Page 202 - DCAP304_DCAP515_SOFTWARE_PROJECT_MANAGEMENT

Software Project Management

Notes 8. How is Treasury Deciding Which Institutions Receive the Money?
9. What is the Scope of Treasury’s Statutory Authority?
10. Is Treasury Looking Ahead?
The Treasury should have had answers to these questions PRIOR to releasing the first $350
billion of the TARP. Even now, it appears that the Treasury is still unwilling (or unable) to
address these basic issues, which only heightens the risk that the remaining $350 billion will be
squandered yet again with no measurable benefit.
Since the Treasury was unable to answer any of the 10 questions, it would be very interesting to
hear what the new Treasury Secretary Geithner will say next week. Whatever it is, I doubt that
any of the questions posed by the Congressional Oversight Panel would be answered. The
problem lies not only with the Treasury Department but also with President Obama. The
Administration needs clearly state that lax accounting, poor planning, and insufficient results
will not tolerated and, going forward, there will be strict performance and reporting requirements
associated with the bailout. Without these directions, the risk of additional $350 billion being
wasted is great.
10.6.1 Risks in Software Project Management

Unlike the hazards of daily living, the dangers in the young and emerging field of software
engineering must often be learned without the benefit of lifelong exposure.

Notes A more deliberate approach is required. Such an approach involves studying the
experiences of successful project managers as well as keeping up with the leading writers
and thinkers in the field. One such writer in the area of risk is Dr. Barry W. Boehm.
In his article “Software Risk Management: Principles and Practices” he lists the following
top 10 software risk items:
1. Personnel Shortfalls
2. Unrealistic schedules and budgets
3. Developing the wrong functions and properties
4. Developing the wrong user interface

5. Gold-plating
6. Continuing stream of requirements changes
7. Shortfalls in externally furnished components
8. Shortfalls in externally performed tasks
9. Real-time performance shortfalls
10. Straining computer-science capabilities

Risk management as being comprised of the following activities:
 Risk Assessment
 making a list of all of the potential dangers that will affect the project
 assessing the probability of occurrence and potential loss of each item listed

 ranking the items (from most to least dangerous)

196 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY