PROJECT PLANNING & SCHEDULING

Project Planning & Scheduling

Abstract

Planning and scheduling have a critical role in the success of the software development industry. This report examines the relationship between planning and scheduling with the success/failure of a software project. The several important processes involved in the software development processes and the effect that planning and scheduling have on them are examined with examples. In particular, process planning, project deliverables, cost estimation, risk management and managing quality are discussed with the focus on quality. Different techniques used by projects in the planning and scheduling of software projects are discussed along with its common short-coming.Project Planning & Scheduling

Introduction

The recent advancements in information technology have allowed business to expand their operations beyond national boundaries. The increasing adoption of smart phone technology has allowed businesses to interact and market their products and services at a more personalized level. However, these applications and software need to be developed keeping quality in focus. Software development consists of a wide range of activities that start off by gathering requirements from the clients, developing design and iterating it until client is satisfied with the final draft (Korson 2000, p98).

Later on, the software is developed by using various coding methodologies. This final software product is tested by developing test cases that allow delivering quality to the end user. All these activities are dependent on the effective planning and scheduling of the project right from its initiation to the delivery of the final product.

One of the key components of software development is project scheduling. It is widely used by project managers to make an estimate regarding the allocation and procurement of resources. Moreover, it allows the manager to develop the estimated costs that will be incurred if the project lags behind its schedule (Khodakarami 2007, p39-40). This brings in the dimension of risk and cost management in the software development domain. Scheduling allows the managers to identify potential bottlenecks that can halt the timely completion of the project and devise alternatives to get the job done.

Planning on the other hand provides the project manager with the tools to keep control during the whole development cycle. This involves the planning for human, information, technical and financial resources that need to be acquired in timely fashion to make sure that the company is able to derive value from the project. This paper makes a conscious effort to identify the important relationship that exists between the role of planning and scheduling in delivering quality product to the customers.

Discussion

The need for effective planning has been recognized by various researchers and experts in the information technology industry. Though, the level and kind of planning that should be done is largely dependent on the software development methodology that is adopted by the company. Agile programming techniques require a lot of planning because the developers need to have all the resources available to them at the time of their work. They are geographically located in different places and the project manager needs to plan for making sure ...