1. Ashima Wadhwa

2.  Probably the most time-consuming project management activity.  Continuous activity from initial concept through to system delivery. Plans must be regularly revised as new information becomes available.  Various different types of plan may be developed to support the main software project plan that is concerned with schedule and budget.

4. Establish the project constraints Make initial assessments of the project parameters Define project milestones and deliverables while project has not been completed or cancelled loop Draw up project schedule Initiate activities according to schedule Wait ( for a while ) Review project progress Revise estimates of project parameters Update the project schedule Re-negotiate project constraints and deliverables if ( problems arise ) then Initiate technical review and possible revision end if end loop

5.  The project plan sets out: ◦ The resources available to the project; ◦ The work breakdown; ◦ A schedule for the work.

6.  Introduction.  Project organisation.  Risk analysis.  Hardware and software resource requirements.  Work breakdown.  Project schedule.  Monitoring and reporting mechanisms.

7.  Activities in a project should be organised to produce tangible outputs for management to judge progress.  Milestones are the end-point of a process activity.  Deliverables are project results delivered to customers.  The waterfall process allows for the straightforward definition of progress milestones.

9.  Split project into tasks and estimate time and resources required to complete each task.  Organize tasks concurrently to make optimal use of workforce.  Minimize task dependencies to avoid delays caused by one task waiting for another to complete.  Dependent on project managers intuition and experience.

11.  Estimating the difficulty of problems and hence the cost of developing a solution is hard.  Productivity is not proportional to the number of people working on a task.  Adding people to a late project makes it later because of communication overheads.  The unexpected always happens. Always allow contingency in planning.

12.  A risk is a potential problem – it might happen and it might not  Conceptual definition of risk ◦ Risk concerns future happenings ◦ Risk involves change in mind, opinion, actions, places, etc. ◦ Risk involves choice and the uncertainty that choice entails  Two characteristics of risk ◦ Uncertainty – the risk may or may not happen, that is, there are no 100% risks (those, instead, are called constraints) ◦ Loss – the risk becomes a reality and unwanted consequences or losses occur

13.  Project risks ◦ They threaten the project plan ◦ If they become real, it is likely that the project schedule will slip and that costs will increase  Technical risks ◦ They threaten the quality and timeliness of the software to be produced ◦ If they become real, implementation may become difficult or impossible  Business risks ◦ They threaten the viability of the software to be built ◦ If they become real, they jeopardize the project or the product

14.  Sub-categories of Business risks ◦ Market risk – building an excellent product or system that no one really wants ◦ Strategic risk – building a product that no longer fits into the overall business strategy for the company ◦ Sales risk – building a product that the sales force doesn't understand how to sell ◦ Management risk – losing the support of senior management due to a change in focus or a change in people ◦ Budget risk – losing budgetary or personnel commitment

15.  Known risks ◦ Those risks that can be uncovered after careful evaluation of the project plan, the business and technical environment in which the project is being developed, and other reliable information sources (e.g., unrealistic delivery date)  Predictable risks ◦ Those risks that are extrapolated from past project experience (e.g., past turnover)  Unpredictable risks ◦ Those risks that can and do occur, but are extremely difficult to identify in advance

16.  Reactive risk strategies ◦ "Don't worry, I'll think of something" ◦ The majority of software teams and managers rely on this approach ◦ Nothing is done about risks until something goes wrong  The team then flies into action in an attempt to correct the problem rapidly (fire fighting) ◦ Crisis management is the choice of management techniques  Proactive risk strategies ◦ Steps for risk management are followed (see next slide) ◦ Primary objective is to avoid risk and to have a contingency plan in place to handle unavoidable risks in a controlled and effective manner

17. 1) Identify possible risks; recognize what can go wrong 2) Analyze each risk to estimate the probability that it will occur and the impact (i.e., damage) that it will do if it does occur 3) Rank the risks by probability and impact - Impact may be negligible, marginal, critical, and catastrophic 4) Develop a contingency plan to manage those risks having high probability and high impact

18.  Risk management is concerned with identifying risks and drawing up plans to minimise their effect on a project.  A risk is a probability that some adverse circumstance will occur ◦ Project risks affect schedule or resources; ◦ Product risks affect the quality or performance of the software being developed; ◦ Business risks affect the organisation developing or procuring the software.

20.  Risk identification ◦ Identify project, product and business risks;  Risk analysis ◦ Assess the likelihood and consequences of these risks;  Risk planning ◦ Draw up plans to avoid or minimise the effects of the risk;  Risk monitoring ◦ Monitor the risks throughout the project;

22.  Technology risks.  People risks.  Organisational risks.  Requirements risks.  Estimation risks.

24.  Assess probability and seriousness of each risk.  Probability may be very low, low, moderate, high or very high.  Risk effects might be catastrophic, serious, tolerable or insignificant.