scholarly journals Impact of personnel factors on the recovery of delayed software projects: A system dynamics approach

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 627-652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mostafa Farshchi ◽  
Yah Jusoh ◽  
Azmi Murad
Keyword(s):  
System Dynamics ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Communication Overhead ◽  
Software Project ◽  
Software Projects ◽  
New Members ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
The Postponement ◽  
Assimilation Time

Delay in a software project may result in the loss of a market opportunity or the postponement of a dependent project. Therefore, software project managers take various steps to ensure that their project is completed on time, such as adding new members to the project team. However, adding new manpower to a delayed project may cause a negative impact on the team's productivity due to assimilation time, training overhead and communication overhead. Consequently, project managers have difficulty in making the decision on whether or not to add new members to the team. Thus, this research aims to examine whether a significant schedule improvement can be achieved with consideration of the new manpower's capabilities, skills and experience. A System Dynamics Model is proposed to simulate the behaviour of a project's progress when new members are added. The proposed model was evaluated through experiments using two types of case studies. The results of the experiments indicate that a significant schedule improvement of a late project can be achieved if people with certain levels of personnel factors are added to the project.

Software Project Costing

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 72-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liran Edelist ◽  
Roy Gelbard ◽  
Jeffrey Kantor
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Context ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Software Project ◽  
Maturity Model ◽  
Software Projects ◽  
Capability Maturity ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Organizational Perspective ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Software Engineers

This study puts forward a generic and comprehensive costing framework for software projects that aims for simplicity. This is achieved by integrating commonly used CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration) and PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) costing concepts in a broader organizational context. The costing framework comprises three layers: costing targets, costing activities, and policy evaluation. While the first two layers are derived from commonly used software engineering elements, the third integrates an organizational perspective through software engineers, project managers, accountants and top management. Employment of CMMI and PMBOK standards allows for easy adoption of the proposed model by organizations that are already relying on these standards.

METRIC BASED SOFTWARE PROJECT PERFORMANCE MONITORING MODEL

2016 ◽  
Vol 78 (12-3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariayee Doraisamy ◽  
Suhaimi Ibrahim ◽  
Mohd Naz’ri Mahrin
Keyword(s):  
Software Metrics ◽  
Performance Monitoring ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Performance Criteria ◽  
Software Project ◽  
Monitoring And Control ◽  
Software Projects ◽  
Monitoring Model ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
And Control

Successful implementation of software projects development is entirely depending upon successful monitoring and control mechanism. Software metrics can deliver the necessary information for monitoring and control the software projects development for its enhancement. However, the current software metrics does not widely address the performance criteria and related metrics for software project management. Largely, metrics are identified in the perspectives of software development only. Hence, the aim of this study is to formulate a Metric based Software Project Performance Monitoring Model which consists of performance criteria and metrics that involves in a software projects development. This model formulation is consists of five processes: metrics integration, metrics validation, metrics description, metrics categorization and metrics threshold.  The proposed model is a novel approach and adds significant of knowledge to the software engineering domain especially on software project monitoring and software measurement domain. Generally, this model will be a guideline for software project managers to monitor and control software projects particularly in public sector software projects. In order to demonstrate the applicability of this model, case study was conducted at various departments at Malaysian Public Sector. The results show that the proposed model is very useful for the project managers in monitoring and control software projects.

Towards Knowledge Evolution in Software Engineering

2012 ◽  
pp. 8-24
Author(s):  
Yves Wautelet ◽  
Christophe Schinckus ◽  
Manuel Kolp
Keyword(s):  
Software Engineering ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Software Project ◽  
Modeling Languages ◽  
Software Projects ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Knowledge Evolution ◽  
Iterative Development ◽  
Early Implementation

