken
into account appropriately. There can be three fields, which can be concentrated upon in this
aspect, which are a cost of the labor, the overhead cost and administrative and general

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overhead cost (Calderón and Ruiz 2015). The factors, which are related to the direct cost, are
essential in the framework of the project due to the element that they are closely linked with
individuals and which can be influenced very easily. The work breakdown structure can be an
essential document when relating to the cost breakdown. It describes the entire task, which is
included in the scenario of the project and their direct relation. One can get a detailed
explanation of each part of the project. An overview of the monitoring, controlling and the
execution relating to the project is provided by the project management plan.
Schedule:
Project schedules can be defined as a mechanism, which mainly describes the
communication regarding what has to be done in the task and which organization resources
would be used in the process. A Project Schedule can be considered as a document, which
majorly collects all the information, which are needed for the delivery of the project on time.
A project may consist of more than one task, which has a start date and an end date. People
have different work schedules, vacation or leave and their availability, which need to be
documented to plan appropriately towards the goal of the project. There are many tools in the
market, which can be used for providing the necessary details of the project. One the best
advantage that can be achieved from the concept is that projects can have moving parts and
frequently changing schedule, the software directly detects the changing and plan
accordingly. The software can also generate emails which are automated mainly to create an
alert, so the team members know their unfinished task and overdue tasks (Menzies 2014).
Quality:
The quality term mainly describes the managing ability relating to the service, which
is given to the user or the customer. When it comes to the concept of the project management,
the term quality plays a very vital role, and it can be stated as a primary goal of the project.

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The term quality does not always mean perfection and the quality of the service but also
implies the consistency, which is related to the quality of the product all along the phase of
the development. The client, stakeholders and the owners have the role of maintaining the
quality of the product. Quality standards related to the product can also be defined by the
rules and the organization’s value. In each team, there is always a process of the quality
management, which ensures the quality assurance, quality planning and quality control. Some
of the common factors, which are related to the quality, may include functionality,
consistency, performance, reliability and more. There can be different phases, which are
included in the concept of the condition related to the project management. It mainly consists
of three stages mostly:
Quality planning: In this step, the plan related to the quality is created. In each sector of life,
there must be a goal and objective, quality plan, in this case, is no exception. The intent,
which is related to the quality, should be conveyed to the stakeholders. After the purpose is
defined, the means of ensuring to reach the goal taken into consideration.
Quality control: In this phase, techniques related to the operation are mainly used to ensure
the standard of the quality. During the development phase at any time if any problem arises
or if the quality plan is not executed in a manner which was expected to do, corrective actions
should be incorporated at that time instantly. Quality control can mainly involve monitoring
the result of the project and the concept of delivery if the project is meeting the desired effect
or not.
Quality assurance: This process can be stated to move along the entire process of a lifecycle
of the project. The concept of the Quality assurance mainly involves evaluating whether the
project is moving towards quality service delivery. If the characteristics of the quality are in
place by the requirement, then the proceeding of the project can be done. On the other hand,

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if the condition is not reached or can be expected to be not achieving corrective actions
should be taken in account accordingly. The corrective action is decided to make the project
reach the desired goal, which the project is intended to achieve (Kerzner 2017).
Scope:
The scope definition of the project mainly involves the stages, which are required for
the developing of the project plan. The project scope defines the product or the project from
an external as well as internal point of view, which is tangible, specific, and measurable
(Jørgensen, Mohagheghi and Grimstad 2017). The customer and project manager should
jointly make the project scope to complete the project successfully. The project manager
should be responsible for the original agreement regarding the project from the customer; this
may include the technical requirement as well as the deliverable at each stage. The scope of
the project may contain the following points or elements:
Deliverables: The project deliverables means what the plan is intended to deliver to the
clients. It is the primary expectation of what the project at the delivery phase would be.
Regarding software development, it can explain what the project would be behaving like
when handed over to the possession of the user. It can be in some document format briefing
the content of the project.
Project objectives: The project objective is mainly created by the customer and is created by
the development time in case of software development. At the end of the project, it is seen
that the project objectives are met according to the need of the customer.
Milestones: A milestone can be considered as an event, which can be termed as unique in a
project, which is reached at some time during the development phase. Significant segments of
work are displayed in the milestone schedule. It incorporates the rough estimation of the cost,

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time and the resources, which are related to the project. The milestone is framed using the
deliverables of the project.
Limit and exclusions: The concept of prohibition and Limit should be adequately defined.
Failure can lead to false expanding resources and expectation and the aspect of time. The
completion of the checklist related to the scope determines the review of the customer,
external and internal.
Technical requirement: The mechanical element mainly deals with proper performance.
The detection of the performance of the software to reach the expectation of the user. It
mainly states that the expectation level of the satisfaction towards the client is reached or not.
The importance of the technical requirement is due to the factor that
Customer review: The review of the customer is very much vital when software or a product
is delivered to them. The customer has the right to give the appropriate feedback of the
service, which has been received by them. The customer review can sometimes benefit from
the point of the organisation implementing the products mainly to produce better and
customer friendly product. Sometimes the feedback can be harsh from the side of the
customer primarily due to the incorporation of the standard of the product (Fleming and
Koppelman 2016).
Overruns encountered
Cost of run
There can be many factors, which are involved in the perspective of the project, which
can lead to cost overrun. Few factors, which play a vital role, are:

