40 Questions
What was the management consulting firm involved in the Navy Polaris missile program?
Booz Allen & Hamilton
What was introduced in the 1960s for Government sponsored projects?
All of the above
What was one of the pitfalls of software development highlighted in 'The Mythical Man-Month'?
Many pitfalls of software development
What was introduced in the 1980s to predict software complexity?
Estimation models (FP and COCOMO)
When did IBM start using project management commercially?
1961
What was promoted by project organizations (PMI, IPMA) in the 1960s?
The profession and techniques
What characterized the 1990s in terms of project management?
Total quality, leaner, quicker, more responsive organizations
What do the hardware capacity and software do according to Moore's Law?
Grow exponentially
What is the primary focus of many courses in computer science and electronic engineering?
Technical aspects and software development notations
What is the purpose of a controlled process in software development?
To accept changes and trace revisions
What is the consequence of not having a controlled process in software development?
Not having time left for testing
What is the primary goal of software project management?
To organize activities in an efficient and controlled way
What is a common mistake in software development?
Underestimating development time
What is the primary benefit of software project management?
To have a well-defined and managed process
What is the computing capacity of the Saturn V stack compared to today's typical cell phone?
Less powerful than a cell phone
Who is credited with the first theory of work and management?
Frederick Winslow Taylor
What is the primary focus of Frederick Winslow Taylor's 'Scientific Management'?
All of the above
What is the name of the notation system used to schedule projects, still used today?
Gantt chart
What was the primary application of Henry Gantt's chart during the First World War?
Ship building
What was the primary motivation behind the development of CPM (Critical Path Method)?
To plan maintenance activities in plants
In what year was PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) developed?
1958
What was the primary application of PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) during its development?
U.S. Navy's Polaris missile program
What is one characteristic that makes software project management challenging?
The product is uniquely flexible
Why are many software projects considered 'one-off'?
Because they are never repeated
What is a safety-critical system in software project management?
A system that is critical to human life
What is shown in the graph on page 7 of the content?
The complexity of software projects over time
What is a characteristic of software products that makes them challenging to manage?
They are intangible
Why are software projects often more complex than other types of projects?
Because they have a unique combination of size, complexity, and flexibility
What is an example of a safety-critical system in software project management?
The control system of an airplane
What is the main challenge in software project management?
Managing the complexity and flexibility of the project
What is a characteristic of software development processes?
They are flexible and adaptable
Why are software projects becoming increasingly complex?
Because they have an increasing size and complexity
What are some activities involved in delivering a product on time and within budget?
Defining a schedule, budget, and product characteristics
What is required to deliver a product on time and within budget?
A process to define a schedule, budget, and product characteristics
What are some skills and competences required to manage a software development project?
Specific techniques to manage a project, including goal setting and risk management
What is a key benefit of applying Project Management techniques to software development?
Applicability of these techniques to virtually any other engineering domain
What are some questions that will be answered by the end of this course?
How to estimate task duration, charge for a project, and motivate the team
What makes the management of software projects particularly interesting?
The project management techniques are intrinsically multidisciplinary
What is essential to keep a project on track?
Assessing project risks, controlling quality, and keeping the project on schedule
What is the primary goal of a software project manager?
To deliver a product with agreed-upon quality properties
Study Notes
Navy Polaris Missile Program
- Booz Allen & Hamilton, a management consulting firm, worked as an ORSA (Operations Research and Systems Analysis) team for Lockheed Missile System in the Navy Polaris Missile Program.
Motivation for CPM and PERT
- The 1960s saw big government contracts, such as the Vietnam War and NASA Apollo, which led to standardization and automation.
- PERT/COST and WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) became compulsory in government-sponsored projects.
- Earned Value Analysis (EVA) was defined, and configuration management and project organizations (PMI, IPMA) promoted the profession and techniques.
History of Software Project Management
Fifties and Sixties
- 1960s: IBM used PM (Project Management) commercially.
- 1961: Software development became a significant factor, and EVA was developed for monitoring schedule and cost.
- The Waterfall model was introduced for software development, and the book "The Mythical Man-Month" highlighted the pitfalls of software development.
The Computer Revolution
- 1980s: Hardware and software proliferation made PM tools accessible to smaller firms.
- Estimation models (FP and COCOMO) were introduced to predict software complexity.
- 1990s: Total quality and leaner, quicker, and more responsive organizations emerged.
- Today: Web applications and new application distribution models have developed, and agility, quick interaction, and constant feedback are essential.
Characteristics of Software Project Management
- Software project management is unique due to the intangible nature of the product.
- The product is flexible, with different sizes and constraints.
- Many software projects are one-off, and the development process is flexible.
- Size and complexity are increasing exponentially.
- Human lives might depend on software running as expected, making it safety-critical.
Complexity of Software Projects
- A graph showing the complexity of software projects, with the number of lines of code on the y-axis and the years on the x-axis.
- The graph shows the exponential growth of software complexity.
A Brief History of Software Project Management
- Frederick Winslow Taylor introduced the first theory of work and management, "Scientific Management," in the early 1900s.
- Henry Gantt developed the Gantt chart notation, which is still used today to schedule projects.
- The 1950s saw the development of CPM (Critical Path Method) and PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique).
Motivations for Software Project Management
- Software project management is essential to build good software, as it organizes activities in an efficient and controlled way.
- A well-defined and managed process is necessary to deliver software on time, within budget, and with the required quality properties.
- Software project management involves specific competences, skills, and techniques, including estimating task duration, budgeting, team motivation, risk management, and quality control.
Skills and Goals of the Course
- The course aims to teach students how to manage a software development project, including estimating task duration, budgeting, team motivation, risk management, and quality control.
- The skills and techniques learned in this course are applicable to virtually any other engineering domain.
This quiz covers the Navy Polaris missile program, involving Booz Allen & Hamilton and Lockheed Missile System, and introduces project management concepts, including CPM and PERT.
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