This article presents an epistemological reading of knowledge evolution in software engineering (SE) both within a software project and into SE theoretical frameworks principally modeling languages and software development life cycles (SDLC). The article envisages SE as an artificial science and notably points to the use of iterative development as a more adequate framework for the enterprise applications. Iterative development has become popular in SE since it allows a more efficient knowledge acquisition process especially in user intensive applications by continuous organizational modeling and requirements acquisition, early implementation and testing, modularity,… SE is by nature a human activity: analysts, designers, developers and other project managers confront their visions of the software system they are building with users’ requirements. The study of software projects’ actors and stakeholders using Simon’s bounded rationality points to the use of an iterative development life cycle. The later, indeed, allows to better apprehend their rationality. Popper’s knowledge growth principle could at first seem suited for the analysis of the knowledge evolution in the SE field. However, this epistemology is better adapted to purely hard sciences as physics than to SE which also takes roots in human activities and by the way in social sciences. Consequently, we will nuance the vision using Lakatosian epistemology notably using his falsification principle criticism on SE as an evolving science. Finally the authors will point to adaptive rationality for a lecture of SE theorists and researchers’ rationality.

Software Project Managers under the Team Software Process

2012 ◽  
pp. 115-126
Author(s):  
Marcos Ruano-Mayoral ◽  
Ricardo Colomo-Palacios ◽  
Ángel García-Crespo ◽  
Juan Miguel Gómez-Berbís
Keyword(s):  
Software Development ◽  
Software Process ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Project Manager ◽  
Software Project ◽  
Software Projects ◽  
Software Development Project ◽  
Team Software Process ◽  
Definition Of

Despite the clear relevance of the Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) market in world economics and the evident lack of success of software projects, organizations devote little effort to the development and maturity of the software project manager profession. This work analyzes the figure of project manager from the perspective of the Team Software Process (TSP), and it considers the required skills, attitudes and knowledge for a software development project. The basis for the study is the analysis of relevant references from the literature for their subsequent categorization into different competency concepts. The results of the analysis are compared with the contributions which the Guide to the SWEBOK® and the PMBOK® Guide models provide of the profiles of the project manager. The results indicate that the literature relating to the Team Software Process is focused on the definitions of skills and attitudes, and to a lesser extent on knowledge components. The lack of the definition of the components which comprise competency constitutes a challenge for software development organizations that use TSP, whose project managers should confront the task with full capacities, and without the help of established and recognized competencies. The current work attempts to establish the competencies for project managers identified in the literature, in the environment of the use of TSP for software development, using a study based on content analysis.

Towards Knowledge Evolution in Software Engineering

2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-40
Author(s):  
Yves Wautelet ◽  
Christophe Schinckus ◽  
Manuel Kolp
Keyword(s):  
Software Engineering ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Software Project ◽  
Modeling Languages ◽  
Software Projects ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Knowledge Evolution ◽  
Iterative Development ◽  
Early Implementation

This article presents an epistemological reading of knowledge evolution in software engineering (SE) both within a software project and into SE theoretical frameworks principally modeling languages and software development life cycles (SDLC). The article envisages SE as an artificial science and notably points to the use of iterative development as a more adequate framework for the enterprise applications. Iterative development has become popular in SE since it allows a more efficient knowledge acquisition process especially in user intensive applications by continuous organizational modeling and requirements acquisition, early implementation and testing, modularity,… SE is by nature a human activity: analysts, designers, developers and other project managers confront their visions of the software system they are building with users’ requirements. The study of software projects’ actors and stakeholders using Simon’s bounded rationality points to the use of an iterative development life cycle. The later, indeed, allows to better apprehend their rationality. Popper’s knowledge growth principle could at first seem suited for the analysis of the knowledge evolution in the SE field. However, this epistemology is better adapted to purely hard sciences as physics than to SE which also takes roots in human activities and by the way in social sciences. Consequently, we will nuance the vision using Lakatosian epistemology notably using his falsification principle criticism on SE as an evolving science. Finally the authors will point to adaptive rationality for a lecture of SE theorists and researchers’ rationality.

Probabilistic Approach to Predicting Risk in Software Projects Using Software Repository Data

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (06) ◽  
pp. 1017-1032 ◽  
Author(s):  
Changkyun Jeon ◽  
Neunghoe Kim ◽  
Hoh Peter In
Keyword(s):  
Risk Prediction ◽  
Risk Estimation ◽  
Probabilistic Approach ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Risk Level ◽  
Software Project ◽  
Software Projects ◽  
Software Repository ◽  
Project Failures

