Challenges in Software Development
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Questions and Answers

Why is effort and cost estimation crucial for software development projects?

  • It helps in creating unrealistic schedules.
  • It is essential for the success of software development projects. (correct)
  • It removes the need for planning altogether.
  • It ensures projects will always finish on time.
  • What factor contributes to the increasing pressure on software development?

  • The continuous increase in software dependency. (correct)
  • An increase in hardware solutions.
  • The simplification of software systems.
  • A decrease in software dependency.
  • Which statement best describes the nature of modern software development?

  • It requires minimal planning and estimation.
  • It is similar to producing cars on an assembly line.
  • It focuses solely on hardware advancements.
  • It involves developing theories similar to physics. (correct)
  • In which domain are software systems said to contribute 60-90% of advancements?

    <p>Automotive (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the quote 'Failing to plan is planning to fail' imply for software development?

    <p>Effective planning is essential to avoid project failure. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a challenge of predicting software development costs?

    <p>The size and complexity of software systems are rapidly increasing. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do Rayleigh and Parr's curves suggest about software quality assurance practices?

    <p>They contribute to increased overall project performance. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the relationship between effort, time, and staffing levels in project management?

    <p>They stay in close dependency with each other. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a practical consequence of effort-time dependencies in software development?

    <p>Without timely resources, a project is likely to fail. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does management stress in software development refer to?

    <p>Constraints imposed by increasing levels of project staffing. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is implied about the effort-area under the staffing curve as time compresses?

    <p>It increases due to management stress effects. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main purpose of focusing project effort in its early phases?

    <p>To avoid rework during later phases (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is defect prevention emphasized over rework?

    <p>It requires less total effort and cost (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How much more expensive is it to fix a software problem after delivery compared to early phases?

    <p>100 times more expensive (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the dashed curve in the staffing model represent?

    <p>Test-quality-in type of project with minimal early phase effort (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Parr’s curve represent in the staffing distribution?

    <p>Small, follow-up projects with pre-existing work (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why might project staffing curves appear 'mathematically and practically bizarre'?

    <p>They represent approximations of specific historical contexts (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement best describes the term 'effort models' as portrayed by the staffing curves?

    <p>They represent trade-offs between staffing, time, and effort (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What usually happens if little effort is invested during early development phases?

    <p>There is increased likelihood of defects (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which curve is associated with projects that spend the most effort on early phases?

    <p>Raiyleigh curve (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the implication of trading off project staffing against project time and effort?

    <p>It can lead to balanced project management strategies (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a significant factor impacting the difficulty of software production?

    <p>The abstract character of software products (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of software work is considered intellectual according to Robert Glass?

    <p>80% (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT considered a key success factor for software projects?

    <p>Limited communication between teams (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the intangible and volatile nature of software products make difficult?

    <p>Measurement and control (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How should a software project be viewed according to the discussed principles?

    <p>As a business case with clear investment reasons (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can be said about the project tasks in the software development transformation sequence?

    <p>They are usually highly interdependent and collaborative (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which aspect of software development is highlighted as a blend of different domains?

    <p>Its combination of engineering, science, and art (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is considered a critical area for financial success in software projects?

    <p>Effective use of resources (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does customer involvement play in software development?

    <p>It is crucial for defining and revising requirements (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What should be done if a predefined target is smaller than a reasonable estimate for a project?

    <p>Determine how to meet the target through adjustments. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What may be necessary if adjusting project characteristics does not yield the expected effect?

    <p>Modify the project scope. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does a 'death march project' imply?

    <p>A project destined to fail if targets are not adjusted. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How should estimates and targets be managed when predefined targets exist?

    <p>Negotiate project components while aligning estimates with targets. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What may need to be adjusted if project targets are too ambitious?

    <p>The project scope might need negotiation. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one primary objective of bidding in a project?

    <p>To agree on project resources with external contractors. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What factor must be continually reassessed when project scope is adjusted?

    <p>Estimation of alignment with project targets. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does adjusting estimates not constitute?

    <p>Manipulating them to fit unrealistic targets. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What assumption was made by a business manager in a financial organization regarding developer targets?

    <p>Targets can be halved for developers to challenge their skills. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement best describes the iterative process of estimation concerning targets?

