Project Planning

Learning Objectives

List the factors that affect the price of software
List the sections of a software project plan
Explain common estimation techniques for software projects (i.e., experienced-based, algorithmic, and “planning poker”)
Illustrate a project schedule using Gantt and PERT charts

How to Complete this Lesson

Complete the following learning activities: (2–2.75 hours total)

Read the following in Software Engineering:
- Chapter 23: Project planning (60–90 minutes)
  - Software pricing (skim)
  - Plan-driven development
  - Project scheduling
  - Agile planning
  - Estimation techniques (skim)
Attend the class meeting (60 minutes)
- Complete the scheduling handout (after class if necessary)
Complete the course evaluation if you have not done so already (5–10 minutes)

Resources

Videos

Effective Estimation (or: How not to Lie) (48 minutes)
Planning Poker | Story Point Estimation in Agile (4 minutes)
How to Create a Pert Chart (3 minutes)
Use forward and backward pass to determine project duration and critical path (8 minutes)
What is Total Float (Total Slack) and how to calculate it in a network diagram (4 minutes)
Create a Basic Gantt Chart in Excel (summary of instructions) (9 minutes)

Further Reading

Meyer, “The Shortest Possible Schedule Theorem: Yes, You Can Throw Money at Software Deadlines,” BLOG@CACM, October 2019