BOOK REVIEW EFFECTIVE SOFTWARE PROJECT MANAGEMENT by Robert K. Wysocki, Ph.D. www.eiicorp.com
Title Effective Software Project Management Author Robert K. Wysocki, Ph.D. Publisher John Wiley & Sons, March 2006 ISBN 0-7645-9636-5 Contents 7 parts, 39 chapters, 11 appendices, and 618 pages REVIEW Effective Software Project Management is an integration of contemporary software development models and the project management approaches to support them. The integration produces a discipline SDPM. The book is written in the same style as the author s previous successful work: Effective Project Management: Traditional, Adaptive, Extreme, 3 rd Edition (EPM3). His intention was to structure this book to be as parallel in project management format to EPM3 as these diverse software development models allow. That will leverage the success of EPM3 with this new offering, which is designed specifically for the information technology professional and academic markets. By all accounts he has been successful. The book is structured around five major types of software development approaches: linear, incremental, iterative, adaptive, and extreme. These approaches span a continuum that ranges from certainty (linear models) to uncertainty (extreme models). There are a number of contemporary software development models that fit this continuum, which will be developed along with the best practice project management tools, templates, and processes that support them. The book s structure is unique. There are no competing titles that treat the integration of software development and project management into a discipline to the extent that this book does. Through this approach the author clearly intends to retain the readership of the professional and trade market as well as expand the growing academic market already established through Effective Project Management: Traditional, Adaptive, Extreme, 3 rd Edition. The main text of each part focuses on one of the major types of software development approaches. For each of those 5 major types, specific models are discussed. The author discusses 11 specific models in total. Every software development approach can be classified into one of five types: linear, incremental, iterative, adaptive, extreme. Each of these types can be supported by similarly configured project management approaches. That creates a foundation for a discipline that the author calls Software Development Project Management (SDPM). Each of the 7 major parts of the book can be read independently of each other. That allows the professional reader to focus on the software development 2
approach they are using and learn about the project management best practices to support their efforts. Alternatively, the college or university student can use the book as a survey of the contemporary approaches to project management in the context of a specific software development environment. For both markets, the book is very much a how to oriented book. A variety of tools, templates, and processes are presented in the contexts in which they have worked successfully. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Part 1: The Evolving State of SDPM Chapter 1 The Changing Landscape of Software Development What is a Software Development Project? What is Software Development Project Management? The Complexity/Uncertainty Domain of SDPM Balancing Staff, Process, Technology Chapter 2 SDPM Roadmap The Contemporary Software Development Landscape A Generic Template for Discussing SDPM Strategies Part 2: Linear SDPM Chapter 3 The Linear SDPM Strategy The Linear SDPM Life Cycle Types of Linear SDPM Strategies Chapter 4 The Linear SDPM Scoping Phase Solution Definition Requirement Gathering Customer Sign-Off on Requirements Project Overview Statement Ensuring That a Linear SDPM Strategy is Correct Chapter 5 The Linear SDPM Planning Phase Work Breakdown Structure Template Dependency Diagramming 3
Project Scheduling Resource Requirements Chapter 6 The Linear SDPM Launching Phase Team Leadership Model Organizing the Linear SDPM Strategy Project Team Managing Concurrent Swim Lanes Chapter 7 The Linear SDPM Monitoring and Controlling Phase Project Review Sessions Scope Change Management Milestone Trend Charts Chapter 8 The Linear SDPM Closing Phase Requirements Validation Acceptance Test Procedures The Closing Phase Lessons Learned Chapter 9 The Linear SDPM Strategy Summary Compare and Contrast Between the SDPM Models Points to Remember Part 3: Incremental SDPM Chapter 10 The Incremental SDPM Strategy The Incremental SDPM Strategy Types of Incremental SDPM Strategies Chapter 11 The Incremental SDPM Scoping Phase The Scoping Phase of an Incremental SDPM Strategy The Scoping Phase of an Incremental SDPM Strategy for the Staged Delivery Waterfall Model The Scoping Phase of an Incremental SDPM Strategy for the Feature- Driven Development Model The Role of the RBS The Role of the Precedence Diagram 4