    <p>Targets and estimates should be aligned through ongoing negotiations. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Flashcards

    Software Effort estimation

    The act of determining the time, resources, and cost needed for a software project.

    Challenges of Estimating software Effort

    Estimating software costs, schedules, and effort has become more challenging due to the increasing complexity of software systems.

    Software's Increasing Influence

    Software's pervasive influence and continuous development are pushing its boundaries, leading to increased demands on software's capabilities.

    The Shift from Hardware to Software

    Traditional hardware solutions are now being replaced by software systems, and entirely new products and services are emerging due to advancements in software.

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    Consequences of Software Complexity

    The growth in size and complexity of software affects its cost, time-to-market, functionality, and quality requirements.

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    Software Development as a Creative Process

    The development of genuinely new software requires creative problem-solving, more akin to creating a scientific theory than a manufacturing process.

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    Software's Pervasive Impact

    Software's impact is far-reaching, extending to various areas of life such as goods, services, and industries.

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    Software Dev: Human-Centric

    Software development relies heavily on human abilities, creativity, and intellectual processes, making it more intricate than purely technical tasks.

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    Software Dev: Collaboration

    Customers, developers, and other involved parties all play a crucial role in the success of a software project.

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    Software Products: Abstract Nature

    Software products are abstract concepts, making them difficult to visualize and manage compared to tangible objects.

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    Software Dev: Transformative Process

    Software development involves multiple transformations, with constant refinement and feedback loops throughout the process.

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    Software Dev: Interdependent Tasks

    Tasks within a software project are interconnected, creating a complex web of dependencies.

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    Software Requirements: Intangibility

    The elusive nature of software requirements contributes to the challenges of measuring and managing software development.

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    Project Management: Estimation Importance

    Accurate estimation of time, resources, and costs is vital for the financial success of a software project.

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    Project Management: Key Success Factors

    Effective project management involves monitoring resources, analyzing market potential, and fostering a learning environment.

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    Software Project: Business Case

    Software projects are business ventures requiring a clear justification, outlining potential benefits, costs, risks, and future options.

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    Effort-Staffing-Time dependency in Software projects

    The relationship between the amount of work (effort), the time required to finish a project, and the number of people involved (staffing) is interconnected and influential. Changes in one factor affect the others.

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    Effort-Time trade-off Curve

    A curve that represents the trade-off between the amount of effort required and the time needed to complete a software project, showcasing different combinations of effort and time.

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    Management Stress

    The idea that putting more people on a project that's already behind schedule doesn't always guarantee faster completion. More people can create communication bottlenecks and increase management stress.

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    Non-constant Effort Area

    The area under the staffing curve in the Effort-Time trade-off is not always constant, meaning that adding more people to a project might actually increase overall effort due to coordination and management overhead.

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    Fixed-Model Effort Estimation

    An approach to estimating software development effort that involves analyzing past project data and using similar projects as a guide. While useful, this method should be adapted to specific contexts.

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    Defect Prevention vs. Rework

    The practice of preventing defects early in the development process is more cost-effective than fixing them later.

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    Time Delay and Rework Cost

    The cost of fixing a software problem increases significantly the longer it takes to identify and fix.

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    Post-Delivery Bug Fix Cost

    The effort needed to fix a software issue after delivery can be 100 times higher than fixing it during the design phase.

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    Test-Quality-In Approach

    A software development approach that focuses on testing and quality assurance only in later phases, often leading to significant rework.

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    Raleigh Curve

    A staffing curve that represents a project where a significant amount of effort is dedicated to early development phases, minimizing rework later.

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    Gamma Curve

    A staffing curve that depicts a project where the peak staffing occurs during the later stages of the project, potentially leading to more rework.

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    Parr's Curve

    A staffing curve that represents projects where a portion of the work has already been completed in the past.

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    Staffing Curve

    Representing how project effort and staffing change over time throughout the software development lifecycle.

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    Effort Model

    An empirical observation that describes how project staffing fluctuates during various stages of the development lifecycle.

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    Verification and Validation

    The process of ensuring that the software meets its requirements and performs as intended.

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    Estimating with Predefined Targets

    When a target for a project is smaller than any reasonable estimate, it might be necessary to change either the target or the project scope to achieve alignment. This involves adjusting project factors like team capabilities, tool support, or the overall functionality and quality of the deliverables.

