Software project management is the art and science of planning and executing software projects. It is a sub-discipline of project management in which software projects are planned, executed, monitored, and controlled.
The software project manager is the most important person on the team with overall responsibility for software project management and plays an important role in the success of the project. Project managers face many difficult situations to accomplish these tasks. In fact, a project manager’s job responsibilities range from invisible activities like boosting team morale to conspicuous client presentations. Most managers are responsible for writing project proposals, estimating project costs, planning, staffing projects, adjusting software processes, and monitoring and controlling projects. manage software configuration, manage risk, write and present management reports, and communicate with customers. Project manager duties fall into two main categories:
Project planning
Project monitoring and control
Project planning:
Project planning is done immediately after the feasibility study phase and before the requirements and specification analysis phase begins. When a project is found to be feasible, software project managers begin to plan the project. Project planning is completed before any development phase begins. Project planning involves estimating some project characteristics and then planning project activities based on these estimates. The planning of the project is done with great care and attention. A bad estimate can lead to a change in schedule. Planning delays can lead to customer dissatisfaction, which can lead to project failure. For effective project planning, in addition to a very good knowledge of various estimation techniques, past experience is also important. During project planning, the project manager performs the following activities:
- Project estimate:
- Project size estimate is the most important parameter based on which all other estimates such as
- cost, time and effort are made. Estimated cost:
- Estimate the total cost to develop the software product.
- Estimated time:
- Total time required to complete the project.
- Estimated effort:
- The effort required to complete the project is estimated.
- The effectiveness of all subsequent planning activities depends on the accuracy of these three estimates.
The role of a software project manager:
There are many roles of a project manager in software development. Lead the team.
The project manager must be a good leader who forms a team of different members with various skills and can carry out his or her individual duties.
Motivate team members:
One of the key roles of a software project manager is to encourage team members to work well for the success of the project.
Progress tracking:
The project manager must monitor the progress of the project. The project manager needs to keep track of whether the project is going according to plan. If a problem occurs, take the necessary steps to resolve it. Furthermore, check that the product is developed maintaining the correct coding standards.
Relation:
The project manager is the link between the development team and the customer. The project manager analyzes the customer requirements and passes them on to the development team and continues to update the client on the progress of the project. In addition, the project manager verifies whether the project meets the customer requirements.
Project report documents:
The project manager prepares project documentation for future purposes. The reports contain detailed product characteristics and various techniques. These reports help maintain and improve the quality of the project in the future.
Essential skills of a software project manager:
Good theoretical knowledge of various project management techniques is necessary to become a successful project manager, but theoretical knowledge alone is not enough. In addition, the project manager must have good decision-making skills.
