PMBOK Knowledge Areas and Processes
As per PMI’s PM BOK, there are 9 knowledge areas covering total of 42 processes related to all five phases of the project life cycle. These five phases are not process groups.
Project Management Workbook – a generic tool for a PM
Project Management Workbook is a generic tool for a project manager in order to reflect the project status quantitatively at any point of time in the SDLC in terms of:
Software Configuration Management Process
Identification of Configuration Controller: Configuration Controller (CC) can be identified for the project by PM during the Kick off meeting or while requesting for the resource allocation. CC along with PM / PL shall be responsible for maintaining the Process Database according to the library structure defined by SQA, Process Database Management Process for the Library Structure creation. The library structure created by CC shall be documented in the Project Library Structure and Access Control. CC of the project will update the Process Database after the approval of the work product.
Release Readiness Review Checklist
Below is a sample checklist for Release Readiness Review and Pre Delivery Audit. It is useful both for Project Managers and Software Quality Analysts.
WBS and Project Management Tools
The purpose of the WBS, as a project management tool, is to organize the scope of a project. WBS definition for programs and portfolios can use similar techniques to organize scope. There are many project management tools that use the WBS or its components as input:
Project Charter: The WBS takes the project charter as its starting point. The highest level element in the WBS should represent the project’s overall end-point product(s), service(s), or outcomes as described in the project charter. If the project’s major products cannot be described during the creation of the WBS, then the project management team should examine the charter to determine if it has been sufficiently defined.
Benefits of Software Metrics and Measurements
Metrics collection is an excellent way track the project, measure the performance. Software metrics provides objective information to help the project managers to do:
Risk Monitoring and Risk Control
Project risk control and risk monitoring is where you keep track of about how your risk responses are performing against the plan as well as the place where new risks to the project are managed.
You must remember that risks can have negative and positive impacts. Positive risk is a risk taken by the project because its potential benefits outweigh the traditional approach and a negative risk is one that could negatively influence the cost of the project or its schedule.
Comparison of Software Development Models
Different Software Development models have different features and properties. Selection of the software development model depends on the nature of project and client. Here, I will try to give a comparison of various software development models with three parameters:
1. Contribution to Quality
2. Risks Associated
3. Context of adoption
Model Name: Waterfall Model
Contribution to Quality: Phase End Checks
Risks Associated: Expects a task to be well done in the first go
Context of adoption: When the requirements are structured and competence is high
Configuration Audit Checklist
Below is a sample configuration audit checklist (for FCA and PCA). The Project Managers can use the following checklist as a reference for the readiness of the audit or even for doing the audit.
Qualitative Risk Analysis
Qualitative Risk Analysis is a measure of risk or asset value based on a ranking or separation into descriptive categories such as low, medium, high; not important, important, very important etc. or on a scale from 1 to 5.
Qualitative Risk Analysis includes methods for prioritizing the identified risks for further action, such as Quantitative Risk Analysis or Risk Response Planning. Organizations can improve the project’s performance effectively by focusing on high-priority risks. Qualitative Risk Analysis assesses the priority of identified risks using their probability of occurring, the corresponding impact on project objectives if the risks do occur, as well as other factors such as the time frame and risk tolerance of the project constraints of cost, schedule, scope, and quality.