Software Stakeholders and Users

A stakeholder is anyone who has an interest (or stake) in the software being completed. A user is someone who will need to use the software to perform tasks. Sometimes stakeholders will be users; but often the stakeholder will not use the software. For example, a senior manager (like a CEO or CTO in a company) will usually have a stake in the software that is built (since it affects the bottom line), even if she won’t ever use it. Software is typically built by a team of software engineers, which includes: Business analysts or requirements analysts who talk to users and stakeholders, plan the behavior of software and write software requirements. Designers and architects who plan the technical solution. Programmers who write the code. Testers who verify that the software meets its requirements and behaves as expected. The project manager plans and guides the software project. The project manager is responsible for identifying the users and stakeholders and determining their needs. The project manager coordinates the team, ensuring that each task has an appropriate software engineer assigned and that each engineer has sufficient knowledge to perform it. To do this well, the project manager must be familiar with every aspect of software engineering. A typical vision and scope document follows an outline like this one: Problem Statement, Project background, Stakeholders, Users, Risks, Assumptions, Vision of the Solution, Vision statement, List of features, Scope of phased release (optional), Features that will not be developed. The statement of work (SOW) is a detailed description of all of the work products which will be created over the course of the project.

A stakeholder is ____________ who has an interest (or stake) in the software being completed.

A user is someone who will need to use the software to perform ____________.

Sometimes stakeholders will be users; but often the stakeholder will not use the ____________.

For example, a senior manager (like a CEO or CTO in a company) will usually have a stake in the software that is built (since it affects the bottom line), even if she won’t ever use it. Software is typically built by a team of software engineers, which includes: Business analysts or requirements analysts who talk to users and stakeholders, plan the behavior of software and write software ____________.

Designers and architects who plan the technical ____________.

Programmers who write the ____________.

Testers who verify that the software meets its requirements and behaves as ____________.

The project manager is responsible for identifying the users and stakeholders and determining their ____________.

A list of features that will be developed. A description of each intermediate deliverable or work product that will be built. The estimated effort involved for each work product to be delivered. A resource is a person, hardware, room or anything else that is necessary for the project but limited in its availability. The resource list should give each resource a name, a brief one-line description, and list the availability and cost (if applicable) of the resource. A work breakdown structure (WBS) is defined. This is a list of tasks which, if performed, will generate all of the work products needed to build the software. An estimate of the effort required for each task in the WBS is generated. A project schedule is created by assigning resources and determining the calendar time required for each task. A risk plan is a list of all risks that threaten the project, along with a plan to mitigate some or all of those risks. The project manager selects team members to participate in a risk planning session: The team members brainstorm potential risks. The probability and impact of each risk is estimated. A risk plan is constructed

It includes: A list of features that will be developed. A description of each intermediate deliverable or work product that will be built. The estimated effort involved for each work product to be delivered. A resource is a person, hardware, room or anything else that is necessary for the project but limited in its availability. The resource list should give each resource a name, a brief one-line description, and list the availability and cost (if applicable) of the resource. A work breakdown structure (WBS) is defined. This is a list of tasks which, if performed, will generate all of the work products needed to build the software. An estimate of the effort required for each task in the WBS is generated. A project schedule is created by assigning ______ and determining the calendar time required for each task. A risk plan is a list of all risks that threaten the project, along with a plan to mitigate some or all of those risks. The project manager selects team members to participate in a risk planning session: The team members brainstorm potential risks. The probability and impact of each risk is estimated. A risk plan is constructed

It includes: A list of features that will be developed. A description of each intermediate deliverable or work product that will be built. The estimated effort involved for each work product to be delivered. A resource is a person, hardware, room or anything else that is necessary for the project but limited in its availability. The resource list should give each resource a name, a brief one-line description, and list the availability and cost (if applicable) of the resource. A work breakdown structure (______) is defined. This is a list of tasks which, if performed, will generate all of the work products needed to build the software. An estimate of the effort required for each task in the ______ is generated. A project schedule is created by assigning resources and determining the calendar time required for each task. A risk plan is a list of all risks that threaten the project, along with a plan to mitigate some or all of those risks. The project manager selects team members to participate in a risk planning session: The team members brainstorm potential risks. The probability and impact of each risk is estimated. A risk plan is constructed

