Page 148 - DCAP304_DCAP515_SOFTWARE_PROJECT_MANAGEMENT

Software Project Management

Notes 3. Team members define all dependencies between each work product. Highly experienced
and qualified experts make the …………………….. more reliable.

4. Obtain sponsor approval, funding and………………………, and then commence with the
project.
5. Present the revised plan to your ………………….. for approval. Never fear negotiating
things you need to complete the project successfully.

7.2 Project Schedule

Can you imagine starting a long car trip to an unfamiliar destination without a map or navigation
system? You’re pretty sure you have to make some turns here and there, but you have no idea
when or where, or how long it will take to get there. You may arrive eventually, but you run the
risk of getting lost, and feeling frustrated, along the way.
Essentially, driving without any idea of how you’re going to get there is the same as working on
a project without a schedule. No matter the size or scope of your project, the schedule is a key
part of project management. The schedule tells you when each activity should be done, what has
already been completed, and the sequence in which things need to be finished.
Luckily, drivers have fairly accurate tools they can use. Scheduling, on the other hand, is not an
exact process. It’s part estimation, part prediction, and part ‘educated guessing.’
Because of the uncertainty involved, the schedule is reviewed regularly, and it is often revised
while the project is in progress.

Notes It continues to develop as the project moves forward, changes arise, risks come and
go, and new risks are identified. The schedule essentially transforms the project from a
vision to a time-based plan.
Schedules also help you do the following:

 They provide a basis for you to monitor and control project activities.
 They help you determine how best to allocate resources so you can achieve the project goal.

 They help you assess how time delays will impact the project.
 You can figure out where excess resources are available to allocate to other projects.
 They provide a basis to help you track project progress.
With that in mind, what’s the best way of building an accurate and effective schedule for your
next project?
Project managers have a variety of tools to develop a project schedule – from the relatively
simple process of action planning for small projects, to use of Gantt Charts and Network Analysis
for large projects. Here, we outline the key tools you will need for schedule development.

To plan and schedule project activities and tasks the project manager needs to take the next four steps:
 Set up activities.

 Define relationships between activities.

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