Software Project Management

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Assignment Use page numbers in your report and reflect these in your contents page.

You are a systems analyst/project manager working for a large software development firm which has been commissioned by X&Y Stores plc to develop a new system which will form an important part of the company’s planned development.
X&Y Stores plc

X&Y Stores is a fairly large retail company. It has 70 department stores of various sizes spread across Great Britain. It has 2 large stores in London including its flagship store in Oxford Street, London, W1. The firm is considering expanding abroad.

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The administrative departments – Finance, Human Resources & Payroll, and Marketing – are based at the London Head Office, which shares premises with the large, central London store.

Each store is organised into departments; there are certain departments which are found in all the stores, but some departments are only found in the larger stores. Each department has a manager and a buyer as well as several sales assistants.

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Board

Robert Williams Chairman
Julia Jones Chief Executive
David Kebede Finance Director
David James Retail Operations Director
Ann Kim Marketing Director
Jane Atwood Human Resources & Payroll Director
Jane Roberts IT Director
Anne Sarkozy Non-executive Director
Sean Taylor Non-executive Director
Gerald Thorne Non-executive Director

The Company is divided into six Regions – London and South East, Southern England, Midlands, Northern England, Scotland, Wales. Each Region has a Regional Manager who reports to the Retail Operations Director. The Store Managers report to the relevant Regional Managers.
Outline Requirements for the New System
The company wishes to establish a web presence – providing publicity for the firm, acatalogue for customers and the facility for goods to be purchased on-line. The system should also provide relevant reports for management.

Software Project Management

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The company already has computerised finance, sales and stock-control systems – and the new system will have to link with these.

The overall programme includes other projects to develop the infrastructure to support online sales and delivery as well as a marketing campaign. These other projects are not part of your responsibility but you will have to ensure that the timescales for the development of the web-based IT system are met so that the overall programme can be coordinated.

Further Investigation

During further discussion with the client, you note the following.

1. The client management is particularly keen to have parts of the website running as soon as possible for publicity – preferably within two months; the timescale for the rest of the system (ordering, payment, etc) is 6 months.
2. You are requested to produce an estimate of the cost of the software development taking into account the requirements and timescale.
3. The client has given a general overview of its requirements for the website – but will wish to refine this when the management have seen prototypes.
4. A client representative will be allocated to work with the development team for the whole of the project duration.

Software Project Management

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5. The client will be using PRINCE2 to guide the other projects in its programme and so wishes to use PRINCE2 also as the project framework for the software development project. The client has no view on the software/system method to use – and this choice will be your responsibility.
It is likely that at an early stage X&Y will want further information on how the System Development process will affect their operations and the likely timeframe and cost, and be able to consider how this will integrate with other aspects of the marketing, etc.

Your manager has asked you to carry out a number of tasks for X&Y.

Contents page

Software Project Management

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1. Consider the various approaches and system/software development methods that might be appropriate for this particular firm and developing this particular system. Explain in outline two substantially different methods – and compare their suitability for this case. Make recommendations in relation to this specific case – giving a full rationale. Present this in the form of a concise report for the senior systems analyst in your own firm. (around 2 sides A4) [10] Marks
It is important that you concentrate on the issues which are relevant for this particular project. This should NOT merely be a general theoretical consideration of software development methods.

Youmight for example list the features of the case study/requirements which are relevant to the choice of a software development method – then note how each of the two development methodsmatch these features (with a brief explanation of each point).

Software Project Management

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This could be presented in various formats – but a table would be one option (not the only possibility):
Project Feature Software Development Method 1 (named) Software Development Method 2 (named)
1. Feature of THIS PARTICULAR project…….
2. Another Feature of THIS PARTICULAR project……. …..

Etc…

How well Method 1 fits Project Feature 1 and explanation/comment ….
How well Method 1 fits Project Feature 2 and explanation/comment ….

etc…. How well Method 2 fits Project Feature 1 and explanation/comment ….
How well Method 2 fits Project Feature 2 and explanation/comment ….

2. Write a brief memorandum to X&Y plc on the setting up of a Project Board for this software development project – outline the Project Management Team roles (in line with the PRINCE2 method’s guidelines) and suggest likely participants – with a brief rationale. (Half to 1 side A4) [10] Marks

Software Project Management

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Keep in mind that this is a brief memo (or email) to management in the client company making suggestions in line with their choice of PRINCE2. It should be short and relevant. The company need to know (briefly) what the PRINCE2 roles involve and how much time commitment will be needed for members of the Project Board. Suggest people from the company to take on the relevant PRINCE2 roles (but of course the actual decision is up to the client).

