Table of contents
1.
Introduction To Software Project Planning 
2.
Project Planning Process 
3.
Sliding Window Planning 
4.
FAQs
5.
Key Takeaways
Last Updated: Mar 27, 2024

Software Project Planning

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Introduction To Software Project Planning 

Before beginning a software project, it is critical to identify the activities to be completed and correctly manage job allocation among those participating in the software development. Consequently, planning is crucial since it leads to successful software development.

Project planning is an organized and integrated management process that focuses on the actions necessary for the project's practical completion. It avoids problems in the project, such as changes in the project's or organization's objectives, resource shortages, and so forth. Project planning also aids in improved resource use, and the most efficient use of a project's allowed time. The following are the other project planning goals.

  • It establishes the project management team's duties and responsibilities.
     
  • It guarantees that the project management team adheres to the company's goals.
     
  • It examines the schedule's viability and the needs of the users.
     
  • It establishes the project's limits. 
     

Several people contribute to the project's planning. Senior management and the project management team are among them. Senior management is in charge of hiring team members and providing the necessary resources for the project. Project managers and developers make up the project management team, planning, deciding, and tracking the project's actions.

Effective project planning ensures that the project gets off to a good start with well-defined tasks. Effective project planning helps keep the project's additional expenses to a minimum when it's in process. Some guidelines are followed when designing a project. These guidelines are outlined below.

 

  • Planning: Before starting a project, it's essential to plan. Objectives and timelines should be clear and understandable for efficient planning. 
     
  • Risk analysis: Before beginning the project, senior management and the team should think about the potential hazards. Changes in requirements, for example, maybe desired by the user while the project is in process. In this instance, time and cost estimations should be made by the requirements (new requirements).
     
  • Monitoring the project's progress: The project plan should be tracked and adjusted as needed once it is completed.
     
  • Meet quality standards and offer high-quality results: The project plan should outline the project management team's procedures to assure software quality. The project's duration and cost are calculated based on the quality assurance approach.
     
  • Flexibility to accommodate changes: The result of project planning is recorded in the form of a project plan, which should allow for new modifications to be accommodated as the project progresses.

    Also see, Application software

Project Planning Process 

The project planning process involves a number of interconnected actions carried out in a sequential sequence to implement user requirements in software. It describes a series of project planning activities and the individual(s) responsible for carrying them out. The project planning process also includes the following steps.

  • The project's objectives and scope
     
  • Techniques for undertaking project planning
     
  • Individuals participating in the project's effort (measured in time)
     
  • Timeline and milestones for the project
     
  • The project will require specific resources.
     
  • The project's potential dangers.

 

The project planning process consists of numerous tasks required to complete a project methodically. These activities relate to a set of functions that ended over time to building software. These actions involve estimating the amount of time, effort, and resources needed, as well as the project's hazards.

 

Project Planning Activities

  1. Identification of project requirements: Before beginning a project, it is critical to determine the project requirements since this aids in the orderly execution of operations. These specifications include details on the project's scope, the data and functionality that must be included in the program, and the members of the project management team's duties.
     
  2. Identification of cost estimates: Along with estimating work and time, it's also essential to figure out how much a project will cost. The cost estimate covers the cost of hardware, network connections, and hardware component maintenance. In addition, the cost of the project's participants is estimated.
     
  3. Identification of risks: Unexpected events that have a negative impact on the project are known as risks. A software project entails several hazards (such as technical and business risks) that might impact the project's timeline and cost. Identifying hazards before the start of a project aids in determining their likely influence on the project.
     
  4. Identification of critical success factors: Critical success elements are followed to make a project successful. These are the conditions that increase the likelihood of a project's success. Support from management, a reasonable budget, an appropriate timetable, and talented software engineers are all examples of these elements.
     
  5. Preparation of project charter: A project charter summarizes the project's scope, quality, time, cost, and resource restrictions as specified during the planning stage. It is developed by management for approval by the project's sponsor.
     
  6. Preparation of project plan: A project plan outlines the resources available for the project, the people who will be engaged, and the timeline for completion.
     
  7. Commencement of the project: The software project begins once the project planning is completed and resources are allotted to team members.
     

The project end date is set once the project goals and business objectives have been decided. The project management team creates a project strategy and schedule based on the project's completion date. The project manager presents the project strategy and finishes the date to senior management after studying the project plan. Control gets updated on the project's development regularly. Similarly, top management is notified after the project is completed. The project plan is re-evaluated in a project delay, and remedial action is done to finish the project. The project is monitored regularly, and any changes to the project plan are communicated to top management.

Also check out - Phases of Compiler and  V Model in Software Engineering

Sliding Window Planning 

Adherence to incorrect time and resource estimates results in schedule slippage, project planning requires extreme caution and attention. Client dissatisfaction and a negative impact on team morale will result from schedule delays. It may potentially result in project failure.

Project design, on the other hand, may be a tough task. Creating accurate blueprints, especially for huge structures, is quite difficult. Because the right parameters, the scope of the project, project personnel, and other factors may change during the course of the project, this is a part of the problem. To overcome this disadvantage, most project managers approach project design in stages. Managers are protected from making large commitments too early by designing a project in phases. This technique is known as window designing. 

Beginning with an initial setup, the project is planned more precisely in consecutive development phases using the window approach. At the start of a project, project managers receive just a smattering of knowledge on the project's important aspects. As the project goes through various stages, its database develops step by step. After each portion is completed, the project managers will set up each subsequent section more precisely and with increasing degrees of confidence.

Refer to know about : Boundary value analysis

Refer to know about :  What is debugging

FAQs

  1. Does project designing is done by the Project Manager? If not, who does the project design?
    No project Designing is not done by the project manager; the Project manager is responsible for the project control, management, and planning. The project team does project designing. 
     
  2. What is a significant component that can influence the accuracy and effectiveness of estimations in the project?
    The dependency among various software pieces rises fast as the size of the software expands.
     
  3. What does PM-CMM stands for? 
    People Management Capability Maturity Model Recruiting, selection, performance management, training, remuneration, career development, organization, job design, and team/culture development are essential to practice areas for software people, according to the PC-CMM. 

Key Takeaways

This article discussed an introduction to software project planning and what is project planning, and the activities in it

I hope you understand the topic properly. 

If you are a beginner, interested in computer fundamentals, and want to learn more about computer networks, you can look for our guided path, which is free! 

Thank you for reading. 

Until then, Keep Learning and Keep Coding.

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