It includes: A list of features that will be developed. A description of each intermediate deliverable or work product that will be built. The estimated effort involved for each work product to be delivered. A resource is a person, hardware, room or anything else that is necessary for the project but limited in its availability. The resource list should give each resource a name, a brief one-line description, and list the availability and cost (if applicable) of the resource. A work breakdown structure (WBS) is defined. This is a list of tasks which, if performed, will generate all of the work products needed to build the software. An estimate of the effort required for each task in the WBS is generated. A project schedule is created by assigning resources and determining the calendar time required for each task. A risk plan is a list of all risks that threaten the project, along with a plan to ______ some or all of those risks. The project manager selects team members to participate in a risk planning session: The team members brainstorm potential risks. The probability and impact of each risk is estimated. A risk plan is constructed

It includes: A list of features that will be developed. A description of each intermediate deliverable or work product that will be built. The estimated effort involved for each work product to be delivered. A resource is a person, hardware, room or anything else that is necessary for the project but limited in its availability. The resource list should give each resource a name, a brief one-line description, and list the availability and cost (if applicable) of the resource. A work breakdown structure (WBS) is defined. This is a list of ______ which, if performed, will generate all of the work products needed to build the software. An estimate of the effort required for each task in the WBS is generated. A project schedule is created by assigning resources and determining the calendar time required for each task. A risk plan is a list of all risks that threaten the project, along with a plan to mitigate some or all of those risks. The project manager selects team members to participate in a risk planning session: The team members brainstorm potential risks. The probability and impact of each risk is estimated. A risk plan is constructed

It includes: A list of features that will be developed. A description of each intermediate deliverable or work product that will be built. The estimated effort involved for each work product to be delivered. A resource is a person, hardware, room or anything else that is necessary for the project but limited in its availability. The resource list should give each resource a name, a brief one-line description, and list the availability and cost (if applicable) of the resource. A work breakdown structure (WBS) is defined. This is a list of tasks which, if performed, will generate all of the work products needed to build the software. An estimate of the effort required for each task in the WBS is generated. A project schedule is created by assigning resources and determining the calendar time required for each task. A risk plan is a list of all risks that threaten the project, along with a plan to mitigate some or all of those risks. The project manager selects team members to participate in a risk planning session: The team members brainstorm potential risks. The ______ and impact of each risk is estimated. A risk plan is constructed

It includes: A list of features that will be developed. A description of each intermediate deliverable or work product that will be built. The estimated effort involved for each work product to be delivered. A resource is a person, hardware, room or anything else that is necessary for the project but limited in its availability. The resource list should give each resource a name, a brief one-line description, and list the availability and cost (if applicable) of the resource. A work breakdown structure (WBS) is defined. This is a list of tasks which, if performed, will generate all of the work products needed to build the software. An estimate of the effort required for each task in the WBS is generated. A project schedule is created by assigning resources and determining the ______ time required for each task. A risk plan is a list of all risks that threaten the project, along with a plan to mitigate some or all of those risks. The project manager selects team members to participate in a risk planning session: The team members brainstorm potential risks. The probability and impact of each risk is estimated. A risk plan is constructed

It includes: A list of features that will be developed. A description of each intermediate deliverable or work product that will be built. The estimated effort involved for each work product to be delivered. A resource is a person, hardware, room or anything else that is necessary for the project but limited in its availability. The resource list should give each resource a name, a brief one-line description, and list the availability and cost (if applicable) of the resource. A work breakdown structure (WBS) is defined. This is a list of tasks which, if performed, will generate all of the work products needed to build the software. An estimate of the effort required for each task in the WBS is generated. A project schedule is created by assigning resources and determining the calendar time required for each task. A risk plan is a list of all risks that threaten the project, along with a plan to mitigate some or all of those risks. The project manager selects ______ members to participate in a risk planning session: The ______ members brainstorm potential risks. The probability and impact of each risk is estimated. A risk plan is constructed