Essays 2007

Abstract:Importance of management grows along with the size of software project. Project monitoring represents the interface between project and its management. The purpose of monitoring is particularly the early identification of deviations between project reality and the plan, with assumption of consecutive corrective actions. Author summarizes possible reasons for deviations between project and the ideal state and provides examples of possible solutions. He also analyzes sources of distortion in perception and reporting of project status, what can negatively affect the application of otherwise qualitative and tuned software development process. The purpose of this essay is to interpret author's overall view on the subject, without special accent on any particular methodic or support tool.

Abstract:Testing is an important part software developement cycle. There are two main groups of testing methods. First one is a black-box testing and the second one is a white-box testing. In this essay both groups are compared and techniques for these methods are explained. In case of black-box testing, stress is given on use case, extended use case, collaboration diagram and formal specification testing. Unit testing is explained and reviewed as one of the white-box testing methods. Both groups of testing methods have different coverage and are used in different software developement methodologies. But if right combined, they can help in assuring software quality. In this paper, practical experience, strengths and weaknesses of this methods are explained.

Abstract:This essay deals with analysis of personality types in software project team, which results can help to increase efficiency of software project. In the first part after introduction we present three types od classification of personality types, MBTI classification, Kiersey-Bates classification and Shepard classification. In second part we discuss about suitable preferences of team leader, system analyst and programmer. Finally in the third part we try to classify suitable personality types for given positions.

Abstract:This paper describes our feeling and experiences with planning in software project, defining project goal and preparing schedule of working activities for each team member in development process. There are several ways how to plan development process. We have aimed to describe two views- traditional waterfall model of software development and spiral life cycle. Then we try to present extreme programming as an new approach to distributing project activities among team members. Plan are created to guide people who try to obey them. Each process is matter of discussion. If your process isn't changing, it is probably isn't being used. A successful plan is organic, embodied in the habits and feelings of the team. One of the most important things in project planning is hence the ability to update our plans and future visions. Strict attempts to enforce plan can lead to misunderstanding and even rebellion in the team and bury synergic effect.

Abstract:A question many people, who had been assigned the role of a project manager without previous experience, asked themselves.
In this essay I will mention both pros and cons of risk management and how the risk management influences the costs and the project success. I will try to consider also the project scope, because large projects can be threatened by different threats than small projects. I will also consider the the paradigm of the software development, because the stil more popular agile development methods are threatened by different threats from for instance plan-driven development methods.

Abstract:Development of larger software systems demands intensive collaboration among multiple team members with different responsibilities. The development process is often distributed across time and space and is performed within and between specialized workgroups. This necessitates finding appropriate answers to questions related to division of labor, to communication, and to coordination and cooperation in the planning, development and maintenance of software systems. In presented paper, we review the activities of software manager, which can be supported by software tools. We describe more in detail the issue of task planning and tracking. Upon the analysis of two tools, we summarize different approaches for the software project controlling.

Abstract:Times when software development team consisted of few people and team size could be counted in ones are definitely over. Nowadays it is nothing unusual if hundreds of people work on a single project, many times separated from each other and they need do collaborate and coordinate their work. Projects of such sizes are quite difficult to manage and this is where software project management supporting tools play their role in helping carrying the burden of difficulty, enabling effective and transparent project management and control. Essay provides summary of possible utilization of particular tools for software project management, considering suitability and effectivity for specific activity.

Abstract:In the process of software project development there are three main parameters. They are time, price and specification. In every project the flexibility of these parameters can change. The plan of project has to be made according to this parameters. Work experience show us that we can't make exact plan for any project and that always unpredictable things can happen which could divert project from his plan.
So how can we say if our progres is acording the plan project? We had to chose metrices, we are going to use to specify the progres. They had to reflect the hierarchy of the three main parameters of project mentioned before. Thereafter progres of the project can be identify by this metrices.

Abstract:The support of software quality in a software development process may be regarded under two aspects: first, by providing techniques, which support the development of high quality software and second, by providing techniques, which assure the required quality attributes in existing artifacts. Both approaches have to be combined to achieve effective and successful software engineering.
In this essay we describe processes used to implement validation, verification and testing during software development life-cycle. We bring closer look at methods and procedures which are used throughout requirements specification, analysis, design, and implementation and within application deployment. We compare three of the most industrially relevant software development process models: RUP, MSF and XP regarding their software quality support.

