Software Project

Management -
General Information
Adolfo Villafiorita
 Exam…
●
One compulsory:
– written exam: [0, +31] points
(scoring system based on progressive degradation from “correct” to
“not even close”)
●
One of these three optional (grades sum to written exam, you
choose what to do):
–
– Review/Essay/Mini-dev. project: [0, +2] points
– Development project: [0, +3] points
– Interview: [-3, +3] points
●
30L is equal to written exam >= 30 or (written exam = 30 and
interview)

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 Timetable
● Schedule
– Tuesday 14:10-16:00
– Wednesday 09:10-11.00
● Course:
– Total of 48 hours between Sep 14 and Dec 16
– Keep track of schedule on the SPM website

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 ... and other info “extraction”
● at the beginning of the course, anonymous
questionnaire about initial know-how and
expectations about the course
● near the end of the course, anonymous
questionnaire about the technical content of the
course
● live in parallel with that of the University (course
“satisfaction”)
● used to tune content and material to students'
needs in future editions of the course
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 Software Project Management
Adolfo Villafiorita
Introduction to Software Project
Management
CRC Press

Many other books on specific topics

(agile development, managing IT
projects, rapid development) with hints
and practical suggestions
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 Some other references
● Robert K. Wysocki

Effective Project Management:
Traditional, Agile, Extreme
Wiley
●
Rory Burke
Project Management -
Planning and Control Techniques
Wiley
● Various Authors

A guide to the Project
Management Body of Knowledge

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 Web Presence
●
Material:
– http://www.spmbook.com
– http://www.spmbook.com/course/2015b

Should you need material,

explanations,
don’t be shy and ask!
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 Contacts
● Adolfo Villafiorita
– e-mail: adolfo.villafiorita@fbk.eu
– web: http://ict4g.net/adolfo, http://ict4g.org
– Phone: 0461 314311

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 Getting in touch
● In order of preference:
– Right after the lesson
– By e-mail
– By appointment

showing up doesn’t work

consider one week between

request and actual meeting
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 Who am I and where I work
● Head of Unit of http://ict4g.org at FBK
● Mission: using ICTs to foster social and
economic development
● Application Areas:
– Food and Food Donations
Education,
Sharing Economy
● Theses available

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Structure of the
Course
 Software Project Management
● The course is an introduction to project management
techniques (and tools), focusing on challenges posed
by software development projects
● After the “software crisis” software development and
project management developed as independent
disciplines
● However, today both disciplines take and give to the
other
● Software Project management is an emerging
discipline focused on looking at software development
mainly from an organizational/managerial point of view

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Project Management identifies
what you want to achieve and
how you can achieve it.
Most of the techniques and tools are
there to control complexity, by defining
goals, organizing work, managing
expectations.
The discipline sometimes also suggests
tools and techniques that can be used
when developing software.
Software Engineering teaches
you how to build a system and
how you can control complexity.
Software Engineering identifies tools
and techniques that have to be used
when developing a software system.
The discipline also suggests the
best way to organize software
development activities.

Software Development
Most (but not all) the actual work is
developing software

The actual work is carried out in

accordance to what defined in the plans
and using the best software engineering
techniques for the task at hand

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 PMBOK (V3) and Topics Covered
Initiating Planning Executing Controlling Closing

Integration Develop Project Develop Project Monitor and Control Close Project
Charter; Develop Management Plan Project Work;
Preliminary Project Integrated Change
Scope Control

Scope Scope Planning; Scope Scope Verification;

Definition; Create WBS Scope Control

Time Activity Definition, Schedule Control

Activity Sequencing;
Activity Resource
Estimating; Schedule
Development

Cost Cost Estimating; Cost Cost Control

Budgeting

Quality Quality Planning Perform Quality Perform Quality

Assurance Control

Human Resources Human Resource Develop Project Team;

Planning; Staff Manage Project Team
acquisition

Communications Communication Information Performance Manage Stakeholders

Planning Distribution Reporting

Risks Risk Management Risk Monitoring and

Planning; Risk Control
Identification;
Qualitative and/or
Quantitative Risk
Analysis; Risk
Response Planning

Procurement Plan Purchase and Request Seller Contract Closure

Acquisitions; Plan Responses; Select
Contracting Sellers; Contract
Administration

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 Some things you will learn…
● Selecting what projects to start (if you can choose)
● Planning a project, using WBS, Gantt, and PERT charts
● Estimating software projects using algorithmic (FP,
COCOMO, …) and non-algorithmic techniques
● Managing risks and monitoring your plan
● Monitoring progress in time and cost
● Earned Value Analysis
● Being agile
● Managing people, managing yourself

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 A final consideration
●
Becoming really proficient in any discipline requires a mix
of inclination, technical proficiency, experience, ...
●
Of these, we can learn only the techniques (inclination we
are probably born with; experience we get along the way)
●
You can maybe get along with inclination, luck, or
experience alone
●
So why learning the techniques?
– They provide you with the tools to do your best in any situation
– They provide a reference baseline to work with (going by the
book is more often than not a good idea)
– IMO, they are essential to become champions

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 Organizations and Standards
To encourage the profession and
promote standards

• PMI/PMBOK - Project Management Body of Knowledge (USA)

• AXELOS/PRINCE2 - Projects in a Controlled Environment (UK)

• International Project Managers Association (IPMA)

• Association for Project Management (UK)

• Various public bodies (NASA/ESA/…)

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