DO NOT CONFUSE THE PROJECT BOARD (whose job is to have an overview of the specific project) with the COMPANY BOARD (which runs the company).

You need to research the function of a PRINCE2 PROJECT BOARD and the ROLES within it. Read Chapter 8 ‘Project Organisation’ of the BCS book “Project Management for IT-Related Projects” – available as an e-book from the library for a general introduction – but remember that this Chapter looks at Project Organisation in general not solely PRINCE2 approaches. There are various texts on PRINCE2 (see reading list on the module spec) and also look at the PRINCE2 official website and search accordingly.

Software Project Management

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3. a. Produce a cost estimate for the project – with appropriate breakdowns.

There are numerous approaches to this. Read Chapter 6 of the BCS book “Project Management for IT-related projects” for some possibilities. You do not have to use a ‘scientific’ approach such as function point analysis or COCOMO – but may do so if you wish (but just use the relevant features – you are estimating COST).

A simple approach might be to consider what SOFTWARE COMPONENTS are needed for the system. (A software component might be for example – a user interface, a database, a program to carry out some major piece of processing). Consider each software component in a little more detail (e.g. how many tables in the database, how many screens for each user-interface) – then estimate from experience how long each software component might take to create. Total this time and add on time for general activities and integration, etc. Check likely pay levels for staff (use job sites and convert to an hourly rate) – then add further costs for office space, electricity, etc (doubling the pay rate is a rough guide to take into account these overheads for estimation purposes).

Software Project Management

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The key issues are that your approach should be reasonable, methodical and show clearly how you arrived at your results and where you obtained your figures. There is no single ‘right’ answer.
b. Produce an evaluation of the proposed project including a financial evaluation – showing calculations/method.
Consider the benefits and costs for the company. This is NOT JUST a financial evaluation.

For the financial evaluation – you may make any reasonable assumptions – the point is to demonstrate that you can choose a sensible method and apply it correctly. Again there is no ‘right’ answer – all depends on your assumptions
Carry out research on salaries, etc. Make any reasonable assumptions – but briefly explain how you arrived at these. (2 to 4 sides A4) [8] Marks
4. Produce an outline plan for the development (including timeframe) on the basis of your chosen system development method. (around 2 sides A4 – in table form) [7] Marks

Your plan should clearly relate to this particular project and should also reflect your chosen software development method.

Software Project Management

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Consider the general activities, the software components that need to be created for this project (and the work needed to produce them) and a sensible order for work to take place. Try to put yourself in the position of the project manager for the development team and consider whether you have shown clearly (in outline) the tasks that need to be carried out. Check whether you have left any major task out or unclear.

Set out your table to show the end products of periods of work and the actual activity needed to produce these deliverables.

You might set your table out to reflect weeks, fortnights, time boxes or in some other way.

5. Using relevant PRINCE2 templates produce a Project Brief which provides a foundation for the initiation of the project. Useful templates can be found on the Official PRINCE2 website. (standard PRINCE2 format) [18] Marks

You will need the standard PRINCE2 PROJECT BRIEF template and the BUSINESS CASE template – both available on the official website. Let me know if you have any problems finding these.

Software Project Management

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Read the remainder of the BCS book “Project Management for IT-Related Projects” – to ensure that you are familiar with ideas of risk, quality, etc.

Some of the material you will use here, you will have already produced for earlier tasks – so in many cases a summary only is needed.

6. Outline the subsequent PRINCE2 stages the work will go through after the Project Brief – explaining briefly the purpose of each activity. (around 2 sides A4). [15] Marks

Research further on the PRINCE2 stages and consider how these will relate to the specific project.

7. Write brief notes on PRINCE2, PM-BOK and ISO 21500 (around 2 sides of A4). [7] Marks
Research further on the PRINCE2 stages and consider how these will relate to the specific project.

You should observe carefully the suggested length of each section (which includes all text, charts, diagrams) – the aim is to select relevant information and to present it concisely.
References/Bibliography

Software Project Management

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Ensure that your sources are properly referenced. Perhaps use Harvard style or some other standard.

For website references – give the date you accessed them.
Presentation of Assignment

Your name and student id number should be printed on the front page of the report.

You may produce diagrams:
by hand;
using a CASE tool;
using a Word Processing package or other drawing application;

provided that the diagrams are clear and easy to read.

Text should generally be presented in a suitable format for a business environment – making use of bullet-points, numbered headings, tables, etc. In particular the report should be concise.

The main body of your text should be font size 12 apart from headings, etc – and should generally be formatted in a similar way to this assignment brief.

Software Project Management

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By admin in Essays on March 5, 2017