Managing software developing projects

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• Example project
• Project organisation
• Problem definition
• Introduction to software development
• The nature of software
• Development process
• Waterfall Model
• V – Model
• Agile Software Development
• General problems of software development
• Goal of the thesis
• Management
• General Management
• Strategy
• Strategic navigation system
• Adaption for software projects
• Six key values
• Structure
• Culture
• Effective Management
• Principles
• Focusing on results
• Contribution to the whole
• Concentration on a few things
• Utilising strengths
• Trust
• Positive thinking
• Tasks
• Managing objectives
• Organising
• Decision-making
• Supervising
• Developing People
• Tools
• Meetings
• Documents
• Job design and assignment control
• Effective working methods
• Budget and budgeting
• Performance appraisal
• Systematic waste disposal
• Applicability
• Estimations
• Knowledge management
• Innovation management
• Team
• Viable System Model
• Application to software development
• System Five: Normative Tasks
• System Four: Strategic Tasks
• System Three: Managing Operational Tasks
• System Two: Coordination
• System One: Business analysis, Development
• Applicability
• X-Teams
• Application to software development
• External activity
• Extensive ties
• Expandable tiers
• Flexible membership
• Mechanisms for execution
• X-Teams compared to VSM
• Applicability
• Customer
• Customer involvement
• Eliciting requirements
• Customer Reviews
• Testing
• Design and modelling
• Clear business objectives
• Change management
• Support of senior management
• Evaluation
• Approach
• Rating
• Management
• General Management
• Effective Management
• Team
• The Viable System Model
• X-Team
• Customer
• Customer involvement
• Clear business objectives
• Change management
• Support of senior management
• Results
• Conclusions
• Possible weaknesses of evaluation
• Possible project improvements
• References
• Appendix A – Evaluation of the example ERP project

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

The thesis aims to define effective software management beyond the scope of development processes and project management. It analyzes key success factors for software development projects by examining the roles of stakeholders: management, team, and customer.

• The importance of a holistic approach to software management, considering factors beyond traditional development processes and project management.
• The significance of stakeholder involvement, including management, team, and customer, in achieving project success.
• The need for effective communication and collaboration among stakeholders to ensure clear objectives, shared understanding, and successful project outcomes.
• The importance of adapting management practices and team structures to address the unique challenges of software development in a dynamic environment.
• The role of innovation and knowledge management in achieving sustained project success and ensuring competitiveness in the evolving software landscape.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Introduction: Provides an overview of the increasing importance of IT in business and introduces the example ERP project used for analysis throughout the thesis.
• Problem Definition: Discusses the challenges faced by software development projects, including inaccurate estimations, difficult requirement definition, and complex team management.
• Management: Explores general management principles and effective management practices, drawing on the models of Fredmund Malik and Aloys Gälweiler.
• Team: Examines the functions and dynamics of software development teams, using the Viable System Model and X-Team theory to analyze organizational structure and communication.
• Customer: Highlights the crucial role of customer involvement in software development, emphasizing the importance of eliciting requirements, reviewing designs, and testing the software.
• Evaluation: Evaluates the example ERP project using the criteria developed in the previous chapters, providing a detailed assessment of management, team, and customer aspects.
• Conclusions: Summarizes the key findings of the evaluation, identifying possible weaknesses in the analysis and suggesting areas for project improvement.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The thesis focuses on software project management, emphasizing stakeholder involvement, effective management practices, team dynamics, and customer collaboration. Key concepts include general management principles, strategic navigation systems, Viable System Model, X-Teams, agile software development, requirements elicitation, change management, and innovation management.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do companies develop individualised software?

Companies do so to keep process knowledge confidential, leverage internal expertise, and avoid the high costs of customising standard software.

What is the success rate of software projects?

According to the Standish Group, only about 26% of software projects are completed on time, within budget, and with predefined functions.

What are the three key stakeholders in software management?

The thesis focuses on the roles of Management, the Team, and the Customer as critical success factors.

What development models are discussed?

The paper covers traditional models like the Waterfall and V-Model, as well as modern Agile Software Development.

What is the Viable System Model (VSM) in this context?

VSM is used to analyze organizational structure and communication within software teams, covering operational, strategic, and normative tasks.