Chapter 12 The Incremental SDPM Planning Phase The Planning Phase of an Incremental SDPM Strategy The Planning Phase of an Incremental SDPM Strategy for the Staged Delivery Waterfall Model The Planning Phase of an Incremental SDPM Strategy for the Feature- Driven Development Model Chapter 13 The Incremental SDPM Launching Phase The Launching Phase of an Incremental SDPM Strategy The Launching Phase of an Incremental SDPM Strategy for the Staged Delivery Waterfall Model The Launching Phase of an Incremental SDPM Strategy for the Feature- Driven Development Model Chapter 14 The Incremental SDPM Monitoring/Controlling Phase The Monitoring and Controlling Phase of an Incremental SDPM Strategy Project Review Sessions Scope Change Management Chapter 15 The Incremental SDPM Closing Phase The Closing Phase of the Incremental SDPM Strategy Incremental SDPM Strategy for the Closing Phase of the Staged Delivery Waterfall Model Incremental SDPM Strategy for the Closing Phase of the Feature-Driven Development Model Chapter 16 The Incremental SDPM Strategy Summary Comparing and Contrasting the SDPM Models Points to Remember Part 4: Iterative SDPM Chapter 17 Iterative SDPM Strategy The Iterative SDPM Strategy Types of Iterative SDPM Strategies Chapter 18 The Iterative SDPM Scoping Phase The Scoping Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy The Scoping Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy for the Evolutionary Development Waterfall Model 5
The Scoping Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy for the SCRUM Model The Scoping Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy for the Rational Unified Process Model The Scoping Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy for the Dynamic Systems Development Method Chapter 19 The Iterative SDPM Planning Phase The Planning Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy The Planning Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy for the Evolutionary Development Waterfall Model The Planning Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy for the SCRUM Model The Planning Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy for the Rational Unified Process Model The Planning Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy for the Dynamic Systems Development Method Chapter 20 The Iterative SDPM Launching Phase The Launching Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy The Launching Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy for the Evolutionary Development Waterfall Model The Launching Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy for the SCRUM Model The Launching Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy for the Rational Unified Process Model The Launching Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy for the Dynamic Systems Development Method Chapter 21 The Iterative SDPM Monitoring/Controlling Phase The Monitoring and Controlling Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy The Monitoring and Controlling Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy for the Evolutionary Development Waterfall Model The Monitoring and Controlling Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy for the SCRUM Model The Monitoring and Controlling Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy for the Rational Unified Process Model The Monitoring and Controlling Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy for the Dynamic Systems Development Method Chapter 22 The Iterative SDPM Closing Phase The Closing Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy 6
The Closing Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy for the Evolutionary Development Waterfall Model The Closing Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy for the SCRUM Model The Closing Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy for the Rational Unified Process Model The Closing Phase of an Iterative SDPM Strategy for the Dynamic Systems Development Method Chapter 23 The Iterative SDPM Strategy Summary Traditional vs. Agile Projects Traditional vs. Agile Project Managers Traditional vs. Agile Teams Traditional vs. Agile Project Planning Traditional vs. Agile Scope Change Management Part 5: Adaptive SDPM Chapter 24 The Adaptive SDPM Strategy The Adaptive SDPM Strategy Types of Adaptive SDPM Strategies Chapter 25 The Adaptive SDPM Scoping Phase The Scoping Phase of an Adaptive SDPM Strategy The Scoping Phase of an Adaptive SDPM Strategy for the Adaptive Project Framework Model The Scoping Phase of an Adaptive SDPM Strategy for the Adaptive Software Development Model Chapter 26 The Adaptive SDPM Planning Phase The Planning Phase of an Adaptive SDPM Strategy The Planning Phase of an Adaptive SDPM Strategy for the Adaptive Project Framework Model The Planning Phase of an Adaptive SDPM Strategy for the Adaptive Software Development Model Chapter 27 The Adaptive SDPM Launching Phase The Launching Phase of an Adaptive SDPM Strategy The Launching Phase of an Adaptive SDPM Strategy for the Adaptive Project Framework Model The Launching Phase of an Adaptive SDPM Strategy for the Adaptive Software Development Model 7