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    Iterative Target and Estimate Alignment

    An iterative process where both the target and estimates are adjusted through negotiation until they align. This involves evaluating project factors, considering the project scope, and potentially adjusting project team capabilities or tool support.

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    Death March Project

    A project management approach where the project target is set to be lower than estimated effort and resources. This often leads to unrealistic expectations and high pressure on developers to meet these targets.

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    Bidding in Software Projects

    The act of negotiating and agreeing upon the resources required for a software product or service with external contractors. Bids typically include the project price and the expected duration of the project.

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    Point Estimate

    A specific value representing the estimated effort and resources required for a project. Typically used as a basis for negotiation during bidding.

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    Adjusting Project Characteristics

    A process of adjusting project characteristics, such as team capabilities or tools, to improve development productivity and reduce the estimated effort required to meet the project target.

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    Negotiating Project Scope

    The process of negotiating the scope of work included in a project to match the pre-defined target. This involves adjusting the functionality or quality of the deliverables to achieve alignment.

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    Project Scope

    A set of project components or deliverables that define the overall functionality and quality of the software product or service being developed.

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    Target in Project Management

    The targeted outcome or desired goal of the project.

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    Estimation with Predefined Targets

    The estimation process involves actively aligning predefined targets with realistic estimates, which may require adjustments to project characteristics, project scope, or both.

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    Study Notes

    Challenges of Predictable Software Development

    • Software development projects often face unrealistic cost estimates, tight schedules, and missed deadlines or incompletion.
    • Software effort estimation is crucial for successful project completion.
    • Software is complex, akin to a new scientific theory, not an assembly line product.
    • Software's complexity arises from its increasing use in various domains, leading to higher expectations for faster, more intelligent, dependable, and easier-to-maintain software.
    • Software development technologies and paradigms change rapidly.
    • Development tasks are often distributed across multiple companies, time zones, cultures, and continents.
    • Software project management, including accurate estimation, is essential for success.
    • Software projects have an abstract character making them difficult to estimate and manage.

    Software Is Getting Complex

    • Software creation involves developing new theories, not simply producing existing goods.
    • Software reliance is increasing as more systems integrate software components.

    Software Development Is Getting Complex

    • Software development methods and technologies change rapidly, creating a challenge for estimating resources.
    • Development processes now frequently involve distributed teams across multiple companies.

    Project Management and Estimation Are Key Success Factors

    • Poor project management leads to faster increases in costs than other factors.
    • Poor effort estimation is one of the two most common causes of project failure.
    • Accurate effort estimation is needed to support realistic project plans and negotiation.
    • Effective project management is critical to the financial success of projects.
    • Efficient use of resources and potential for innovation are important project considerations.

    Criteria of Project Success

    • Classical project success is defined as delivering functioning, quality software within the budget and schedule.
    • Project success can include timely cancellation to prevent costly failure and learning from the experience.
    • Poor project management amplifies the risk of software cost overruns.

    What is a "Good Estimate"?

    • A good estimate provides a clear understanding of project reality to support good decision-making.

    Further Reading

    • Various articles, books, and proceedings discuss software engineering best practises and challenges.
    • Key themes frequently discussed include failure, successful projects, and the role of people.

    Basic Concepts of Effort Estimation

    • Estimation is a predictive process, a guess, not an exact figure, to be above or below the actual.
    • Using estimates as internal project targets creates unrealistic deadlines.
    • Estimating based on a person hour is outdated and unreliable.
    • Software effort estimations should include a contingency reserve for risks.
    • Accurate estimation focuses on project resource needs.

    Effort Estimation Stakeholders

    • Estimation process owners, estimators, and domain experts are involved.
    • Decision-makers, who are stakeholders, are important for resource allocation.

    Effort Estimation in Context

    • Multiple project objectives should be balanced to determine a successful outcome: required scope, effort, and resources.
    • Projects involve compromises between scope, effort, and resources.
    • Trade-offs between three aspects of software project resources need to be decided.
    • The project context is complex and includes factors such as team capabilities, tool support, and quality requirements.

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    Explore the complexities of software development projects including the difficulties in cost estimation and project management. Understand how increasing expectations and rapid technological changes impact the success of software projects.

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