4.7 Summary

• Project planning serves two purposes: to set the overall goals or expectations for the project and the overall approach for managing the project, and to schedule tasks to be done such that the goals are met. In overall planning, effort and schedule estimation are done to establish the cost and schedule goals for the project as well as key milestones. Project quality planning and risk management planning establish approaches for achieving quality goals and ensuring that the project does not fail in the face of risks. In the detailed schedule, tasks for achieving each milestone are identified and scheduled to be executed by specific team members such that the overall schedule and effort for different milestones is met.

• In a top-down approach for estimating effort for the project, the effort is estimated from the size estimate, which may be refined using other characteristics of the project. Effort for different phases is determined from the overall effort using effort distribution data. COCOMO is one model that uses this approach. In a bottom-up approach to estimation, the modules to be built are identified first, and then using an average effort for coding such modules, the overall coding effort is determined. From coding effort, effort for other phases and overall project are determined, using the effort distribution data.

• Some flexibility exists in setting the schedule goal for a project. An overall schedule can be determined as a function of effort, and then adjusted to meet the project needs and constraints. Once a reasonable schedule is chosen, the staffing requirements of the project are determined using the project’s effort. Schedule for milestones are determined from effort estimates and the effective team size in different phases. With estimation and scheduling, the effort and schedule goals for the project are established.

• Setting measurable quality goals for a project is harder. The quality goal can be set in terms of performance during acceptance testing. A quality plan consists of quality control tasks that should be performed in the project to achieve the quality goal.

• A project can have risks, and to meet project goals under the presence of risks requires proper risk management. Risks are those events which may or may not occur, but if they do occur, they can have a negative impact on the project. Risks can be prioritized based on the expected loss from a risk, which is a combination of the probability of the risk and the total possible loss due to risk materializing. For high-priority risks, activities are planned during normal project execution such that if the risks do materialize, their effect is minimal.

• The progress of the project needs to be monitored using suitable measurements so corrective actions can be taken, when needed. The measurements commonly used for monitoring are actual schedule, effort consumed, defects found, and the size of the product. Status reports and milestone reports on actual vs. estimated on effort and schedule, activities that got missed, defects found so far, and risks, can suffice to effectively monitor the performance of a project with respect to its plan.

• The overall project management plan document containing the effort, schedule, and quality goals, and plans for quality, monitoring, and risk management, sets the overall context.

• For execution, the overall schedule is broken into a detailed schedule of tasks to be done so as to meet the goals and constraints. These tasks are assigned to specific team members, with identified start and end dates. The schedule has to be such that it is consistent with the overall schedule and effort estimates. Tasks planned for quality, monitoring, and risk management are also scheduled in the detailed schedule. This detailed schedule lays out the path the project should follow in order to achieve the project objectives. It is the most live project planning document and any changes in the project plan must be reflected suitably in the detailed schedule.