Software Project Management: A Unified Framework

"Software Project Management" presents a new management framework uniquely suited to the complexities of modern software development. Walker Royce's pragmatic perspective exposes the shortcomings of many well-accepted management priorities and equips software professionals with state of the art knowledge derived from his twenty years of successful from the trenches project management experience.

This book provides a clear and provocative discussion of the economics, metrics, and management strategies needed to plan and execute a software project successfully. Royce discusses--with refreshing candor--some of the fads, follies, and excesses of the software industry, clearly differentiating proven techniques from obsolete methods. Paired with this insightful examination are compelling arguments for new management approaches that are sure to stimulate debate. The relative impacts of these new techniques are quantified through simple economic analyses, common sense, and anecdotal evidence. The resulting framework strikes a pragmatic balance between theory and practice that can be readily applied in today's challenging development environment. An extensive case study analysis of a large-scale, million-line project--deployed successfully on schedule and under budget using these techniques--further illustrates their application.

"Software Project Management" provides the software industry with field-proven benchmarks for making tactical decisions and strategic choices that will enhance an organization's probability of success. This book includes:

• Top ten principles for modern software management
• Strategies for smoothly transitioning an organization to modern processesand technologies (such as Rational's Unified process)
• Methods for keeping software engineering teams motivated and effectively prioritized
• Insight into the impacts of technology, people, and economics on managing a project
• Metrics and forecasting guidance for project costs, schedules, and quality control

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Software project managers face the same challenges as managers in other industries and disciplines. For example, they must keep their teams motivated, cost justify their strategies, beat deadlines, and balance budgets. These issues are even more challenging in the world of software development, where technologies, terms, and processes shift rapidly. This book explains the latest management strategies and techniques in software development and provides managers with the necessary background and keen insight to plan and execute a successful software project.