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Underfinancing: This can be considered to most of the most important factors relating to
cost overrun. In this concept, enough of the amount is not allocated at the start of the project,
which can result in either budget overrun or complete failure.
Unfeasible cost estimation: The process, which is related to the estimate of cost, is an
important process and can be considered as one of the most common factors related to budget
overrun. In most of the cases budget overrun is experienced when the unqualified and
inexperienced person constructs the budget. In the early stage of the project, it may be seen to
be realistic but may be seen unrealistic at a later stage.
Underestimating project complexity: Large project have greater risk relating to the project
overrun due to the involvement
Prolonged project schedule: If a project is running in schedule time, it does not necessarily
mean that the project is also meeting its budget constraints. In this context, it can be stated
that if the project time were elongated, it would directly affect the cost of the project. Project
extension means that there would be elongated need of the resources and the staff, which
would affect the budget of the project.
Lack of backup plan: If there is no backup plan if there is any problem in the project then
the project can be at risk overrun. The project manager usually considers the backup plan.
Time over run
There can be many factors relating to time over a field, which would directly affect
the outcome of the project. There can be many factors, which can result in a time overrun
which is stated below:

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An element of labour: In this scenario, the delay can be from the side of the software
developers. In a complex project, the time, which is needed for the developer to develop the
plan, can be a factor.
Not meeting the expectation of the client: In some of the cases, it can be seen that the
project does not reach the hope of the client. In such a case, the software has to be
reconstructed so that it would fit the expectation of the client.
Client end delay: The client can also be a factor in time overrun if the client is not satisfied
with the projector if the client wants any changes in the project. It may be considered to be a
significant drawback if the requirement of the project from the perspective of the client
changes (Fernández-Alemán et al. 2016).
Responsibility for the project execution team
Software development in each organization is done differently following a different
pattern. It can be stated that this set of a rule can be suited for a particular situation or
framework of the organization on the other hand in some case it can fail miserably. However
taking into consideration each scenario there is some of the concept, which remains the same.
The process, which should be followed in an organization, is that the detection of the problem
should be made and converted into architecture then the conversion of the design should be
made into a solution, incorporation of the test solution should be made relating to the testing,
and the deployment should be done. There are different roles, which are involved in the
concept of project management, which play a vital role in the overall execution of the project.
Some of the responsibility of the project execution team according to the position are stated
below:

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Functionality Analysts (FA): The primary role of the Functionality Analyst is to have a
clear and non-conflicting requirement from the expert of the project. The concept helps in the
process of the transformation of the project.
Development Lead (DL): The development team always has a job. The team mainly does
the first implementation of the project. The group provides mostly a detail explanation of the
towards the solutions architect architecture. The process may involve the creation of the
particular programmed concept of the prescribed solution. The development team can be
considered as the first line of control or support taking into consideration the developers. The
group mainly guides the developers through the process of implementation with the focus on
the theory issue.
Developer (Dev): The primary role of the developers is to provide the first implementation of
the process using programming or development, which is directed by the development leads.
Subject Matter Expert (SME): the subject matter Expert can be a person or group who have
precise knowledge about the overall working pattern, which should be involved in the
project. The role of the Subject matter expert is slightly different from other parts as the need
of the clients are continuously changing and meeting their demand is the primary criteria for
them.
Quality Assurance (QA): The quality assurance can be considered a thankless position,
which has the job of finding bugs and mistakes in the implementation. There can be different
concepts or techniques, which can be used for the quality assurance such as keying the idea
of data, automated script testing.

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Training: The role of the practice, mainly deals with system documentation or any computer
based training solution. This is primarily designed to help the customer understand the system
or the software better.
Project Manager (PM): The primary task of the project manager ensuring the risk
mitigation, cost control, consistent reporting. It can be stated that the role of the project
manager is mainly a problem solvers role. They tent to resolve an issue, which is related to
the project, and make the project more of user concentric. The problem is tried to solve when
the problem is small so that it can be rectified when quickly with less cost related to it.
Development Manager (DM): The Multiple priorities related to any project, which is
conflicting, is the responsibility of the development manager. The development manager role
can also stated as an escalation for the issue relating to the team, which cannot be resolved
internally (Verzuh 2015).
It can be stated that the roles of the team member can depend upon the working of the
organisation or need of the body. The above-stated position can be noted as primary roles,
which can be modified according to requirement.
Stakeholders need and influence
In the process of project management, the role of the stakeholder is very much
important. The purpose of the stakeholders can be explained using the following point with
the aspect of the cost and time involved in the process of software project management.
Project leader: The project leader defines the project, plans, is the head of the project and
leads the project.
Sponsor: The sponsors can be considered to be people who have the formal authority for
oversees the project and maintain the dignity of the project.