Abstract:This paper describes common mistakes made by project managers in process of making project plans. Considers risk factors which influence software project. Proposes solutions instructing how to make a "good plan". Analyses ways of making realistic and pessimistic plans, discusses particular advantages and disadvantages. Specific model of project and human resources planning is proposed in discussion of realistic plan making. Solution for covering project delay is discussed in part of pessimistic project plan making. It lays emphasis on the project status monitoring and comparing with the project plan, which can lead to project plan actualization. Achieved results are evaluated and extension possibilities are present.

Abstract:When composing the software team, we often concentrate on skills of team members and want to cover all sites of the process of software developing. But it is important to correctly estimate to character of personality. Every member plays a role in the software team. For each role there are people that have necessary character. When dividing the people improperly, it can arise problem inside the team. This usually leads to attenuating the productivity. How are the relations between team roles and their character of personalities? Are the programmers different from system analysts and managers? It's difficult question.

Abstract:Software projects are connected with many direct and indirect risks, which can threaten whole project. Risk management of software project is one very important part of overall software project management. It has to be performed throughout the entire project lifecycle. This article makes overview in risk management practices. Risk management consists of risk identification, risk analysis, risk response development and risk response control. This essay finds connections by frequent risks in praxis and in school project. It helps by finding possibilities to eliminate risks or minimize its affects on project.

Abstract:The main purpose of this paper is to discuss why software companies should use project management tools. The reader can learn why these tools are important during software development and how these tools can reduce costs. This thesis also summarizes the properties of these tools and highlights which properties are important and which are not. After reading this paper the reader will know why project management tools are important and which features they should contain.

Abstract:Production of every project comes with risks. There are risks which can be hardly predicted and there are those which can be avoided using suitable management. Proper software management includes also an identification of possible risks and a planning how to avoid them. Many projects fail or their developement gets complicated just because of omission of this management field and treating all risks as something unpredictable which has to be handled only when the risk occurs. This paper shows the need of early analysis of possible risks and their suitable planning. It describes its advantages and disadvantages for different projects. It discusses various opinions about given problematics and based on them tries to find a suitable procedure especially for small team projects.

Abstract:To develop software system on time and within a budget is not good enough if software produced is full of defects. Customer wants to be assured of quality or even expect concrete demonstration of software quality. Hence more software engineering research has focused on methodologies and techniques for improving software quality, measuring software quality and software quality assurance.
Primary task in verification and validation process for software quality assurance is testing, so it stands for very important role through whole lifecycle of software product - to make sure, that developed software is good enough to place it on market.
This essay provides an overview of software quality. The software quality assurance and most common methodologies and techniques for testing software quality are discussed.

Abstract:In order to divide the effort needed to finish a software project, software teams are created. Teams like this are formed during the classes of the subject Team project 1 and 2. Many individuals are being transformed into team players right at that moment. The team member's personality has a significant impact on team success and performance as well as carrying out his/her own assignments. The duty of a team leader is to divide team roles and tasks so the load is effectively balanced on team members, according to their skills and is motivating them to fulfill the tasks. This is based mainly on team leader's personal experience with people, his/her judgment and intuition. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of team role allocation based on team members' personality analysis and character traits while this is done in the phase of transition from an individual to a team member.

Abstract:Software project planning consists of plans creation, actualization and monitoring of how they are fulfilled. There are many opinions and ways of project planning, in software engineering. Traditional engineering methods require great effort of plan creation and it is not uncommon that plan becomes impossible to actualize. Change of plan in such situations is either impossible or can affect project itself critically. This paper presents overview of planning for standard engineering methods on one hand, while giving the reader description of agile software development planning on the other hand. It tries to highlight the differences between these two approaches, while accentuating agile methods as they have become popular and seem to be successful in many cases.

Abstract:During development software project management has to find the way how to track its progress. Solve problems with performance, planning, costs and control on the way to successfully finishing the project. It is nothing extraordinary when the project's time extends or the costs increase. Good management task is to establish automatic project tracking. Management should make and establish system to track project progress and control plan. From acquired values determine status and adjust the developing process concerning planning and control. This automatic tracking can alert managers on incoming problems and allows them to take action. This paper contains some of the techniques used by tracking the software project progress.