Software Project Management - Assignment Example

A project is a sequence or set of tasks that have a defined beginning, end, schedule, and approach. The most important aspect of projects is scheduling or timing. Most projects have failed because of lack of appreciation of time. The late delivery of projects is a major undoing of most professionals since time is a crucial factor that needs not be factored out. Project planning is part of project management that relates to the use of schedules to plan and report the project progress.

They use such things as the Gantt charts. One most distinguishing feature about the projects is the time they take to be complete (Nicholas & Steyn, 2008, p. 159). The author says that there are three things that take place in the planning and control processes. First, a plan is prepared that specifies what the project requires, the tasks of the project, responsibilities, schedules, and the budgets. The next thing is the phase where execution is done and the progress is monitored and assessed and the final thing is that an action to attempt to correct what has been done is carried out (Nicholas & Steyn, 2008, 162).

The planning process of a project is ordered to be commenced by the top management that is after the needs of the business, the proposal request and the project contract request have been received. This requires a lot of funds which is released by the organization in order to initial plan, schedule, and budget. These are included in the project proposal. The signing of the contract together with the approval if it gives a valid reason for the funding and the work authorization of the whole project.

But as in the case of internal projects, the project has to first be released in order to describe the project to the shareholders (Nicholas & Steyn, 2008, p. 159). Different projects differ in the way they operate and that is the reason why the author calls for the planning of the projects. Projects that have come into existence have new questions and the aim of the plan is to answer these rising questions. I don’t concur with the author when he says that those who start their projects for the first time are required to give answers to the questions as what, who, how, by whom, in what order, for how much, and by when.

The questions that need to be answered are these; why, which poses a question why the project is being sponsored, what, what is the work that will be done on the project and what are the main outcomes, products, and deliverables, who? which inquires the individuals to be involved and what their responsibilities are within the entire project. It also entails the project will be organized. Finally, there is the question, when? Which tries to specify the project timeline is complete. The project milestones mean the time taken by the project to give meaningful points (Nicholas & Steyn, 2008, p ).

Project planning starts early in the life cycle of the project more before the project is authorized. On my view, it commences with the writing of a proposal. This will initiate the formation of a group of people that are organized who will make the decisions about the resources required. The planning proposal has full information on the requirements of the customers on the view of the project and its price (Nicholas & Steyn, 2008, p. 172).