Software Development Problems

1
Software Development Problems

• Range of Intervention Theory
• Prevention, Treatment and Maintenance
• Planning, Development and Use
• Cost of Intervention

2
Case Discussion

• Concordia Castings Company

3
Some Basic Problems

• Incomplete, unclear or inadequate requirements
• Frequent changes to specification
• External sources (vendor, subcontractors, etc)
• Difficulties in concluding the project
• Frequent changes in development personnel

4
Some Basic Problems(management errors)

• Poor estimates
• Budget, Schedule, development resources,
  technical estimates
• Inadequate tracking and supervision
• Uncontrolled changes
• Poor testing procedures
• Poor development documentation

5
Risk

• Foresight is an excellent PM quality
• Ability to anticipate problem
• What is Risk?
• An uncertain event or condition that, if it
  occurs, has a positive or negative effect on a
  projects objectives.
• PMI (project management institute)

6
Risk Analysis

• Risk analysis includes the estimating its
  probability, evaluating its impact and preparing
  for solution in advance.
• Risk analysis is not free
• Project size/complexity vs. risk
• Theory
• Software development would never be deterministic
  and vice versa

7
Risk and system complexity
Risk Technical Cost Schedule
System Complexity
8
Successful Risk Management

• SEI summaries successful risk management as
  follows
• A successful risk management practice is one
  which risks are continuously identified and
  analyzed relative importance.
• Risks are mitigated, tracked, and controlled to
  effectively use program resources.
• Problems are prevented before they occur and
  personnel consciously focus on what could affect
  product quality and schedules

9
Common risk factors

• Risk factors
• Lack of top management commitment to the project
• Failure to gain user commitment
• Misunderstanding the requirement
• Lack of adequate user involvement
• Failure to manage end user expectation
• Changing scope and objectives
• Lack of required knowledge/skill in the project
  personnel
• New technology
• Insufficient / inappropriate staffing
• Conflict between user departments

10
Anticipating Problems

• Step One
• Do a review of all project technical and
  administrative plans
• Project development plan
• Requirement specifications
• Design specification
• Personnel
• External sources
• Etc
• Step two
• Compile a list of all anticipated problems and
  describe the potential effect of each problem on
  the project.

11
Problem and Description

• Late delivery of hardware
• Communication and Networks problem
• Staff
• .

• If vendor dont deliver the system by date the
  integration will be delayed and it will have
  effect on cost and schedule.
• Too slow to support the new system upgrade must
  be completed before testing
• Problem with so and so with respect to bla bla.
  Especially the resources from other the side

12
Risk Analysis Stage

• Evaluation of the anticipated risk
• Estimate the probability that the risk will occur
• Estimate the impact of the problem on the project
• Attribute a measure of severity to the problem
• Contingency plan

13
Calculating severity
Problem Expectation Impact Severity
Staff 6 5 30
Late delivery of hardware 5 8 40
Communication and Networks problem 5 5 25



10 lt severity gt 10
14
Analyzing
Problem Description Severity Contingency plan Tracker

• Project severity expectation (1-10) impact
  (1-10)
• When should risk analysis be formed?
• Is not a time activity
• Periodic update and reviewed

15
Implementing Contingency Plan

• The anticipated problem occurred or become
  imminent
• The contingency plan requires advance preparation

16
Case Discussion

• Timberjack Parts Package Software selection
  Project

17
Note

• Luck as a key factor in PM
• Prevention better than cure
• But you have to look for it.
• Know where to look and
• What to look for
• Do a risk analysis periodically
• What to do
• Complexity and risk analysis
• There is always a price tag