Although the factors that need to be focused on for a successful software project appear to be difficult to define, risk management has become one of the key activities for achieving such success because significant risk is involved in each software development phase. Software project failures are often a result of insufficient and ineffective risk information regarding the future. To overcome this, software risk prediction should be performed in advance to allow project managers insight into providing more valuable information for decision making, such as scope coverage, resource allocation, and schedule changes. In this research, we propose a risk prediction model from the perspective of quality using a software repository. We evaluated the risk threat level by mapping some defect attributes that exist in the defect lifecycle, defined their risk threat transition states, and applied a Markov chain for predicting the potential risk level. We evaluated the proposed approach using practical real-industry mobile software projects. The experimental results confirm that our approach is applicable to software threat risk estimation.

scholarly journals Risk factors affecting software projects in South Africa

2006 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 55-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Smith ◽  
M. Eastcroft ◽  
N. Mahmood ◽  
H. Rode
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
South African ◽  
User Involvement ◽  
Business Case ◽  
Detailed Examination ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Software Project ◽  
Software Projects ◽  
Factors Affecting

This paper reports on an analysis of risk factors relevant to South African software projects. Seven of the most widely cited studies in the research literature regarding software project risk were evaluated along with a detailed examination of the 53 risk factors developed by Schmidt, Lyytinen, Keil & Cule (2001). Forty completed questionnaires, submitted by software project managers, were analysed.The main findings of this research were:Project managers of varying experience perceived different software risks to be important Risks relating to quality, cost, time, requirements or methodology were not perceived to be more important than risks relating to people, relationships or change) by project managersThe top ten most important risks as perceived by project managers were:Lack of top management commitment to the projectUnclear/ misunderstood scope/ objectives Schedule Flaw Lack of client responsibility, ownership and buy-in of the project and it’s delivered systems No planning or inadequate planning Project not based on sound business case Lack of available skilled personnel Not managing change properly Lack of adequate user involvement Poor risk managementFrom this list it was noted that risks number 5, 6, 7 and 8 were unique to this study and were not found in prior studies in the research literature. It was concluded that the importance of these risks may be unique to South African software projects.

scholarly journals EMPIRICAL STUDY ON SELECTION OF TEAM MEMBERS FOR SOFTWARE PROJECTS – DATA MINING APPROACH

2014 ◽  
pp. 131-136
Author(s):  
SANGITA GUPTA ◽  
SUMA. V.
Keyword(s):  
Project Success ◽  
Team Building ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Software Project ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Software Projects ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Business Objective ◽  
Analysis And Synthesis ◽  
The Right

One of the essential requisites of any software industry is the development of customer satisfied products. However, accomplishing the aforesaid business objective depends upon the depth of quality of product that is engineered in the organization. Thus, generation of high quality depends upon process, which is in turn depends upon the people. Existing scenario in IT industries demands a requirement for deploying the right personnel for achieving desirable quality in the product through the existing process. The goal of this paper is to identify the criteria which will be used in industrial practice to select members of a software project team, and to look for relationships between these criteria and project success. Using semi-structured interviews and qualitative methods for data analysis and synthesis, a set of team building criteria was identified from project managers in industry. The findings show that the consistent use of the set of criteria correlated significantly with project success, and the criteria related to human factors present strong correlations with software quality and thereby project success. This knowledge enables decision making for project managers in allocation of right personnel to realize desired level.

Towards a Minimal Realisable System Dynamics Project Model

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. S. White
Keyword(s):  
Systems Dynamics ◽  
Software Project ◽  
Minimum Level ◽  
Software Projects ◽  
Initial State ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Non Linear ◽  
Project Model ◽  
Assimilation Time ◽  
Good Agreement

This paper looks at the established Systems Dynamics (SD) methods applied to Software projects in order to simplify them. These methods are highly non-linear and contain large numbers of variables and built in decisions. A SIMULINK version of an SD model is used here and conclusions are made with respect to the initial main controlling factors, compared to a NASA project. The eigenvalues of the linearised system indicate that the important factors are the hiring delay time, the assimilation time and the employment time. This illustrates how the initial state of the system is at best neutrally stable with control only being achieved with complex non-linear decisions. The purpose is to show the minimum level of complexity required for “good” simulation of project behaviour considering the Abdel-Hamid software project model and three simpler versions. These models give clues to the decision structures that are necessary for good agreement with reality.

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