SENG 511 - Software Process and Project Management:
(1) Description
Software becomes larger and more complex these days. Systems with millions line of code which are evolving over a period of years (if not decades) are no longer the exception, but the rule. Simultaneously, quality standards in terms of performance, reliability, security, or maintainability are raised continuously. How these expectations can be met? This course is devoted to PROCESSES for software development and evolution of large scale software systems which nowadays are often developed in teams distributed around the world. The course is also devoted to methods, tools, and techniques applicable to qualify software project management, considered to be the number one factor for success or failure of software projects.
Clearly defined processes within the whole lifecycle have been proven necessary to tackle the growing challenges of software systems development. Instead of leaving their structure and execution up to interpretation, explicit models help to better understand, monitor, control, analyze and improve these processes. The course describes the way how systematic processes contribute to better product quality. It presents the necessary technologies (modeling, measurement, experimentation, decision-making) and frameworks for that purpose. In supplement to other courses, the emphasis is not on implementation of software, but on early efforts to provide quality software and on quantitative project management. The latter is important to ensure the planned process is followed and/or is adjusted in the right way in response to changed conditions.
(2) Objectives
The main objectives of SENG 511 are:
Develop know-what and know-how for large-scale systematic software and system development from an industrial perspective, supplementing existing knowledge about development principles and individual techniques with the notion of software quality, software processes and software project management.
Understand and formulate systematic processes as a means to achieve quality software, understand process and product dependencies and learn how to continuously improve software processes.
Achieve practical skills in process modeling and execution, software release planning and software project management (three assignments).
Study the incremental software development best practices as formulated by the Rational Unified Process RUP.
Apply software measurement as an enabling technique for evidence-based process improvement project management.
To learn about organizational process improvement frameworks such as CMMI and the Software Experience Factory approach
Study individual techniques such as quality Function Deployment QFD, Six Sigma, and Optimized Staffing.
Study four landmark papers from the area of software process and project management and discuss their relevance.
Provide insight into actual real-world software system development by providing case study reports from three distinguished industry representatives.
Learn about some of the most recent trends in process and project management.
