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LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
The specification states - you should be able to:
Describe the main elements in the organisation of a software project: resources, constraints and risks.
Explain the main features of project management for a software project.
Evaluate the use of project management tools: Gantt charts and critical path analysis.
Describe the importance of version management during systems development.
3 elements in the organisation of a software project:
3 elements in the organisation of a software project:
Resources
Resources
Personnel/analysts/programmers.
Hardware.
Software
Budget
[CCEA PAPER 2017 Q1c]
CONTSTRAINTS
CONTSTRAINTS
A restriction/limit which the project must comply with.
(What is needed?)
Examples:
Available budget.
Required development time.
The need to integrate with other IT systems
The software development expertise available.
[CCEA PAPER 2023 Q5b]
RISKS
RISKS
A factor which could delay the completion of the project or cause the system to fail to meet its objectives.
(What are the problems?)
Examples:
Problems with scheduling.
Meeting the budget.
The non-availability of key personnel
Productivity issues.
Incomplete or incorrect specification.
Requirements inflation [1]
[CCEA PAPER 2023 Q5b]
Main features of project management
Main features of project management
- monitoring the project's progress
All stages of the project must be planned.
The project manager must be constantly aware of how the project is progressing.
… and respond immediately to risk/deviations from the schedule/ bottlenecks/slippage.
Report to management/client.
[CCEA PAPER 2021 Q3A]
3. SCHEDULING
3. SCHEDULING
Key deadlines must be established
… and met … or remedial action taken
[CCEA PAPER 2021 Q3A]
2. ALLOCATING RESOURCES
2. ALLOCATING RESOURCES
Personnel/hardware/software must be allocated
… to each stage of the project
… and used effectively/efficiently.
[CCEA PAPER 2021 Q3A]
4. MANAGING THE BUDGET
4. MANAGING THE BUDGET
The budget must be allocated
… and continually checked
… to prevent cost overruns
[CCEA PAPER 2021 Q3A]
gANTT CHARTS
gANTT CHARTS
A Gantt chart is a type of bar chart showing the project schedule/progress.
It shows the planned start and finish dates of the parts of a project.
It shows the predecessor of each stage
...the successor of each stage
...the current status of the project.
...and the dependencies between stages.
The project manager uses it to allocate resources
… and monitor the current progress
… and to respond to any deviations.
[Mix of CCEA PAPER 2024 Q1E, 2023 Q5B & 2021Q1C]
Critical Path Analysis
Critical Path Analysis
It is a method/algorithm/software tool for planning/scheduling the project archives.
It identifies critical and non-critical tasks
... and the earliest/latest start/finish times of each activity/task.
The CP algorithm identifies the chain or sequence of activities which must be followed to ensure the project is completed in the minimum time and not delayed with optimal use of resources.
Use of CPA requires the use of special software and expertise on the part of the project manager and may be unsuitable for small scale projects.
[Mix of CCEA PAPER 2024 Q1e and Specimen 2017 Q3d]
Discuss how the use of critical path analysis gives the project manager more control over the project. [5]
Discuss how the use of critical path analysis gives the project manager more control over the project. [5]
Critical Path Analysis
A method or software tool which enables the project manager to plan the project's schedule, monitor the project's progress and amend the scheduled if required.
More control
The project manager can construct a graphical model of the project and identify the resources required, dependencies between stages, and stages which can be completed in parallel, critical activities and float times and calculate the minimum time needed for project completion.
Once the project commences, the project manager can monitor the project’s progress, resolve conflicts/bottlenecks, and respond to delays by reallocating resources so that project completion time is a minimum.
The critical path can be calculated and updated automatically.
[CCEA PAPER 2018 Q4d]
Critical path diagram
Critical path diagram
Critical Path Node
Critical Path Node
[Table from CCEA Fact File - this has never been asked before]
importance of version management
importance of version management
The monitoring/tracking of changes to a system during the development process and operational life.
Prevents two people amending the same document at the same time.
The development team must all be working from the same version of software/documentation.
All changes must be recorded and there must be a method of tracking changes and reversing changes if required.
All documents/code modules should have the same version number and old versions should be archived.
[CCEA PAPER 2021 Q3d]
Exam Top tips
Exam Top tips
Topic asked every year apart from the 2019 paper.
Version management has only been asked once in the 2021 paper.
Past Paper Questions
Past Paper Questions
AS1 Software Projects Past Paper Questions.pptxPage updated
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