Chapter 28 The Adaptive SDPM Monitoring/Controlling Phase The Monitoring and Controlling Phase of an Adaptive SDPM Strategy The Monitoring and Controlling Phase of an Adaptive SDPM Strategy for the Adaptive Project Framework Model The Monitoring and Controlling Phase of an Adaptive SDPM Strategy for the Adaptive Software Development Model Chapter 29 The Adaptive SDPM Closing Phase The Closing Phase of an Adaptive SDPM Strategy The Closing Phase of an Adaptive SDPM Strategy for the Adaptive Project Framework Model The Closing Phase of an Adaptive SDPM Strategy for the Adaptive Software Development Model Chapter 30 The Adaptive SDPM Strategy Summary Traditional vs. Adaptive Projects Traditional vs. Adaptive Project Managers Traditional vs. Adaptive Teams Traditional vs. Adaptive Project Planning Traditional vs. Adaptive Scope Change Management Part 6: Extreme SDPM Chapter 31 The Extreme SDPM Strategy The Extreme SDPM Strategy Types of Extreme SDPM Strategies Chapter 32 The Extreme SDPM Scoping Phase The Scoping Phase of an Extreme SDPM Strategy The Scoping Phase of an Extreme SDPM Strategy for the INSPIRE Model The Scoping Phase of an Extreme SDPM Strategy for the Flexible Project Model Chapter 33 The Extreme SDPM Planning Phase The Planning Phase of an Extreme SDPM Strategy The Planning Phase of an Extreme SDPM Strategy for the INSPIRE Model The Planning Phase of an Extreme SDPM Strategy for the Flexible Project Model 8
Chapter 34 The Extreme SDPM Launching Phase The Launching Phase of an Extreme SDPM Strategy The Launching Phase of an Extreme SDPM Strategy for the INSPIRE Model The Launching Phase of an Extreme SDPM Strategy for the Flexible Project Model Chapter 35 The Extreme SDPM Monitoring/Controlling Phase The Monitoring and Controlling Phase of an Extreme SDPM Strategy The Monitoring and Controlling Phase of an Extreme SDPM Strategy for the INSPIRE Model The Monitoring and Controlling Phase of an Extreme SDPM Strategy for the Flexible Project Model Chapter 36 The Extreme SDPM Closing Phase The Closing Phase of an Extreme SDPM Strategy The Closing Phase of an Extreme SDPM Strategy for the INSPIRE Model The Closing Phase of an Extreme SDPM Strategy for the Flexible Project Model Chapter 37 The Extreme SDPM Strategy Summary Traditional vs. Extreme Projects Traditional vs. Extreme Project Managers Traditional vs. Extreme Teams Traditional vs. Extreme Project Planning Traditional vs. Extreme Scope Change Management Part 7: SDPM Future Landscape Chapter 38 Where Are We? The Perspective of the Enterprise From the Perspective of the Customer From the Perspective of the Project Manager From the Perspective of the Development Team Tracking Where You Are Chapter 39 Where Do You Want to Go and How Can You Get There? Where Do You Want To Go? How Will You Get There? 9
Appendices Appendix A What s on the Website? Appendix B Bibliography Appendix C The Project Overview Statement Appendix D Requirements Gathering Appendix E The Work Breakdown Structure Appendix F Estimation Appendix G The Project Network Diagram Appendix H The Resource Schedule Appendix I Organizing the Project Team Appendix J Project Performance Reporting Appendix K Business Process Flow Diagramming ABOUT THE AUTHOR Robert K. Wysocki, Ph.D., has over 38 years experience as a project management consultant and trainer, information systems manager, systems and management consultant, author, training developer and provider. He has written twelve books on project management and information systems management. One of his books, Effective Project Management, 3 rd Edition, has been a best seller and is recommended by the Project Management Institute for the library of every project manager. Bob has over 30 publications and presentations in professional and trade journals and has made more than 100 presentations at professional and trade conferences and meetings. He has developed more than 20 project management courses and trained over 10,000 project managers. In 1990 Bob founded Enterprise Information Insights, Inc. (EII), a Worcester, MA project management consulting and training practice. His clients include AT&T, Aetna, Babbage Simmel, British Computer Society, Boston University Corporate Education Center, Computerworld, Converse Shoes, Czechoslovakian Government, Data General, Digital, Eli Lilly, Harvard Community Health Plan, IBM, J. Walter Thompson, Ohio State University, Peoples Bank, Sapient, The Limited, The State of Ohio, Travelers Insurance and several others. He is the Editor of EII Publications, a division of EII. He is the Series Editor of Effective Project Management for Artech House, a publisher to the technical and engineering professions. He is a member of the ProjectWorld Executive Advisory Board, the Project Management Institute, the American Society of Training & Development, and the Society of Human Resource Management. The author can be contacted at rkw@eiicorp.com. 10